‘CBS Evening News’ updating overhauled broadcast’s format

After less than a month, the “CBS Evening News” has been shifting direction away from its longer-form storytelling approach.

The changes come after the Jan. 27, 2025, launch of a reimagined broadcast meant to shift away from focusing on headlines and more on substantive reporting, has delivered less than stellar ratings for the already third-place broadcast.

The changes in approach to the format appeared to start popping up Feb. 12, 2025, after the previous night’s edition led with a story linked to the release of a report examining the state of literacy education in America. That Feb. 11, 2025, broadcast led with the headline “America’s Report Card” before anchor John Dickerson, somewhat ironically, referenced the 1955 book “Why Johnny Can’t Read.”

While the report was meaty, lofty and addressed an important issue, ABC and NBC spent more time focusing on Elon Musk and the release of hostages.

There were changes in the days to come, including a brief experiment with a tease just before the open. “Evening” also began focusing more on “news of the day”-style stories in the first block, done in a more traditional style with a reporter intro, package and outro, or, in other cases, an anchor or correspondent voiceover.

The broadcast continued its news summary “Roundup” segment toward the end of the A Block.

Depending on the day, the broadcast would sometimes delve into stories more in line with its original more in-depth, newsmagazine-style approach.

CBS’s rebuilding of “Evening” had some similarities to Canadian broadcaster CBC’s attempt to reshape its “The National” back in 2017. The format received mixed reviews and the newscast was updated multiple times. 

Meanwhile, the New York Post reports that its anonymous sources have been telling the outlet that leadership appears to have taken notice that format isn’t resonating. “They’ve realized they can’t ignore the news,” one of the Post’s sources said.

The Post also reports that insiders are grumbling about why Dickerson and Maurice DuBois were given the anchor chairs, when many viewers don’t know who they are or understand what credibility they have.

Other sources also indicated that Wendy McMahon, the president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, could be headed for the exit. 

“I don’t think Wendy survives. Where are Wendy’s wins? What has she done?” a source told the Post, while others reported that Skydance CEO David Ellison and former NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell reportedly have doubts over her leadership and strategy.

CBS News declined to comment to the Post.

Adrienne Roark, who was in charge of the news division and owned stations, announced she was leaving the network for Tegna, on Feb. 19, 2025.