Katie Couric didn’t hold back when discussing CBS Evening News host Norah O’Donnell being replaced with two men.
Couric, 67, wrote a guest essay for The New York Times on Sunday, August 11, where she addressed CBS bringing in Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson in O’Donnell’s place when she leaves her roles as anchor and managing editor after election season.
“It was more than a little disappointing to read that Ms. O’Donnell would be replaced by two men, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois,” she noted. “Don’t get me wrong: I know, like and respect these two journalists.”
Couric clarified that her response had nothing to do with DuBois, 58, or Dickerson, 56, adding, “But soon, on the big three networks, there will be four male anchors. Yes, the talented Margaret Brennan will be contributing stories from the Washington bureau for CBS, but the two people who will be greeting Americans watching the CBS evening newscast will be men.”
After hosting CBS Evening News herself from 2006 to 2011, Couric couldn’t stay silent about O’Donnell’s exit.
“More important, the three people behind the scenes, making most of the editorial decisions, will be three white men: Bill Owens, Guy Campanile and Jerry Cipriano,” she added before praising Cipriano for his support during her time with the news program.
Couric argued that “male writers occasionally have blind spots,” which could affect how the evening news could be dominated by a male point of view during a “potentially historic story.” While referring to Kamala Harris‘ run for President, Couric used that as an example of why the news “needs a diverse group of journalists covering it.”
CBS confirmed in July that O’Donnell, 50, would be stepping down as host of CBS Evening News after the 2024 presidential election. O’Donnell is set to become a senior correspondent contributing to Evening News, 60 Minutes and other CBS News programs. Earlier this month, the network announced that DuBois and Dickerson would replace O’Donnell later this year.
“Whether it’s in politics, sports or other once-male-dominated fields, seeing diversity in leadership inspires our imagination about who can and should fill these roles,” Couric continued on Sunday. “It’s odd and more than a little out of touch that even while CBS has announced a restructuring that introduces an additional layer of women executives, the leading editorial decision makers will mostly be men.”
O’Donnell, for her part, previously reflected on her new position at CBS.
“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,” she wrote in a July statement. “It’s time to do something different.”
