‘CBS Evening News’ interim EP to retire

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Al Ortiz, the interim executive producer of the “CBS Evening News” has announced his retirement from the network.

Ortiz took over from Jay Shaylor, who left the role in July 2021. Ortiz was previously EP of “Evening” under Dan Rather and has been the vice president of standards and practices for the division for the past seven years.

He’s been with CBS News for 43 years, having started in the CBS News Radio arm back in 1977. Over the years, he also served as a foreign editor, London bureau chief and chief of the Washington, D.C. bureau.

“CBS Evening News” recently announced it had re-signed Norah O’Donnell as anchor through the 2024 elections, despite months of speculation that she could be on her way out, including a damming report of her alleged behavior off-camera.

Despite a splashy move to Washington, D.C., the broadcast still remains in third place.

CBS says it will start the process of looking for an EP replacement, though given Ortiz’s “interim” title that search may have already been underway to some degree.

It’s not immediately clear if Ortiz was offered the opportunity to stay on and take over the role permanently.