“CBS Mornings” star anchor Gayle King has inked a deal to remain at CBS News during a volatile period for the network, which is expected to get hit by layoffs in the coming weeks.
King’s decision to stay at CBS News lends some stability to the network, after longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Anderson Cooper recently said he would be leaving the marquee show.
Meanwhile, King’s last-place morning show is expected to get an overhaul since her co-host Tony Dokoupil was elevated to anchor of the network’s “Evening News” program in January.
As previously reported by The Post, King’s current contract is up at the end of May and is worth between $13 million and $15 million. The terms of her deal could not immediately be learned, but King typically signs one-year deals.
It is also unclear if King took a pay cut, but her high salary had been a point of contention as her show’s ratings have slipped below 1.8 million in recent weeks, trailing behind NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America,” which average around 3.2 million and 3.1 million, respectively.
CBS News did not respond to requests for comment.
“Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated,” King said in a statement Wednesday. “CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission. I’m excited about continuing at ‘CBS Mornings.’ As always, I’m open to new adventures here and ready to go. It took a minute, but we got there. And now that we are here, I am all in.”
The move comes as CBS parent Paramount Skydance recently inked a $110 billion deal to acquire CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery.
CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss has been working on plans to overhaul the network since she joined in October.
“There is only one Gayle King,” said Weiss. “We’re so proud that she’ll continue to call CBS home. We’re thrilled to have her on in the morning — and equally excited to work with her on new, enterprising projects that bring her talents to new audiences.”
The Wall Street Journal first reported King’s decision to stay at the network.
