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Television broadcasting industry

Eric W. Ober to Leave CBS News After Five Years

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Eric W. Ober, the president of CBS News for the past five years, is leaving the position on January 12, according to a memo distributed to staff. Ober's departure comes after a period of cost-cutting measures within the network, which has impacted the news division. The replacement for Ober is expected to be Andrew Heyward, the executive producer of "CBS Evening News," although an official announcement is expected in mid-January.

Key Takeaways:

  • Eric W. Ober, 53, is leaving his position as president of CBS News after five years, with his departure effective January 12.
  • Ober's replacement is expected to be Andrew Heyward, the 45-year-old executive producer of "CBS Evening News," although an official announcement is expected in mid-January.
  • Under Ober's leadership, CBS News has struggled to maintain its position as a leader in the industry, with significant declines in ratings and staff departures.
  • The network's flagship news-magazine program, "60 Minutes," remains the industry leader, but CBS's other news programs have not fared well, with "CBS This Morning" and "Face the Nation" lagging behind their competitors.
  • Ober's tenure at CBS was marked by significant cost-cutting measures, including the closure of overseas bureaus and the loss of correspondents.
  • The decision to pair Dan Rather with Connie Chung as co-anchors of the "CBS Evening News" in 1993 was widely seen as a cosmetic move to attract younger viewers, although Ober and others insisted it was done to allow Rather more flexibility to report breaking stories.
  • The network's corporate leadership, led by Peter Lund and Laurence A. Tisch, has been criticized for prioritizing cost-cutting over the long-term health of the news division.

Statistics:

  • CBS News has been in decline for over a year, with the "CBS Evening News" falling into third place in ratings.
  • The network has closed several overseas bureaus and let go of correspondents during Ober's tenure.
  • The pairing of Dan Rather with Connie Chung as co-anchors resulted in the "CBS Evening News" regularly falling behind ABC starting in 1990.
  • "60 Minutes" has faced new challenges, with ABC's "20/20" finishing ahead of it in ratings and NBC's "Dateline" expected to add a Sunday night version directly opposite "60 Minutes."
  • "CBS This Morning" consistently runs a distant third to ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "Today" in ratings.
  • "Face the Nation" lags behind NBC's "Meet the Press" and ABC's "This Week with David Brinkley" in ratings.

Sources:

  • The New York Times, January 3, 1995
  • CBS News, August 1990 (photo caption)

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