Sullivan Removed From ‘CBS This Morning’

“CBS This Morning” anchorwoman Kathleen Sullivan, who said last year that she expected to be replaced if her show’s third-place ratings didn’t improve, is being taken off the program, her spokesman said today.

“She was notified by CBS brass Wednesday night,” said the spokesman, John Scanlon, who described Sullivan as “disappointed but proud of her contributions to the show.”

The program, co-anchored by Harry Smith, made no mention today that she is leaving. Terry Everett, a CBS News spokeswoman, said today that the network “can’t confirm or deny” reports that she is leaving.

The anchorwoman, whose CBS contract expires in November, did her part of today’s show from Atlanta. Everett said the anchorwoman had gone there on personal business.

Scanlon said that no decision has been made yet on when Sullivan will leave “CBS This Morning” but that she will help the transition process and “is looking forward to discussing other possibilities at CBS.”

There have been reports that her successor will be Paula Zahn, a former KCBS news reporter, now anchorwoman of ABC’s “World News This Morning.” Sullivan co-anchored that program and news segments of ABC’s “Good Morning America” before joining CBS News in 1987.

“We have no comment at this point,” said ABC spokesman Scott Richardson when asked if Zahn may be leaving ABC for CBS.

“CBS This Morning” has consistently trailed “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today” in the ratings.

In October, during an appearance with Jane Pauley on the “Donahue” syndicated talk show, Sullivan said she would be fired if her show’s ratings didn’t improve.

The month before, she riled CBS executives when, while speaking into a microphone she didn’t know was live, she joked that CBS stood for “Cheap Broadcasting Service.”

The comment was heard on CBS’ closed-circuit television system but was not broadcast over the air.