Neeraj Khemlani quits as CBS News President

CBS News President and co-head Neeraj Khemlani, who has led the Tiffany Network’s news division and local TV stations for a little more than two years, is stepping down to take up a new role.

The Indian American executive had been in charge of flagship programs such as “60 Minutes,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “Face the Nation,” and the “Evening News.”

He will remain at CBS in a different capacity, he told staff in an internal email, according to media reports. He has signed a “multi-year, multi-platform first-look deal with CBS to develop content” for the network, including “documentaries, scripted series and books for Simon & Schuster.”

“I have some news to share today, and I don’t want to bury the lede,” Khemlani wrote. “After an exhilarating run, and before the next season starts, I’ve decided to step back from my current role and start a new exciting chapter.”

READ: Indian American Samhita Mukhopadhyay named executive editor of ‘Teen Vogue’ (February 7, 2018)

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

It’s unclear who will replace Khemlani, though Wendy McMahon, who shared his title as president and co-head of CBS News and TV stations, is seen as a possible successor, CNN reported.

George Cheeks, chief executive of CBS, praised Khemlani in a separate memo to staff and said that he would update them “soon” with “information about the new leadership and structure for the division.”

Khlemlani, a former executive at Hearst, should be credited with putting “new business plans in place to drive more revenue, which is essential in a challenging environment for all media companies,” he wrote.

While CBS News dominates much of its competition on Sundays, the network has not been able to climb out of third place against NBC and ABC with its daily programs, though it improved its standing in the ratings under Khemlani, CNN noted.

During his tenure, Khemlani bolstered CBS News’ reporting ranks, luring prominent journalists such as Robert Costa and Cecilia Vega to the outlet.

Khemlani is the third network news chief to exit in 2023. Chris Licht was fired from CNN earlier this year after a rocky run and Noah Oppenheim exited NBC News in January.