CBS News’ leadership is looking to give morning host Gayle King a new special correspondent gig – with half her estimated $13 million annual salary, sources with knowledge of the matter told The Post.
The situation comes as the outlet’s editor in chief Bari Weiss has been shaking up the organization, drawing heavy scrutiny for personnel moves and editorial decisions.
Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski have been considering moving King from her current role as co-host of “CBS Mornings” to special correspondent or a position in which King does occasional reports that let her put her skill interviewing celebs to use, sources said.
King and Weiss recently had a “low-key” lunch to talk about King’s future, Page Six reported.
Weiss respects King’s skill at landing high-profile interviewees and wants to keep her on staff, but in a different – much lower-paid – capacity, sources said.
The possible staffing change comes as huge salaries for star talent are viewed as no longer viable in the challenging media environment, Variety noted.
King renews her contract every year, with her current one set to expire in May, sources said.
The Post has sought comment from CBS News.
Weiss became editor in chief with a mandate from CBS News’ parent company Paramount Skydance to bring more balance to the outlet.
Recent weeks have seen her shelve a “60 Minutes” report about El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison on grounds it was not “comprehensive and fair” and lacked a response from the Trump administration – during furor from some staff.
The piece aired Sunday with 3 minutes of additional material.
Prior to that, Weiss installed Tony Dokoupil as anchor of the flagship program “CBS Evening News,” the latest in a series of big talent shakeups.
