John Dickerson to take over for Charlie Rose
“Face the Nation” anchor John Dickerson is taking over for Charlie Rose on “CBS This Morning,” the network announced Tuesday.
Dickerson, 49, will join coanchors Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell, who have been sharing the table with fill-ins since Rose was fired Nov. 21 after allegations of sexual harassment. Dickerson will start Wednesday.
“His work is impeccable on television, online and in print — he’s earned his reputation for substance and preparation as both an interviewer and a field reporter,” CBS News President David Rhodes said in a memo announcing Dickerson’s appointment.
Dickerson joined CBS News in 2009 as a political analyst and was named host of its Sunday public affairs program “Face the Nation” in 2015. During the 2016 presidential campaign, he moderated two debates during the primary season.
Dickerson is relocating to New York from Washington full time. CBS News will name a successor for him at “Face the Nation.”
By naming Dickerson, a veteran Beltway journalist who often provides historical analysis in his coverage, CBS News is sending a signal that its morning program will retain its positioning as a hard-news alternative to the other broadcast networks’ offerings in that time slot.
Last week, NBC’s “Today” named Hoda Kotb to replace Matt Lauer, who was fired after allegations of sexual misconduct. Kotb took over the 7 to 9 a.m. co-anchor role after years of hosting the breezier 10 a.m. hour of “Today.”
The loss of Lauer and Rose have not hurt the ratings for their respective programs. NBC’s “Today” has been the most-watched morning program, topping ABC’s “Good Morning America” for six weeks, the program’s longest streak since 2012.
“CBS This Morning” runs third in the race but has remained steady at about 3.6 million viewers since Rose departed.
Dickerson brings a reputation as a serious interviewer to “CBS This Morning.” He told The Times in a telephone interview Wednesday that he welcomed the opportunity to expand beyond politics.
“I get to cover the Washington story and [have] the rest of the two hours to talk about everything else in the news every day,” Dickerson told The Times. “And the collaborative part of it is a blast for me.”
Dickerson is a former correspondent for Time magazine, the author of two books on politics and a contributor to the Atlantic. He is the son of Nancy Dickerson, who in 1960 became the first female network news correspondent at CBS.