Josh fired by CBS after ‘flub’
JOSH Elliott was fired dramatically from CBS News on Monday after he made an announcement he was stepping down from CBS’s digital channel for a larger reporting role at the network — taking his own bosses by surprise.
Elliott, who had served as CBSN’s lead daytime anchor for a year, bid farewell to viewers on Friday, saying it was to be his “last day.” “It has been by any measure a great stay here at CBSN,” he said, adding, “Knowing how things work around here, I may see you again on Monday morning.”
It was surprising news — particularly for CBS News execs, who had no idea he was announcing his departure from the online station in order, he was told, to report for CBS News’ flagship shows including the “Evening News.”
Instead, on Monday morning, Elliott was called before his boss David Rhodes and fired. A source said, “Josh was told he had shown bad judgment by making the announcement, and was walked out of the building by security.” CBS confirmed in a statement, “CBS News and Josh Elliott are parting ways. Josh will no longer be reporting for CBS News.”
Insiders say Elliott had recently met with Laurie Orlando, the network’s head of talent, who told him she wanted him to take on a bigger role at CBS News. “Josh thanked his co-workers at CBSN,” said the insider. “He didn’t go rogue — his goodbye message was on the teleprompter. But executives at CBS were somehow stunned.”
Another insider said, “Josh was told by his exec producer to make the announcement on Friday, but the plan was never relayed up the chain of command. David Rhodes was embarrassed, so he fired Josh, who didn’t do anything wrong. This was of a lack of communication at CBS News, and Josh was fired to cover up their mistake.”
Elliott now has the dubious distinction of having left three networks. He was a host at ABC’s “Good Morning America,” but quit in 2014 to go to NBC, where he worked on sports. Frustrated with his lack of airtime, he left NBC in 2015 and joined CBSN in 2016. He is still being paid by NBC for the rest of his $5.5 million-a-year contract.