The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Thursday Is The Last Night For A Major U.S. Network Anchor

**Posted by RadioActive** January 23, 2025 10:42 am

She hardly became the household name that a Walter Cronkite or Peter Jennings did, but Thursday night marks a milestone of sorts anyway.

It's the final broadcast of Norah O'Donnell as anchor of the CBS Evening News. She hadn't been there long, occupying the prime post only since mid-July 2019. And in a final sort-of indignity, what would have been her last newscast on Friday is being interrupted by golf coverage on the network.

She'll be replaced by a new format, with multiple anchors in various cities bringing viewers the news.

I never really watched the CBS product, preferring NBC and Lester Holt. But because anchors usually hang on for a long time, I just might tune in just to hear her final words and see what she says is next for her.

**Posted by mace** January 23, 2025 11:12 am

I find it odd that even to this day, while CBS is top rated in daytime and primetime, on most nights. Yet for decades, the network remains a very distant third place in the Breakfast and Dinner hour network news battles.

**Posted by ED1** January 23, 2025 1:53 pm

mace wrote:
I find it odd that even to this day, while CBS is top rated in daytime and primetime, on most nights. Yet for decades, the network remains a very distant third place in the Breakfast and Dinner hour network news battles.

CBS Mornings might be in third place, but the gap has pretty much closed between them and ABC's Good Morning America in the demographics.

https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/week-of-january-6-morning-news-ratings/

There's been a few occasions where CBS Mornings have beaten GMA, and even Today, in the A 25-54 demo.

https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-news-and-stations/shows/cbs-mornings/releases/?view=109267-cbsm

**Posted by RadioActive** January 23, 2025 6:07 pm

Another sign of the changing TV times.

Norah O'Donnell signs off, Hoda Kotb's out: 'God-like days' are over for big name anchors

**Posted by RadioActive** January 23, 2025 9:58 pm

I watched the last 6 minutes of CBS' nightly news package, probably for the first time in decades, just to see how Norah O'Donnell would exit. They showed a three or four minute highlight reel of her career, narrated by Oprah Winfrey. Then she came back for a near tearful personal farewell, and as she finished talking, members of the staff came out - people you never see on camera - and applauded her, and someone - her daughter? Her partner? Her boss? She was never I.D.'d, - leaned over and gave her a kiss. It was a nice moment.

Still, it wasn't really a farewell for O'Donnell. She's taking the role of a national correspondent and will turn up on the morning and weekend shows, as well as doing pieces for 60 Minutes. So while she's leaving one job at the network, she'll be going on to another.

You can watch those last 60 seconds here.