Surprising Departure of Jeff Glor

In a surprising turn of events, Jeff Glor, former anchor of “CBS Evening News,” has been let go by CBS as part of a massive layoff initiative hitting the media conglomerate's parent company, Paramount Global. Glor’s departure follows Norah O’Donnell’s controversial takeover of the anchor position, a move that has sparked significant discussion regarding CBS's leadership choices.

Career Background and Recent Developments

Glor, who held the esteemed anchor role previously occupied by broadcasting legends like Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather from 2017 until 2019, found himself relegated to weekend hosting duties on 'CBS Saturday Morning' before his exit. Industry insiders suggest that Glor’s high salary, combined with his reluctance to engage in 'office politics,' contributed to his dismissal. It appears that since his demotion, Glor opted for a low-profile approach, avoiding any potential conflicts that might arise in the competitive news environment.

Norah O’Donnell's Controversial Rise

Interestingly, O’Donnell’s rise to the anchor chair was no small feat; she engaged in a calculated campaign that involved securing support from then-CBS News president Susan Zirinsky. O’Donnell aimed to revitalize the show by relocating the broadcast from bustling New York City to the political heart of Washington D.C., but this strategy has not yielded the expected results. Despite the change in venues, ratings plummeted by about 25%, firmly placing CBS at the bottom of the ratings race against rivals ABC and NBC.

Future Plans for CBS Evening News

As anticipation builds, CBS's leadership has already indicated that O’Donnell will step down from her anchor responsibilities following the upcoming presidential election. Plans are in place to return the show to New York and reinvigorate it under the guidance of CBS News veterans John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois. This revamp is framed as an essential cost-saving measure amidst an unfortunate backdrop of layoffs affecting 2,000 employees across Paramount’s divisions. These layoffs are in pursuit of a staggering $500 million budget reduction as the company prepares for an impending merger with Skydance Media, anticipated to finalize next year.

The Bigger Picture