Alison Pepper, CBS News Head Of Talent Strategy, To Exit
Alison Pepper, who has been CBS News’ senior vice president of talent strategy, said that she is leaving after the election, as she cited the “seismic shifts” facing the network.
Pepper was appointed to the role in 2021, overseeing talent recruitment and development. She previously had been a network executive and senior producer at CBS News and 60 Minutes.
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In a memo to staffers, Pepper wrote, “Throughout my life and career, I have tried to make the best decisions that I can with the information I have in front of me. CBS News has been my home for the better part of 25 years. I have had the privilege of working each day with all of you, many of whom I consider to be like family, as you navigated some of the most impactful news stories of our time with integrity, ingenuity and grit… and I have loved every minute of it. But with the seismic shifts facing our organization, I have made the difficult decision to leave CBS News after the election.”
Her departure follows the exit of Ingrid Ciprián-Matthews, who stepped down last summer as president of CBS News. Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, has been undergoing a 15% reduction in its workforce. Those cuts have hit the news division, which is further integrating national and local news talent. The network is part of a proposed acquisition by Skydance Media, with approval pending before federal regulators.
In August, CBS News and Stations unveiled a new leadership structure, with Adrienne Roark serving as president of editorial and newsgathering, and Jennifer Mitchell becoming president of stations and digital. They report to Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS media Ventures.
Pepper also served as a talent agent at CAA, joining its television department, after almost two decades at CBS News. She became senior producer at 60 Minutes in 2017, and she helped manage the broadcast and recruited talent, as well as oversaw the development of documentaries from the show and network archives.
Pepper added in her note, “I wish Wendy, Laurie and the rest of the team the best of luck as they continue this critical transformation. I will never stop rooting for you, the exceptional journalists that I have had the honor of working with and championing. You always have been and always will be the gold standard.”
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