The Door Continues To Revolve At CBS News

Veteran public relations executive Christa Robinson is the latest high-profile executive to depart CBS News.

Robinson informed staffers about her departure on Friday, saying that it was part of the “CBS News leadership changes.”

Christa Robinson

“I’ve been fortunate to work alongside four CBS News presidents and know first-hand the positive impact that the dedicated people throughout this organization make every day,” she wrote in a note to staff provided to TVNewser. “As we transition to a new executive team amidst other business changes, I welcome this opportunity to determine the next step in my career.”

Chris Ender, executive vice president of CBS Network Communications, praised Robinson in his own note, saying: “I’ve had the privilege to work with Christa for nearly a decade. At every turn, she has stood out as the fiercest and most passionate voice for CBS News. She has been a nonstop champion for the brand, the broadcasts, the business — and all the people behind it, especially her team.”

Robinson joined CBS News in 2015 after two years as the chief communications officer for Tribune and 14 years at CNN.

CBS News is in the midst of an executive and talent shuffle.

On Monday, CBS News and Stations introduced a new editorial leadership structure, with Adrienne Roark and Jennifer Mitchell taking on expanded roles across the local-to-global news organization. Additionally, veteran CBS News and Stations executives will assume key roles and additional responsibilities to join the current team that oversees daily editorial and newsgathering across all platforms. The announcement was made today by Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures.

Roark

“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as we write the future of CBS News and Stations. Our journalists and team members across the division are working together more collaboratively and efficiently to drive impact across all of our shows and streams,” said McMahon. “I have great confidence in the team we are assembling, beginning with Adrienne and Jennifer, who are terrific partners and inspirational, aspirational and empathetic leaders. This structure is designed to support and build our next-generation news organization. By working with our talented teams in every newsroom, each of these leaders will enhance our coverage and better position us for the future.”

Adrienne Roark, who today is being named president of Editorial and Newsgathering for CBS News and Stations, will lead the unified organization’s teams in the field and across newsrooms to drive the daily Network News content engine, including correspondents, assignment desks, bureaus, booking teams, standards and practices, the Super Desk central newsgathering and storytelling platform, and CBS News Radio. In addition, she will continue to lead the CBS Local News Innovation Lab in Dallas-Fort Worth, the Centers of Excellence she has built around data journalism, weather and specialized beats/units, and WCBS and WLNY in New York, as well as WBZ and WSBK in Boston.

Mitchell

Jennifer Mitchell, who will become president of Stations and Digital for CBS News and Stations, will assume primary responsibility for CBS Stations, as well as the division’s local and national digital properties. She will oversee 23 of the 27 CBS-owned stations, expanding her portfolio to now include seven stations in the East that had been led by Roark (KYW and WPSG in Philadelphia, KDKA and WPKD in Pittsburgh, WFOR and WBFS in Miami, and WJZ in Baltimore).

Roark will assume CBS News’ editorial leadership responsibilities that had been held by Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, who last week transitioned from serving as president of CBS News into a new role as the Network’s senior editorial adviser, to help lead political coverage through the November election. Ciprián-Matthews continues to report to McMahon and work closely with the CBS News political team and the Washington, D.C., bureau.