Exclusive | CBS News chief to shake up ‘CBS Mornings’ – weeks after Norah O’Donnell leaves ‘Evening News’

CBS News chief Wendy McMahon is leaving her mark on “CBS Mornings” — just weeks after Norah O’Donnell’s sudden exit from the network’s “Evening News” program, The Post has learned.

The third-place morning show, co-hosted by Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, will launch a third hour in select markets and on the CBS News 24/7 broadcast channel late next month in an effort new to compete with No. Rivals 1 and no. 2, ABC’s “Good Morning America” ​​and NBC’s “Today.”

According to sources, Dokoupil and “CBS Weekends” host Adriana Diaz are expected to become the new co-hosts of the third hour, which will air live from 9 to 10 a.m. weekdays from the “CBS Mornings” studio at Times Square.

Dokoupil is expected to continue his anchoring duties on “CBS Mornings,” a source with knowledge said.

The new show will likely be televised in a handful of CBS markets, including Los Angeles and Chicago — but not New York, sources said.

CBS declined to comment.

In a memo obtained by The Post, Shawna Thomas, executive producer of “CBS Mornings,” told staff Friday that she would produce the third hour with her own team amid much speculation.

“One of the worst kept secrets at CBS News is true. Some of our colleagues and I have been working on developing a third hour of ‘CBS Mornings’ that we think will hit the airwaves in late September. It is being developed for some of our owned stations and CBS News 24/7,” she wrote.

Thomas said the show “won’t look or feel exactly like the first two hours” and that the talent and name will be different, but “it will still be the smart, engaging content that everyone has come to expect from the CBS Mornings family.” .

Thomas said the show is looking to hire producers even as CBS parent Paramount Global is cutting $500 million from the budget ahead of an expected merger with Skydance Media next year.

The move comes as CBS News CEO McMahon is trying to boost TV and broadcast viewership for the struggling news division.

McMahon recently shook up the bottom spot of the CBS Evening News, replacing anchor Norah O’Donnell with CBS correspondent John Dickerson and WCBS anchor Maurice DuBois under “60 Minutes” anchor Bill Owens, who will review display format to include more in -depth ratios.

Unlike the “Evening News,” however, “CBS Mornings” is experiencing ratings growth, closing the gap in the coveted 25-54 demographic with ABC’s “GMA,” in particular.

“It’s a smart move and the natural evolution of a growing brand,” said a CBS insider. “CBS Mornings is taking advantage of the GMA momentum and advantage they’ve seen this season to continue to grow and build.”

In the second quarter of the year, “CBS Mornings” trailed “GMA” by just 68,000 viewers in the demo. That comes after the show outscored “GMA” 15 times in the 25-54 demo, Nielsen said.

Overall for the quarter, CBS reached 2.1 million total viewers and 426,000 viewers in the demo.

It followed ABC’s “GMA,” which had 2.8 million total viewers and 494,000 demo viewers.

NBC’s “Today” grabbed 2.7 million total viewers and 620,000 viewers in the demo.

The fierce morning show competition comes as ABC searches for a president of its news division, which oversees “GMA,” “World News Tonight” and other branded shows.

The network ousted embattled ABC News president Kim Godwin in May amid a slew of missteps and sagging ratings on the lucrative morning show.