Dan Rather Promoted to Reporter

"Looks forward" to new opportunity as world’s oldest cub reporter

CBS announced today that Dan Rather was being promoted to a new position as reporter after serving 24 years as the anchor for the networks CBS nightly news broadcast. Rather appeared upbeat about the change claiming he welcomed the opportunity to relinquish the prestige and pay associated with the news anchor position in return for the grueling schedule and inadequate compensation offered to true newsmen. "I have always been and remain a `hard news' investigative reporter at heart," he said. "I now look forward to pouring my heart into that kind of reporting full time."

When asked if the move to cub reporter accurately reflected his value to CBS Rather replied, "This feels right. My best work is still ahead of me." This appeared to be something nearly everyone can agree on. Over his 24 years as news anchor Rather persistently dragged CBS News ratings’ lower. Rather dominated ratings after taking over from the highly rated Walter Cronkite during the 1980s, but he was eclipsed first by Peter Jennings and then by Tom Brokaw. His evening news broadcast generally runs a distant third in the ratings each week. "This decision to step down now gives Dan a chance to repair the damage," said Alex Jones, director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University.

Rather and CBS officials claimed this move was planned last summer but would not be more specific about the time. When asked who would be replacing Rather in the anchor slot CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves looked surprised and declined comment. "He's going out on his own terms after serving us long and well," Moonves said. "And we’re looking forward to working with Dan in his new role." Moonves then asked to excuse himself, "I need a new stapler and some tape", he said. "And I want to get over to Dan’s office before everything is gone."