CBS announces News President David Rhodes is headed for the exit after year of troubles
- CBS News President David Rhodes will vacate his role after a difficult year for the top network.
- He will be replaced in March by Susan Zirinsky, CBS said in a statement released late on Sunday night.
- Rhodes confirmed via a tweet later on Sunday that he will be exiting CBS.
- The network and its news division have been shedding viewers since 2017 when the first allegations of sexual misconduct against leading CBS personalities first surfaced.
CBS News President David Rhodes is stepping aside following a difficult year for the news giant, the network revealed in a statement Sunday night.
Rhodes did not long survive the turmoil that has engulfed CBS and its news division following the investigation into sexual misconduct allegations stemming from as early as 2017 against major figures at the network.
Rhodes, 46, will be succeeded in March by Susan Zirinsky, a senior executive producer who has worked out of Beijing in 1989 and has run the news show "48 Hours" for more than 20 years, the network said.
Rhodes confirmed via Twitter after the story broke Sunday night that he is stepping down in the wake of a year to forget for the network and its news division.
"It's been eight incredible years since I joined @CBS," Rhodes tweeted Sunday. "I'm pleased to announce that I'll soon be handing the reins @CBSNews to Susan Zirinsky, our Senior Executive Producer."
CBS News ratings fell down a hole last year, following the 2017 disgrace left behind by former anchor Charlie Rose.
In December CBS News settled a lawsuit with three women who accused Rose of "blatant and repeated sexual harassment" and "subsequent unlawful retaliation."
The network's flagship news show, "60 Minutes" then lost its longtime executive producer, Jeff Fager who resigned after sending a threatening email to a reporter amid allegations he fostered an atmosphere at "60 Minutes" that tolerated sexual misconduct.
But that wasn't the worst of it for CBS.
Disgraced CEO Leslie Moonves has already been stripped of his massive golden parachute and CBS staff are currently awaiting the results of a report into the company which is set to entirely revamp the network and its workplace.
Moonves left the company in September after reports detailing sexual harassment and assault allegations from six women against the media executive, an investigation found that Moonves violated company policies and refused to cooperate with the investigation.
According to Forbes Moonves was one of the highest-paid CEOs in the US, worth an estimated $700 million.
Zirinsky will take over in March, the network said.