Sullivan’s Upbeat Farewell on ‘This Morning’

With an upbeat demeanor that matched her Disney World surroundings, but at times appearing near tears, Kathleen Sullivan bid viewers goodby Friday on her last day as co-anchor of “CBS This Morning.”

Notified only the day before that Friday would be her last day on the job, Sullivan said that she was proud of her work and noted, “Yeah, I’m the one who wore the sweaters in the Olympics. I’m a bit older, but I’m also a bit wiser.”

The 36-year-old Sullivan, who came to prominence in 1984 on ABC as the first woman to co-anchor the Olympics, is being replaced on the 7-9 a.m. weekday program by Paula Zahn, the former news anchor on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Sullivan had been with the CBS show since it was launched in November, 1987.

Although CBS still has not made an official announcement, Zahn’s agent, Richard Leibner, has confirmed that Zahn is going to CBS, and Zahn gave her farewell on “Good Morning America” Thursday. CBS is expected to announce Zahn’s hiring on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Faith Daniels will be the substitute host of “CBS This Morning” next week, with Zahn expected aboard the following week.

The hold-up in the official announcement had been ABC’s contractual right to make a counter-offer to CBS’. ABC is said not to have matched Zahn’s new salary on CBS, estimated at $1.1 million a year.

Sullivan wished her successor well. “Paula Zahn has been the stepmother to two of my other children at ABC, and I’m sure she’ll take great care of my third, ‘CBS This Morning,’ ” Sullivan said, in reference to the fact that Zahn had succeeded her as news anchor on “Good Morning America” and co-anchor of “ABC News This Morning.”

Although the ratings for “CBS This Morning” have improved recently, CBS is still in third place and, according to sources, decided to go after Zahn to try to move up further.

“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished here in the last 2 1/2 years,” Sullivan said. “We’ve restored the credibility that said we meant business in the morning here at CBS.” Co-anchor Harry Smith praised Sullivan, thanking her for “being such a great friend and a great teacher.”

There was clapping in the background from Sullivan’s colleagues, who were with her taping the show from the Disney World facilities in Orlando, Fla.

Sullivan’s contract with CBS runs until November. She said she intended to take a break and hopes to do “some really wild and wonderful things.” Network sources have said that she might go to work in the CBS sports division.