CBS is currently experiencing a period of transition as a result of a massive corporate move that’s been made by its parent company, Paramount Global. The entertainment conglomerate has been finalizing a merger with Skydance Media, which could have notable effects on the aforementioned network’s programming. This week, it’s even been rumored that the company could cut ties with Gayle King, one of its longtime morning talk show hosts. Now, a staffer is weighing in on that amid reports about ratings losses and King’s salary.
As it stands, Gayle King serves as one of the anchors of CBS Mornings, having started her tenure in 2012 when the program was called This Morning. King has arguably amassed a notable following since she’s been on the air, yet it seems that may not help her job security. Fox News Digital caught up with an employee at the Paramount-owned network, who shared their thoughts anonymously. On the subject of King, the individual note of the media personality’s on-air interviewing style as well as the power she allegedly holds:
A lot of people like how she says off-the-wall things. But also there’s people that don’t like it. Anytime you have a big name, they are going to be a target…. [She] still has a lot of power in the morning when it comes to things she wants. She is insulated by her team and [‘CBS Mornings’ executive producer Shawna Thomas] a good bit. But so are [co-hosts Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil] to an extent.
While the employee said that Gayle King remains “generally liked” at the network, the reported receipts seem to show that Mornings is taking a hit in the ratings. Per Fox News, the show averaged 1.8 million viewers in July 2025, which was lower than the totals for Good Morning America on ABC (2.6 million) and The Today Show on NBC (2.4 million). The Eye Network show’s numbers are even more notable when considering that King (a good friend of Oprah Winfrey) reportedly earns $10-15 million per year.
An element that also allegedly makes the former King Charles co-host’s TV future even more uncertain is the “editorial shift” being spearheaded by Tom Cibrowski, CBS News president and executive editor. Cibrowski and his right-hand person, Senior Vice President of Editorial, Wendy Fisher, are reportedly aiming to make major moves. The staffer explained just how the pair’s ideals could impact TV coverage:
They’re changing story selection and tweaking the show some. I know Tom has been involved in the show heavily though… He wants us to focus on stories outside of major cities and in the middle of the country. Stories that affect real people and that they’re talking about at home. Lots of economic stories. You can see Tom’s work in the show- they’ve added [former ‘Good Morning America’ meteorologist Rob Marciano] full-time, tweaked teases, and you even see more camera movement and dramatics similar to 'GMA.’ I don’t know that Shawna has pushed back on Tom, but I do know he has had his hand in tweaks on the show especially recently.
As of late, CBS hasn’t just been looking to adjust the handling of its morning-based programs, as the company also made a significant change that adds to the evolving late-night TV landscape. Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show has been canceled and is set to end in May 2026. Since that decision was announced, insiders have spoken out about Colbert being taken off the air, and some are not happy. The show’s demise was said to be a “financial” decision, though some believe it was a choice tied to the merger.
Meanwhile, it’s been alleged that Skydance CEO David Ellison isn’t pleased with the news coverage that CBS provides right now. That claim should be taken with a grain of salt at the moment. However, if it is accurate, it would be hard not to wonder if that displeasure could increase the odds of the network choosing to move on from Gayle King.
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