Gayle King on brink at CBS News over $15 million salary as two of her colleagues are tipped for huge promotion
Gayle King's future at CBS News is under threat over her $15million salary - as two of her colleagues are expected to get huge promotions.
The star's survival at the network is uncertain as its new leadership, owner David Ellison and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, look to cut costs and elevate other talent.
Oliver Darcy's Status newsletter reported that Weiss has met with Norah O'Donnell, who was quietly removed from CBS Evening News last year by former boss Wendy McMahon.
One of the options for O'Donnell would be to have her return to CBS Mornings - as King's massive paycheck could be an issue in Ellison's era, according to Status.
'O’Donnell could return to “CBS Mornings,” particularly as Gayle King’s massive paycheck may become difficult to justify in the Ellison era, which is expected to include significant belt tightening,' Darcy wrote.
Weiss is also reportedly looking to bring new life into Evening News, which has been languishing under co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, Status said.
O'Donnell, who is set to moderate a roundtable with Hillary Clinton, Mike Pompeo and Antony Blinken, is a possible contender to to front Evening News again.
Another strong candidate is CBS Mornings's co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, who the network publicly rebuked after a controversial interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates.
According to Darcy, 'figures like Dokoupil and O’Donnell, both of whom have weathered shifting fortunes at the network, now likely see the change of guard as a potential opportunity - a chance to perhaps boost their own personal standing as the Ellison-Weiss era takes shape.'
Gayle King's future at CBS News is under threat over her $15million salary, as new bosses look to cut costs amid plummeting ratings
New editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is reportedly looking to elevate other talent during her reign
Weiss has met Norah O'Donnell, who was quietly removed from CBS Evening News last year
The Daily Mail reached out to CBS News for comment.
The New York Post reported in August that King's future at CBS Mornings was uncertain as networks boss are not happy with the star's focus on DEI and tanking ratings.
King reportedly refused to follow her bosses' attempts to move away from polarizing coverage, sources told the Post.
The sources claimed that the 70-year-old anchor and her executive producer Shawna Thomas have alienated viewers with ultra-progressive programming, like an interview with RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, who was promoting his 'gender-bending' novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert.
Gayle signed a contract extension last year for between $13 million and $15 million that is scheduled to end in May 2026, a source told The Post.
Skydance Media, which took over running CBS, likely won't offer Gayle the same deal given the ratings, the source added.
The potential Mornings shake up comes as CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, whose own reported $15million contract also ends next May.
Gayle's producer Shawna Thomas had reportedly already been told to tone down the progressive content, but just 'didn't do what she was told.'
New bosses are reportedly considering promoting CBS Mornings's co-anchor Tony Dokoupil
Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison speaks during the Bloomberg Screentime conference in Los Angeles on October 9
Thomas views herself as a major journalist who wants to do heavy reporting and provocative interviews with edgy guests, insiders said.
However, Thomas kept her job because she has Gayle's support.
The Post, citing sources, reported that aside from the woke programming, viewers were 'alienated' by the fact none of the show's anchors, aside from Tony Dokoupil, are white.
