John Dickerson exits 'CBS Evening News' amid leadership changes

Hold onto your remote—John Dickerson, a familiar face on “CBS Evening News,” just dropped a bombshell by announcing his departure from the network after a lengthy run.

After 16 years with CBS News, Dickerson revealed on Monday that he’s stepping away, with his final broadcast set for December 2025, just as the network undergoes seismic shifts with new leadership and lingering controversies.

Let’s rewind a bit to trace how we got here.

Dickerson’s long tenure at CBS ends

Dickerson has been a staple at CBS News for over a decade and a half, recently stepping into the co-host role alongside Maurice DuBois for “CBS Evening News” starting in January 2025.

His exit, announced via social media, marks the end of an era for a journalist who’s been front and center during some of the network’s biggest moments.

On Instagram, Dickerson reflected, “Local news: At the end of this year, I will leave CBS, sixteen years after I sat in as Face the Nation anchor for the first time.”

Gratitude amid a surprising exit

He went on, “I am extremely grateful for all that CBS gave me—the work, the audience’s attention and the honor of being a part of the network’s history—and I am grateful for my dear colleagues who’ve made me a better journalist and a better human.”

That’s a classy farewell, no doubt, but one wonders if the timing—less than a month after Bari Weiss was named editor-in-chief—hints at deeper tensions behind the scenes.

Sure, gratitude is nice, but when a veteran like Dickerson walks away so soon after a major shakeup, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at the corporate chess game unfolding at CBS.

New leadership sparks speculation

Speaking of shakeups, Bari Weiss’s appointment as editor-in-chief came after Skydance, the new owners of CBS News’ parent company Paramount, acquired The Free Press for a cool $150 million.

Now, Weiss is reportedly courting Fox News’ Bret Baier to join CBS, a move that could signal a pivot in the network’s editorial direction—potentially away from the progressive leanings many conservatives have long criticized.

While some might cheer a shift from the usual mainstream narrative, others worry if this is just trading one bias for another, leaving viewers stuck in the same echo chamber, just with different acoustics.

Controversy and criticism linger

Adding fuel to the fire, CBS News recently settled a massive $10 billion lawsuit tied to the editing of an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, a decision that drew sharp criticism from within the network’s own ranks.

Dickerson himself didn’t hold back, voicing his concerns on the July 3, 2025, edition of “Reporter’s Notebook,” saying, “Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you’ve traded away that trust?”

That’s a gut punch of a question, and it cuts to the core of why so many Americans—especially those skeptical of corporate media—feel disillusioned with outlets like CBS, where trust seems to be a currency easily spent on legal settlements rather than hard-hitting journalism.