Scott Pelley has anchored his final CBS Evening News and now returns full-time to 60 Minutes. (TVNewser)
“This is my last broadcast at the CBS Evening News. We hope this has been something of a lighthouse for you to help you with your bearings in a stormy world. To the men and women of CBS News, my profound gratitude,” Pelley said Friday. He went on to quote James Madison, who said, “Freedom of the press is the right that guarantees all the others.” (THR)
Pelley is leaving without a formal successor designated—a rarity in TV-news circles, where the evening news is still regarded as one of television’s signature elements, despite the steady erosion of viewership in recent decades. Anthony Mason will serve as an interim anchor of CBS Evening News, but CBS has not signaled who Pelley’s replacement might be. (Variety)