Neeraj Khemlani is stepping down because the president and co-head of CBS Information and Stations.

In a memo to staffers on Sunday, Khemlani mentioned that he had signed a primary look take care of the community to develop documentaries, scripted sequence and books for Simon & Schuster.

“It’s an opportunity that will allow me to write, report and develop stories that I’ve long wanted to pursue,” he wrote.

George Cheeks, the president and CEO of CBS Leisure Group, mentioned that he’ll replace staffers quickly with details about new management and construction for the information division. Which will come as quickly as Monday, and there’s some hypothesis that Wendy McMahon, who was named president and co-head of CBS Information and Stations in 2021, will tackle a brand new or expanded function. Khemlani and McMahon had been named to their posts in a restructuring that mixed two divisions of the corporate.

Since then, the information division has expanded and revamped its streaming channels, rebranded CBS’s morning information exhibits and re-signed Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell to new contracts. They’ve additionally employed such figures as Robert Costa and Cecilia Vega.

The morning present and night newscast have remained in third place in comparison with their broadcast rivals, whereas CBS dad or mum Paramount International has been underneath stress to chop prices because the business grapples with the migration of viewers from linear platforms. Nonetheless, the community’s morning present has narrowed the hole with At the moment, as CBS This Morning was rebranded as CBS Mornings, with the addition of a brand new co-host, Nate Burleson.

Cheeks wrote that Khemlani “will leave CBS News with our broadcasts stronger and our streaming footprint bigger and better,” citing his expertise hires in addition to enterprise plans he put in place to “drive more revenue, which is essential in a challenging environment for all media companies.”

Khemlani was named to the put up after the resignation of Susan Zirinsky, who herself had only a two-year tenure and reportedly expressed a need to return to producing. She now leads a community manufacturing entity, See It Now Studios.

In his memo, Khemlani mentioned “there’s no question that this has been a transformative period: We built the nest morning show in the history of CBS News, reimagined our streaming channel, and invested in the reporting ranks and the D.C. bureau — including the Evening News — to position the network for excellence in the next presidential election.”

Khemlani had earlier been a vp at Hearst Company and senior govt at Yahoo!, after serving as a producer for 60 Minutes. The adjustments and price controls on the division have triggered some alarm amongst veterans on the community, whereas accounts of Khemlani’s abrupt administration fashion have been the topic of New York Publish headlines.

His departure is the most recent shakeup among the many ranks atop community information divisions. Noah Oppenheim departed as president of NBC Information in January as a part of a reorganization, with Rebecca Blumenstein taking up a newly created function as president of editorial. Chris Licht exited CNN in June following a tumultuous tenure of simply over a 12 months.

The information division management jobs, which mix editorial obligations with expertise relations and price management, have grow to be much more tough as media corporations grapple with the evolution of enterprise fashions, one thing that has led to excessive profile layoffs. ABC Information President Kim Godwin, who has led the community division since 2021, presided over the layoffs of fifty individuals in March, together with some longtime executives and staffers, as a part of the elimination of hundreds of jobs from The Walt Disney Co. That led to intensive intrigue and concern over who was let go amid the restructuring. Earlier within the 12 months, she oversaw the exit of Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes from GMA3 after the pulled from the published amid tabloid headlines that they had been having an affair.

The memos from Khemlani and Cheeks are under:

Group –

I’ve some information to share right this moment, and I don’t need to bury the lede. After an exhilarating run, and earlier than the following season begins, I’ve determined to step again from my present function and begin a brand new thrilling chapter. I’m happy to share that I’ve signed a multi-year, multi-platform first look take care of CBS to develop content material – together with documentaries, scripted sequence and books for Simon & Schuster. It’s a chance that can permit me to put in writing, report and develop tales that I’ve lengthy needed to pursue.

There’s no query that this has been a transformative interval: we constructed the perfect morning present within the historical past of CBS Information, reimagined our streaming channel, and invested within the reporting ranks and the D.C. Bureau – together with the Night Information – to place the community for excellence within the subsequent presidential election. We maintained the #1 place of our iconic weekend packages, efficiently developed and launched enterprise plans to develop digital income that can maintain CBS Information for the following era and elevated and promoted so lots of the individuals who work right here day after day to ship on our journalistic mission. I’m so happy with what all of you’ve gotten achieved – the scores of journalistic wins, the very good storytelling, the creativity that enhanced each facet of our programming – that has put this division on a stronger path ahead.

It’s with all of this progress in thoughts that I do know it’s the appropriate time for me to change gears and concentrate on the reporting I like, the inventive content material I like, and, most significantly, the household I like. Whereas I’ll undoubtedly miss the day after day with so many great colleagues, I’m wanting ahead to slipping my reporter’s pocket book again into my pocket and heading out on a brand new journey.

I’d additionally wish to thank George, Wendy and all the staff at CBS Information and Stations for all of the work, inspiration and friendship over the previous few years.

All the perfect,

Neeraj

Group – You simply heard from Neeraj about his resolution to pursue the following chapter in his journalism profession. He and I’ve been discussing these ardour tasks and his potential transition for a while.

Neeraj will depart CBS Information with our broadcasts stronger and our streaming footprint larger and higher. The expertise he recruited to the division the previous few years is finest in school. He has put new enterprise plans in place to drive extra income, which is crucial in a difficult surroundings for all media corporations.

We’re additionally now a lot nearer to completely realizing a local-to-national-to-global information operation with extra platforms to showcase our excellent information reporting. Due to Neeraj and Wendy’s operational acumen, CBS Information and Stations is a lot better positioned for its multi-platform future. I’m so happy with the journalism on show every single day from this division. The standard and variety of tales we inform is so very important to the viewers we serve.

Please be a part of me in wishing Neeraj a lot success in his subsequent chapter. I’ll replace you quickly with details about the brand new management and construction for the division.

George