Maurice DuBois announced his exit from CBS News on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, marking the end of a 21-year tenure with the network and leaving “CBS Evening News” without any anchors after his co-host also announced that he will depart the show. The veteran journalist revealed via Instagram that Dec. 18 would be his final broadcast, stating it has been “the Honor of a Lifetime” to deliver news to viewers night after night.
The departure leaves the storied evening newscast in an unusual predicament. John Dickerson, who co-anchored alongside DuBois, announced in October his intention to leave CBS News at year’s end. The co-anchor pairing, which began in January 2025 following Norah O’Donnell’s exit from “Evening News,” lasted less than a year—an arrangement that proved short-lived amid broader organizational changes.
Tom Cibrowski, president and executive editor of CBS News, praised DuBois’ contributions in a statement. “Maurice has long represented what we do best at CBS News and Stations,” Cibrowski said. “For more than two decades, he has delivered the day’s biggest stories from our studios in New York and in the field.” He added that the network hopes to work with DuBois again in the future and promised more details about the next chapter of “CBS Evening News” soon.
The dual anchor departures come as CBS News undergoes significant structural changes following Paramount Skydance’s recent corporate moves. David Ellison’s company installed Bari Weiss, an opinion journalist, as editor in chief of the news division in October 2025. The unconventional appointment raised eyebrows across the media industry, as Weiss had been running her own opinion website rather than managing a traditional broadcast news operation.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Weiss has been reaching out to several prominent television journalists in recent weeks, attempting to recruit anchor talent from outside CBS. However, her efforts have encountered obstacles, as many of these journalists remain locked into contracts with competing networks. The search for new leadership comes at a critical time for the broadcast.
“CBS Evening News” has been struggling in the ratings race, holding third place among the major network evening newscasts. For the five-day period ending Nov. 28, 2025, the broadcast attracted an average of 4.26 million viewers, significantly trailing NBC’s “Nightly News” with 6.24 million and ABC’s “World News Tonight” with 8.27 million. The demographic most coveted by advertisers—viewers between ages 25 and 54—showed similar gaps, with “Evening News” drawing 427,000 compared to 918,000 for NBC and 1.03 million for ABC.
The ratings decline followed a format revamp that moved away from traditional breaking news coverage. The new approach failed to resonate with audiences, contributing to the broadcast’s continued third-place standing. Evening news programs remain significant revenue generators for networks, with top-rated shows earning substantially more than their lower-ranked competitors.
DuBois spent the bulk of his CBS career as an anchor at WCBS New York, the network’s flagship station in the nation’s largest media market. His work there established him as a trusted voice for local news coverage before his elevation to the national evening broadcast. Some observers have wondered whether he might return to local news in New York, though the station’s staffing situation remains uncertain as Paramount continues cost-cutting measures across its properties.
The organizational upheaval extends beyond the anchor desk. Paramount recently settled a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump for $16 million, with funds designated for Trump’s future presidential library. The legal action stemmed from Trump’s accusations against CBS regarding the editing of campaign coverage. The settlement sparked debate within journalism circles about media independence and the precedent it might set for future disputes between news organizations and political figures.
Corporate restructuring has affected other CBS stations as well. Top local anchors at Philadelphia’s KYW and Miami’s WFOR have also departed as Paramount works to reduce expenses. These exits reflect broader industry pressures as traditional broadcast news operations face mounting financial challenges in an evolving media landscape.
Speculation about potential replacements has centered on Tony Dokoupil, a co-host of “CBS Mornings.” However, CBS News has not officially named any successor to the departing anchors. The network faces the delicate task of selecting leadership that can revitalize the struggling broadcast while maintaining journalistic credibility during a period of significant corporate transition.
The “CBS Evening News” has a distinguished history dating back decades, with legendary anchors including Walter Cronkite shaping broadcast journalism. The current uncertainty represents a challenging moment for the program as it seeks to redefine itself amid changing viewer habits, intensifying competition, and internal organizational transformation. Whether the next chapter can reverse the ratings decline and restore the broadcast’s competitive position remains an open question as the network searches for new anchors to lead its premier evening news offering.