Norah O’Donnell has officially said goodbye to CBS Evening News, which she called the “honor of a lifetime.”
The veteran CBS journalist became the lead anchor of the iconic news program, which has been on the air since 1947, in 2019, taking over for Jeff Glor. She followed in the footsteps of broadcasting legends like Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather.
During her final broadcast on Thursday, January 23, O’Donnell reflected on her time with the program, saying, “The CBS Evening News is, for good reason, the longest-running evening newscast in America, and it has been powered by the finest journalists around the world — the correspondents, producers and researchers and crews who work tirelessly to bring you the news every night. And that won’t change, because journalism matters. I know that, because I have heard it from so many of you viewers.”
“So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting us and welcoming hard news with heart into your homes.”
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After O’Donnell took over for Glor on May 20, 2019, she made history as the second woman to lead CBS Evening News. The investigative journalist, who began her career 25 years ago, followed in the footsteps of Katie Couric, who hosted the show from 2006 to 2011. While Connie Chung also hosted Evening News from 1993 to 1995, she co-anchored with Rather.
“Norah is one of the leading journalists of our time,” CBS News President Susan Zirinsky said in a statement at the time. “Her outstanding reporting, incisive interviews and dedication to the truth will distinguish the CBS Evening News every night.” She would also serve as the show’s managing editor.
