Gayle King to Remain at CBS Mornings, EP Departs

Top of the Ticker: CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King is set to remain with the morning show for the next few years, according to The Wall Street Journal. King’s deal, which will reportedly see her earning less than her previous contract, comes as CBS News’ editor in chief, Bari Weiss, is working to remake the morning broadcast and is on the hunt for a new co-host to fill Tony Dokoupil’s seat after he transitioned to CBS Evening News.

In re-signing with CBS News, King said, “Rumors of my demise were inaccurate and greatly exaggerated. CBS News is my longtime home, and I am committed to our mission.”

She added, “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.”

Meanwhile, Shawna Thomas, the executive producer of CBS Mornings, announced on Thursday that she will be leaving the morning newscast. Her departure will not be for another few weeks, but in a memo to staffers, Thomas said, “Frankly, I’m tired y’all.” She has been with CBS Mornings since February 2021.

New hire: On Monday, Fox News announced that Marcus Lemonis is joining the network as a contributor. The businessman and entrepreneur will provide expert analysis on business and economic issues across the company’s platforms. Lemonis currently hosts The Fixer on Fox Business and Fox Nation, a series that helps struggling small businesses overcome obstacles to succeed.

Must-See Kornacki: Fans of Steve Kornacki rejoice as NBC News announces the expansion of the Kornacki Cam as the network enters the midterm election cycle. The expanded livestream, which debuted during Tuesday’s March 3 primary, allows viewers to watch Kornacki’s every move on election night. Kornacki Cam will be available on NBC News’ digital platforms, as well as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, all complementing NBC’s main coverage.

Rebranding success: During Versant’s first earnings call, CEO Mark Lazarus claimed that since rebranding the news network from MSNBC to MS NOW, viewership has increased by double digits in the total viewers segment. Lazarus credits that to MS NOW’s passionate viewers who watch the network between eight and nine hours per week. He said that was “the second highest engagement across the entire media TV landscape”.