Kathleen Sullivan Bids CBS Goodby, Hails Zahn

Upbeat but appearing near tears, Kathleen Sullivan said farewell today as co-anchor of “CBS This Morning,” telling viewers that she’s proud of the show and jokingly asking them not to forget her.

Sullivan, who has been on the show with Harry Smith since it began in November, 1987, also confirmed in her farewell what CBS spokesmen thus far have refused to comment on--that ABC’s Paula Zahn will succeed her.

“Paula Zahn has been the stepmother to two of my other children at ABC, and now I’m sure she’ll take great care of my third, ‘CBS This Morning,’ ” Sullivan said in her final day on the show, which originated today from Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Before joining CBS, Sullivan co-anchored ABC’s “World News This Morning” and the news segments of “Good Morning America.” She was succeeded on those programs by Zahn, who bid viewers of those shows goodby on Thursday.

Their back-to-back farewell comments came about after CBS News executives decided to replace Sullivan, whose contract expires in November.

Zahn’s agent has confirmed that his client is joining CBS News. According to a source close to her contract talks, ABC officials liked her work but decided against battling CBS’ offer of a $1.1 million-a-year, four-year contract.

Zahn, who had been earning $275,000 a year at ABC, could start at CBS as early as Feb. 26.

Sullivan, noting that eight of her 10 years on national television have been spent on morning shows, told viewers that she plans to take a break and that “I’m hoping to do some really wild and wonderful things.”

She didn’t elaborate, but added: “So, if I show up on your doorstep because I ran out of gas or my horse broke down, please don’t forget me.”

Sullivan began her television career as an intern in 1977 at KNXT in Los Angeles (now KCBS). Zahn was a reporter and anchor at KCBS in the mid-1980s.