Gayle King’s time at CBS could also be working out.
The star host of “CBS Mornings” — who started her early a.m. stint on the Tiffany Community in 2012 alongside Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell — will face powerful negotiations to resume a contract that’s coming due in September, sources advised The Publish.
Insiders stated the 70-year-old King’s wage, pegged at greater than $10 million, is much too excessive to justify her present’s plummeting scores. As beforehand reported by The Publish, King’s yearly compensation acquired trimmed final yr from $13 million when she inked a brand new one-year deal.
“This could be Gayle’s last year,” in line with a media insider near the Tiffany Community.
When King re-upped final yr, CBS father or mother Paramount International was within the throes of steep price range cuts forward of its proposed merger with Hollywood studio Skydance Media.
The corporate remains to be in upheaval. On Monday, CBS Information boss Wendy McMahon stepped down amid steep scores declines at “CBS Mornings” and “CBS Evening News,” which she tried to overtake with a brand new format and anchor lineup.
Now, No. 2 govt, CBS Information president Tom Cibrowski, will attempt to stem the bleeding — which might worsen if King leaves.
“Tom doesn’t have enough hands to plug the holes in the dam,” stated a CBS insider, who famous that dropping King would majorly shake up the morning program and be one other downside the veteran programmer must remedy.
Paramount is predicted to kick off one other spherical of brutal cuts as a part of its mandate to slash $500 million as quickly as subsequent month. Assuming Skydance and Paramount shut its deal, new administration from Skydance are anticipated to proceed chopping, a well-placed supply advised The Publish.
“The first year of the merger will just be consolidation,” the individual stated.
Skydance declined to remark, however a supply near the corporate stated: “No one has given any thought to Gayle King’s contract as there are clearly other priorities to tackle.”
For King, one other large one-year deal will probably be a “miracle,” a 3rd supply added, explaining that CBS has been providing one-year contracts as a result of the anchor is “too expensive.”
Usually, expertise contracts are for roughly three years. One other individual stated that King prefers one-year contracts as she is weighing her choices on what to do subsequent.
“Gayle sees the writing on the wall,” the individual stated.
CBS Information and King didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Though King is the face of the community, she doesn’t have a lot bargaining leverage, sources stated. Whereas she might choose to take one other pay minimize, it will doubtless be far steeper this time because the embattled information division’s scores proceed to sink.
Her last-placed present, which she co-hosts with Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, hit a brand new low because it was relaunched in September 2021.
In current weeks, this system’s complete viewership sunk under 2 million regardless of a significant enhance on April 14 for unique protection of King’s house flight on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.
The anchor took an 11-minute experience to the sting of house with an all-female crew that included pop star Katy Perry and the Amazon founder’s fiancée Lauren Sanchez – serving to her present flip in a uncommon first-place scores end.
The spectacle drew roughly 3.9 million complete viewers, rocketing previous ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today,” which reeled in 2.7 million and a couple of.5 million viewers, respectively, in line with Nielsen scores.
“CBS Mornings’” scores, nevertheless, have since come again to Earth, with 1.9 million viewers within the week of Might 5, trailing NBC with 2.6 million and ABC with 2.7 million viewers.
“Skydance is definitely not going to keep her with those numbers,” the primary supply stated.
Whereas Skydance is extensively anticipated to merge with Paramount within the coming months, the deal is going through hurdles.
At present, Paramount is in talks with Trump’s legal professionals over his $20 billion lawsuit over “60 Minutes’” enhancing of its sit-down with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump’s FCC chair Brendan Carr can also be wanting into the matter.
