13. Susan Zirinsky
President, CBS News
2018 REVENUE $564 million
(Source: SMI AccuTV, powered by Nielsen Ad Intel)
NYC IMPACT Oversees 1,400 employees
The first woman to lead CBS News has not hesitated to put her mark on the storied but troubled division. Since starting her new job in March, Susan Zirinsky has shaken up the anchor chairs at the CBS This Morning, which had seen ratings and revenue tumble following the #MeToo-related departure of host Charlie Rose. And she is moving the CBS Evening News to Washington, D.C., where former morning show co-anchor Norah O’Donnell will lead coverage of the 2020 election.
Zirinsky’s appointment was a rare bit of good news at the network, which had spent the previous year contending with scandals that also claimed the jobs of Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and 60 Minutes Executive Producer Jeff Fager. David Rhodes, who was not implicated, announced in January that he would step down as head of CBS News, opening the door for Zirinsky.
From the moment she was promoted, the CBS News lifer has reminded observers of the proud history of the division. Hired during Watergate, she has been a producer for Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, covered the Gulf War and Tiananmen Square, run 48 Hours and produced award-winning documentaries as well as breaking news. She also adds a touch of celebrity, having been the inspiration for Holly Hunter’s character in the 1987 movie Broadcast News.
Correction, June 18, 2019: The title of the morning news program CBS This Morning was misstated in an earlier version of this article.