Is Gayle King’s Time at CBS Running Out? The Shocking Truth Behind Her Contract Negotiations and the Future of ‘CBS Mornings’

Gayle King, the beloved anchor of CBS Mornings, may soon find herself at a major crossroads in her career. As CBS faces internal turmoil and an impending merger with Skydance Media, King’s future at the network is uncertain. What’s worse, insiders say that the anchor, whose salary once topped $13 million, could be facing even steeper cuts as the network struggles with plummeting ratings. Is this the end of an era for one of the most recognizable faces on morning TV?

In a shocking turn of events, sources close to CBS News say that Gayle King’s current contract negotiations—set to expire in September—are tense, with the 70-year-old journalist’s massive salary becoming an issue as her show’s viewership continues to drop. King’s salary, once pegged at $13 million, was slashed to $10 million last year, and now, with CBS Mornings struggling to maintain its audience, she faces the harsh reality of a much-needed salary reduction. Could this be the end of her time at CBS?

The Fall of ‘CBS Mornings’: Is Gayle King Still the Face of the Network?

When Gayle King took over as anchor of CBS Mornings in 2012, alongside Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell, the show became a cornerstone of CBS’s morning programming. But in recent years, CBS Mornings has faced declining viewership, with the program failing to keep up with its rivals, NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America. In fact, recent ratings show that the show has dipped below 2 million viewers, a new low since its relaunch in 2021.

This sharp decline in ratings comes despite a major boost in viewership following King’s high-profile space flight with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket in April. While her space adventure helped propel the show to a first-place finish for one day, the boost was short-lived. Ratings quickly returned to Earth, with the show trailing both Today and Good Morning America in total viewership. Sources within CBS say the network’s new management is seriously reconsidering King’s role on the show as the ratings continue to sink.

The Negotiation Battle: Can Gayle King Maintain Her Role?

As CBS prepares for another round of significant budget cuts, King is facing the prospect of negotiating a new contract with the network. Despite her long-standing status as one of the biggest names in news, insiders suggest that King’s bargaining power is limited. As the show’s ratings continue to fall, it seems increasingly unlikely that CBS will be willing to pay King her previous salary.

“Skydance is definitely not going to keep her with those numbers,” one source remarked. With the merger between CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, and Skydance looming, it’s clear that budget cuts will be a key part of the consolidation process. And for King, that could mean a much steeper pay cut than the one she accepted last year.

But sources close to King suggest that she may not have much leverage in the negotiations. “Gayle sees the writing on the wall,” one source revealed, hinting that King might have already accepted the fact that her time at CBS could be coming to an end. While King has long been one of the most powerful figures at CBS, it seems her future at the network is no longer guaranteed.

The Changing Landscape at CBS: Leadership Shakeups and New Challenges

The uncertainty surrounding Gayle King’s contract negotiations comes amid a wider shake-up at CBS News. The network’s president, Wendy McMahon, recently stepped down, following significant ratings declines at CBS Mornings and CBS Evening News. Under her leadership, the network attempted to overhaul its programming, but those changes have not yielded the desired results.

Tom Cibrowski, the new president of CBS News, is now tasked with trying to stabilize the news division. But with King’s potential departure, he will face an even bigger challenge: how to rebuild CBS Mornings without its star anchor. “Tom doesn’t have enough hands to plug the holes in the dam,” one insider said, noting that losing King would further complicate the network’s already difficult position.

As if things weren’t challenging enough, Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media has added another layer of uncertainty. Sources say the first year of the merger will be focused on consolidation, meaning that even more cuts are on the horizon. And as Skydance takes control, it’s unclear how they will view King’s position at the network, especially with the show’s declining ratings.

The Fate of CBS News: Is Gayle King the Last Star Standing?

As CBS News faces a crossroads in both its leadership and programming, the future of CBS Mornings hangs in the balance. With ratings slipping and internal changes at the helm, Gayle King’s role at the network has become increasingly tenuous. While King remains a trusted and respected journalist, the question is whether CBS can afford to keep her on the payroll in the wake of falling viewership and the mounting financial pressures that come with the merger.

While some speculate that King could be moved to another role at CBS, there’s no doubt that her future at the network is uncertain. As a veteran journalist with decades of experience, King is undoubtedly one of the most influential names in news. But in a rapidly changing media landscape, even the biggest stars can find themselves at risk. Whether or not King can negotiate a new deal that keeps her at CBS remains to be seen.

The Countdown to September: Will Gayle King Stay at CBS?

As the clock ticks down to September, when Gayle King’s current contract is set to expire, the tension surrounding her future at CBS is palpable. Fans of King and CBS Mornings are left wondering whether they will see her continue on the show or if the network will part ways with its biggest anchor. With the media industry in flux and CBS facing financial uncertainty, it’s clear that King’s future at the network is anything but certain.

In the coming months, viewers and insiders alike will be watching closely to see whether Gayle King can strike a deal that allows her to stay at CBS or if she will become another casualty of the changing media landscape. Whatever the outcome, one thing is clear: the countdown to September will be a defining moment for both King and CBS News.