Clearing the Memogate cobwebs takes as long as it takes. Mary Mapes, Dan Rather, Betsy West, Josh Howard, and Mary Murphy are gone. Some were fired, some forcibly resigned, one retired. Nonetheless, their involvement in the controversy sealed their fate. Today, one more Memogater joins the rank:
CBS News President Andrew Heyward announced Wednesday he would be leaving his post when his contract expires at the end of the year. Heyward will be replaced by CBS Sports President Sean McManus.
The story about Heyward is heavy in accolades, and barely mentions the storm that enveloped CBS News during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign. The future of CBS News is still up in the air, as rumors about new presentation formats and a multiple news anchor approach continue to circulate. One thing is for sure, the top brass realize that major changes have to happen if CBS is to make a come back. A cosmetic transformation won’t cut it.