Challenges Ahead for Gayle King as CBS Mornings Faces Ratings Drop and Ownership Shift

Challenges Ahead for Gayle King as CBS Mornings Faces Ratings Drop and Ownership Shift

A veteran broadcaster expresses concern that Gayle King has significantly diminished her influence as CBS Mornings grapples with a decline in viewership and an impending ownership transition.

Recently, the FCC approved a long-awaited $8 billion merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. This merger will usher in new management at CBS News as control transfers to Skydance CEO David Ellison. The close of the deal is scheduled for this Thursday.

Industry insiders are speculating that Ellison aims to adjust the perceived liberal focus at CBS News. His team has already pledged to introduce an ombudsman to monitor CBS News content, leading staff to anticipate other dramatic shifts as Skydance executives start reshaping the network’s identity.

With this ownership change, all eyes are on Gayle King’s CBS Mornings, a show that has struggled to compete against established titans like NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America. The show consistently finds itself in third place across key audience metrics.

Ratings Report: A Dismal Outlook for CBS Mornings

Co-anchored by King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleson, CBS Mornings attracted an average of 1.8 million viewers during July. By comparison, Good Morning America drew 2.7 million, while Today secured 2.4 million viewers.

Compounding these challenges, CBS Mornings is witnessing a steady decline in its audience. In fact, the show averaged 1.9 million viewers from January through July, a 10% drop from the 2.2 million viewers it averaged during the same timeframe in 2024. Even more concerning is the loss among the critical 25 to 54 demographic, where the show saw a staggering 25% decrease, averaging just 332,000 viewers compared to 441,000 the previous year.

While rival shows have also faced viewer losses in 2025, CBS Mornings’ decline considerably outpaces those of its competitors.

Shift in Viewer Preferences and King’s Celebrity Lifestyle

Since the 2024 election, CBS Mornings has lost 6% of its total viewership and 18% in the important demographic, analyzing audience trends since Election Day 2024 compared to the previous period.

Despite being a high-profile anchor, King has not succeeded in growing the program’s viewer numbers. Queen of networking, King frequently attends high-profile events, often photographed alongside celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Kris Jenner. In July, she was seen relaxing on a yacht off Spain after attending Jeff Bezos’ lavish wedding.

This spotlight on her high-profile lifestyle has brought mixed reviews. In April, King faced backlash after participating in a Blue Origin space flight with an all-female crew. Critics questioned the environmental consequences and the appropriateness of such an opulent use of resources.

Though this space venture provided a momentary ratings spike for CBS Mornings, it has proven short-lived. Since that flight, total viewership has declined by 5%, with a 17% drop in the key demographic.

Future Uncertain for King Amid Management Changes

The anticipated management transition has spurred speculation among industry insiders regarding King’s future at CBS, especially since her contract reportedly expires in May 2026. Sources suggest that her status is precarious, given the current drop in ratings and public perception.

A longtime network producer pointed out that King is currently the only CBS News employee with an eight-figure salary, and her position has historically afforded her significant autonomy, including the ability to select her executive producer, Shawna Thomas. However, with ratings plummeting, many believe King’s leverage is fading.

As the producer noted, given the negative connotations surrounding her space flight and life in the limelight, substantial changes in compensation and role may very well be on the horizon.

King has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at CBS, a focus that incoming management, led by Ellison’s team, appears poised to reevaluate. Additionally, she has faced scrutiny for taking a holiday with the Obamas while still engaged with political programming, a move that many argue has tainted CBS News’ reputation.

The Changing Landscape at CBS News

A CBS News staff member shared insights indicating that changes in editorial direction are already underway, driven by CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and senior vice president Wendy Fisher. Their focus appears to pivot towards uncovering stories that resonate with audiences outside major city confines.

The staffer commented on Cibrowski’s involvement, stating that the new direction aims to highlight significant news stories that matter to families and citizens in less urban areas. It suggests a recalibrating of priorities for the morning broadcast.

In an impending move in September, CBS Mornings will relocate from its Times Square studio back to the CBS Broadcast Center on 57th Street. While the future of the program remains uncertain, it is evident that significant shifts are underway as Skydance executives prepare to assert their influence over CBS News.

CBS News has not responded to requests for comment regarding these developments.

Contributions to this report were made by Joseph A. Wulfsohn from Fox News Digital.