Susan Zirinsky to replace David Rhodes as first female head of CBS News

Veteran producer Susan Zirinsky is set to replace David Rhodes in March, becoming the first female head of CBS News, the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday. 

Rhodes announced on Sunday that he will be stepping down from the helm of the organization, which has been rocked in recent months by multiple investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct. 

It’s been eight incredible years since I joined @CBS. I’m pleased to announce that I’ll soon be handing the reins @CBSNews to Susan Zirinsky, our Senior Executive Producer

— David Rhodes (@davidgrayrhodes) January 6, 2019

Rhodes in an email to CBS staff obtained by The New York Times wrote, “The world we cover is changing, how we cover it is changing – and it’s the right time for me to make a change too.” 

“I’m pleased to let you know that in the coming months, I’ll be handing the reins to Susan Zirinsky,” Rhodes wrote in the email. “I’ll be here through March 1, after which I’ll be Senior Adviser to CBS Corp CEO, Joe Ianniello, and to the New Divison.” 

Rhodes email to staff pic.twitter.com/j90L3rUGnE

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 6, 2019

Ianniello confirmed the news in a memo sent to employees on Sunday, Variety reported.

Multiple top figures and officials with CBS in recent months have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, with accusers claiming that powerful men were enabled by a culture of sexism. 

CBS’s board of directors last month said they will not give former CEO Les Moonves any of the $120 million severance package he was due under his employment contract, a decision that follows a months-long sexual misconduct probe. 

CBS News a few days before that announced that it had reached a settlement with three women who accused former “CBS This Morning” anchor and “60 Minutes” correspondent Charlie Rose of sexually harassing them while they worked at the network.

Rose was fired from CBS in November 2017 after eight women publicly accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct throughout several decades of working at the network.

Zirinsky will be the first female president of CBS News, joining the ranks of network news presidents alongside NBC’s Deborah Turness, who led NBC from 2013-2017, and Suzanne Scott, the current head of Fox News.