Gayle King may be on the chopping block over $15 million salary amid shakeups at CBS
Rumors about Gayle King’s future at CBS continue to swirl as new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss begins cost-cutting efforts and takes meeting with former anchor Noral O’Donnell
Gayle King’s position at CBS Mornings may be in jeopardy
Gayle King’s position at CBS Mornings may be in jeopardy after the recent merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media.
The network anchor, whose $15 million contract is set to expire in May 2026, may be at risk as the network undergoes a change in ownership. Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison and new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss are rumored to start slashing jobs to cut costs.
The rumors have been swirling behind the scenes at the network since The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, whose contract is also up in May 2026, was axed back in July shortly before the merger was finalized.
The new editor-in-chief, whose news site The Free Press was bought by the company for $150 million, has a history of Zionist and “anti-woke” views that are at odds with the left-leaning news programming at CBS.
She has reportedly met with former anchor Norah O’Donnell, who was removed from the network last year, and may be in line to return to CBS Mornings, possibly taking over Gayle’s position.
The 70-year-old veteran anchor’s multi-million dollar contract could prove problematic under the network’s new ownership, who are looking to slash spending across the board. It’s likely the network will not offer the same salary when her contract runs out next year.
Gayle’s CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil may also be in the running for a promotion after his controversial interview with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, whose book The Message describes Israel as an “apartheid” state. The pre-merger network publicly admonished him for bringing his bias to the interview, which may not be an issue with the new pro-Israel boss.
Gayle King’s contract is up in May 2026
According to Status writer Oliver Darcy, “figures like Dokoupil and O’Donnell, both of whom have weathered shifting fortunes at the network, now likely see the change of guard as a potential opportunity — a chance to perhaps boost their own personal standing as the Ellison-Weiss era takes shape.”
There has allegedly been tension behind the scenes at CBS as Gayle refuses to fall in line, according to the New York Post. She has reportedly refused to move away from “polarizing coverage,” including her criticism of Donald Trump, discussing matters of race, and hosting guests like RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen.
Gayle’s producer, Shawna Thomas, had reportedly been advised to revise and tone down the program’s “woke” content that might not be well-received by right-leaning viewers, but “didn’t do what she was told.”
The internal changes follow the completion of an $8.4 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media, as well as Paramount’s elimination of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies after Skydance brought in an ombudsman to monitor CBS News for potential political bias.
The Irish Star has contacted a representative for CBS and Gayle King.
