By David Bauder, Television Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --CBS' effort to brand itself as the home of hard-edged newscasts has achieved commercial success in the morning, but not so much in the evening – and "CBS Evening News" anchor Scott Pelley paid the price for it with his job.
The network announced Wednesday that Pelley will return full time to "60 Minutes," the flagship newsmagazine where he divided his time in the six years since he replaced Katie Couric as evening news anchor. Twenty-year CBS veteran Anthony Mason will fill in on the evening news until a permanent successor is chosen.
The transition has already been a little messy: CBS had intended to announce it next week, but when workers began packing Pelley's belongings at his evening news office into boxes Tuesday word of his departure spread.
CBS News, with its influence diminished at the turn of the decade, sought to mold its newscasts in the meatier image of "60 Minutes." It named the newsmagazine's most influential correspondent, Pelley, as evening anchor and installed the team of Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell at the newly named "CBS This Morning."
The strategy has worked beyond the network's dreams in the morning. Once invisible, CBS is now competitive with ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "Today" show – still third but gaining fast. Pelley won respect and early ratings success in the evening. But he was never truly competitive with ABC and NBC, and lately he has slid further behind.
Pelley's onscreen demeanor – "strict and steeling, disavowing both charm and irony" – was appropriate for the nation's mood after last decade's financial crisis, said news consultant Andrew Tyndall, who studies the content of evening newscasts. But it has proven less so for the Donald Trump era. Despite a heightened interest in news that has propelled cable personalities like Rachel Maddow to new heights, the evening newscasts haven't benefited. Collectively, the three networks reach 24.2 million each night, down 4 percent from last year, the Nielsen ratings company said.
In recent months, Pelley has attracted attention, and anger from Trump's supporters, for blunt assessments of the Republican president's moves.
CBS gave no public reason for removing Pelley. In such situations, ratings usually tell the story.
But CBS executives stressed the importance of having Pelley full time at "60 Minutes."
"The milestone 50th season of '60 Minutes' requires Scott's full contribution, and we look forward to important reporting from him for many years to come," CBS News President David Rhodes said.
Pelley, 59, was on assignment overseas Wednesday. He'll be back at the "CBS Evening News" Monday for a short period before Mason takes over. In a statement, Pelley said CBS "has been great to me for nearly 30 years."
"I'm glad to accept this assignment with continuing gratitude," he said.
There had been behind-the-scenes signals a shift was coming. As Pelley heads into a job where his day-to-day presence in the office is less important, he has recently bought a ranch in Texas and put a house in Connecticut on the market.
It's unclear whether Mason will be a candidate for the full-time job. Potential candidates include CBS' Jeff Glor and CNN's Jake Tapper or Anderson Cooper. But in a reflection of television news' changed circumstances, other CBS personalities like O'Donnell or "Face the Nation" host John Dickerson aren't expected to be candidates.
The role of evening news anchor was once clearly the top job in broadcast journalism but now has less influence. And CBS would be loath to break up its morning team because that's where it makes more money, industry observers said.
"It would be a mistake to take from this that people don't want a solid news program," said Lee Kamlet, a former ABC News producer and dean of the communications school at Quinnipiac University. "But they are more inclined to want it in the morning, when they haven't been on their news and social media feeds throughout the night."
For all the attention Maddow and other cable personalities get, however, Pelley routinely reached twice as many people each night.
Pelley's newscast had more international news and a tougher tone than its rivals, but it wasn't necessarily breaking news-dependent, Tyndall said. It was more dependent on its own video than special effects; in short, it looked more like "60 Minutes," he said.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More