Norah O'Donnell is out

If you're a news junkie like me, you've probably heard. CBS flagship news anchor Norah O’Donnell is stepping down from her duties. She will will cede the reins of the “CBS Evening News” after the 2024 presidential election. 

Instead she will work as a senior correspondent, reporting on major events and interviews. Norah has been an incomparable reporter for decades, therefore the anchor chair's loss is a welcomed return for the depth of the CBS News bench. 

It's the latest major change at CBS News after its business merged; a strange arrangement with the local-TV operations of parent company Paramount Global.

She recently celebrated her fifth year as CBS News anchor, and here are my personal thoughts.

Norah is an amazing anchor. I can't say a single negative thing about her. She looked wise, calm and collected, and exactly what you'd expect in a flagship news anchor. She demonstrated resolve combined with empathy and sympathy for the tough and emotional stories of the day.

But I believe Norah was always at her best when she was on-location. This was most recently notable in her recent sit-down with Pope Francis earlier this year. But from wildfires to floods, elections to war zones, Norah's eyes simply lit up on-site. 

I don't see that on the news set. I believe she was forced into an arrangement which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and likely multi-million dollar offer that was simply too good to say no to. 

But I think given the option, she would have remained one of the leading traveling correspondents in the nation. Of course Norah could tell me I'm completely wrong, but in her absence, I'm just sharing how I believe this seems to have shaken out.

I believe in the wake of the "#metoo movement, networks made hasty changes to attempt to distance themselves from culpability. Norah was CBS News' answer. It's always cringy how the "suits" work. Norah was a great choice, but the question was left to the viewers if she truly was the best choice, or the best choice for the company.

Why?

First, Scott Pelley was pushed out with no seeming reason, relegated to "senior special correspondent;" the title you give people in broadcast news when they're one step away from the exit door.

Then, young and up-and-coming Jeff Glor was canned. He too was promising and terrific. But neither fit the company's erratic move toward a more diverse public persona.

Now let me be clear. I am a firm believer in diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am also a firm believer in merit-based systems. And I believe both can work in harmony when done correctly. I don't know CBS did it correctly. Norah was a rushed choice desperate CBS executives used to cover their asses. 

Norah said “Together, our team has won Emmy, Murrow, and DuPont awards. We managed to anchor in-studio through COVID; we took the broadcast on the road from aircraft carriers to the Middle East, and around the world. We were privileged to conduct a historic interview with Pope Francis,” she remarked. “There’s so much work to be proud of! But I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, tied to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It’s time to do something different." 

This will be her seventh time covering a presidential election.

CBS hasn't announced her replacement but in my opinion, great choices would be:

1. Margaret Brenna - Absolute top of the list. She is a once-in-a-lifetime talent.

2. Major Garrett - Major has given his last drop of blood to CBS, being there for them anytime they needed him to cover down. If anyone has ever deserved his chance at the first chair, it's Major.

3. Either Jericka Duncan or Adriana Diaz who are both young and energetic correspondents with all the chops to hold down the top spot, while potentially bringing in a younger demographic. I really like their reporting.

I'm incredibly sad to see Norah go. She was my favorite current anchor followed by Lester Holt over at NBC. I think she was placed in a tough role she likely never really liked and was an incredible weight to carry. 

I think in every professional's career they have to balance family, friends, passions, and professional goals. This might have been Norah choosing to take the reins of her career back. I worry though, with CBS' widely known executive mismanagement, she too will languish at a desk across from Scott Pelley in the basement of CBS News, waiting to do 10-minute segments on 60 minutes, here and there.

***Separately, national news needs a shake-up. It has turned into a medium for partisan hackery the likes of Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow are rolling in their graves about. 

Norah spent most of her time skirting the middle, but even her newsroom suffered from it. 

Let's hope the news team balances and leaves room for conversation from both sides of the aisle more purposely than in the recent past. 

Right now, all the major networks tend to lean left; some just a little, some like MSDNC, a whole lot. The only “major” network which leans left is Fox News, which I lovingly refer to as Trump TV. “We, the People” should expect more from the fourth estate, but we won’t. Because our preferred networks feed us exactly what we want to hear; that we’re right and they’re wrong.

Thank you Norah for being awesome. You are what other journalists and young men and women looking to get into the business should strive to emulate; a master communicator and storyteller.