Norah O’Donnell’s career could get “resurrected” at the Tiffany Network — following her strong coverage of the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV, The Post has learned.
The former “CBS Evening News” anchor — who was booted from the high-profile post in a controversial shakeup in January to make way for the duo of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois — showed her chops as she amped up the network’s coverage from Rome last week, CBS insiders buzzed.
The 51-year-old broadcaster is “well sourced” in the Vatican, according to a network source. As she covered the funeral and the conclave with Dickerson, she flashed knowledge gleaned from an exclusive sitdown with Pope Francis last year.
O’Donnell delivered an exclusive interview with the Gammarelli family, who have tailored garments for popes, bishops and cardinals for more than 200 years, and even nabbed perspective from an American bishop from Chicago, the new pope’s hometown.
“Norah has the stature when it comes to doing a live event,” one network source said, adding that O’Donnell made DuBois and Dickerson look “small” by comparison and “overshadowed” them both.
“Maurice looked like a bump on a log. He looked like her sidekick,” the source added. “John only knows how to do politics. They were outmatched.”
During the conclave and last Thursday’s announcement of Pope Leo XIV, the perennially third-place CBS News easily beat NBC’s News in the ratings. CBS averaged 3 million viewers, compared to 1.9 million for NBC’s coverage anchored by Lester Holt. ABC News drew 3.5 million, according Nielsen.
Insiders say the blip of success may have been an awkward moment for CBS News boss Wendy McMahon, who was behind the January shakeup. In the first quarter, the overhauled “CBS Evening News” saw its total viewers tumble to 3.5 million. Vewers in the advertiser-coveted demographic of 25-54 years, fell to 657,000, according to Nielsen ratings.
That’s versus the year-ago quarter when the show, under O’Donnell, pulled in 5 million total viewers and 722,000 demo viewers.
The fact that O’Donnell was able to steal the limelight last week is a perfect signal of the disarray at CBS News, according to one source close to the network.
“You wouldn’t see ABC’s David Muir play backseat but that’s what Dickerson and DuBois did,” the source added.
The Post reached out to CBS News for comment.
Last year, CBS CEO McMahon unveiled plans to revamp the 30-minute “Evening News,” which airs at 6:30 p.m. ET weekdays, to include “60 Minutes”-style segments. She moved the show back to New York from Washington and O’Donnell, who helmed the show for five years, was replaced by Dickerson, a CBS veteran and DuBois, CBS local news anchor in New York.
The program was forced to backtrack on the new strategy after it flubbed some major breaking stories following Trump’s election. Nevertheless, insiders aren’t holding their breath for O’Donnell to retake her anchor chair under current management.
“Norah’s papal reporting may have resurrected her career but it could also just be her last hurrah,” a media expert said.
The slumping ratings, however, also come as Skydance Media is hoping to close its $8 billion merger with CBS-parent Paramount Global. A source close to the situation told The Post that Skydance bosses — which includes founder and CEO David Ellison and president Jeff Shell — are “profoundly unhappy with the current situation.”
“They are going to be looking to reshape ‘The Evening News,’ which could include bringing back Norah O’Donnell,” a source said.
While it is unclear if O’Donnell would return as anchor, a source with knowledge said the journalist, who lately has been relegated to reporting roles at the network, could land another big job at CBS once the new owners come in.
“Something good is going to happen to Norah O’Donnell,” the source added.
Still, it’s uncertain whether the merger will get cleared as it faces static from President Trump. Currently, Paramount is in talks with Trump’s lawyers over his $20 billion lawsuit over “60 Minutes’” editing of its sitdown with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump’s Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr is also looking into the matter.
“Actually, no one has given any thought to O’Donnell or ‘CBS Evening News’ as there are clearly other priorities to tackle,” a source close to Skydance said.
Sources also note that bringing back O’Donnell wouldn’t come without challenges and some internal backlash at the network.
The Post has previously chronicled O’Donnell’s toxic behavior, which includes dressing down stylists over her hair and makeup and requiring a “full dress rehearsal” of her broadcast when she was in the anchor chair.
