Longtime CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer will retire from CBS News after 46 years this summer.
Schieffer made the announcement Wednesday night at the Schieffer Symposium at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. "Because this is where my professional career began, this is where I wanted all of you to be the first to know, this summer I am going to retire," he said.
CBS News president David Rhodes confirmed the retirement in a note to staff. "It's not over yet. Bob will be on the air this Sunday from the Washington bureau. And for a number of Sundays to come. We'll have more to report soon about the plans for this important broadcast and for the Washington bureau as a whole."
Schieffer has been with CBS News since 1969 and has hosted Face the Nation since 1991. The Sunday morning current affairs program has been top highest rated Sunday talk show for three years running. Schieffer anchored the Saturday edition of the CBS Evening News for 23 years. In March 2005, following the departure of Dan Rather, Schieffer served as interim anchor of The CBS Evening News until August 2006. He has been the network's Chief Washington Correspondent since 1982.
Prior to joining CBS, Schieffer was a reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, becoming the first reporter from a Texas newspaper to report from Vietnam.
He has interviewed every President since Richard Nixon and has moderated a Presidential date the past three election cycles. In 2013, he was inducted into the National Academy of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.
Rhodes' full memo is below:
Bob Schieffer will retire this summer. Our Chief Washington Correspondent and anchor of Face the Nation made the announcement here in Fort Worth tonight at TCU's Schieffer College of Communication.
I know what you're thinking: Bob's thought about retiring before, is he really retiring now? And of course with his long connection to CBS News we'd be happy to learn that he's not leaving now-- or that he can be seen by our viewers in the future.
But speaking at the annual Schieffer Symposium here with colleagues Gayle King, Holly Williams, and a large audience of students and friends from his home community, Bob said he wanted to end it where it began. He graduated from TCU and before long went to work at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.Bob's been with CBS since 1969... Chief Washington Correspondent since 1982... and host of Face the Nation since 1991. That broadcast is in its 60th year and has never been better or more powerful, ranking consistently number one this season.He's been an inspiration and a mentor to so many colleagues-- and frankly, to me. You could see at TCU tonight how that inspiration extends to a wider community of reporters and editors and academics... Not to mention the example he sets as a father and husband with his wife Pat and his whole family here and elsewhere.It's not over yet. Bob will be on the air this Sunday from the Washington bureau. And for a number of Sundays to come. We'll have more to report soon about the plans for this important broadcast and for the Washington bureau as a whole. An important 2016 campaign season is beginning. But this is Bob's night and I hope we can all celebrate with him the remarkable achievement which is his career here at CBS.
David
