‘She’s Got Oprah In Her Corner’ and Ready to Walk, According to Report

CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King reportedly is infuriated by the network’s decision to relocate her show from its lavish Times Square studio back to the CBS Broadcast Center on Manhattan’s West Side. The 70-year-old anchor, who recently signed a one-year contract extension, views the unexpected studio downgrade as a deliberate affront orchestrated by network executives amid growing financial pressures.

The stunning relocation comes as CBS’s parent company, Paramount, faces a potential $28 billion acquisition by Skydance Media, with executives scrambling to cut $500 million in expenses.

For King, who commands an $11 million salary despite lagging ratings behind ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today,” the timing couldn’t be more unwelcome.

“Gayle is livid. She sees this as a personal attack,” RadarOnline reports its supposed insiders revealed. “She only signed a one-year extension, and this was not part of the deal.”

The purported sources claim King was “blindsided” by the move, which she interprets as the latest in a series of slights from a network increasingly desperate to trim costs.

The veteran broadcaster, whose close friendship with Oprah Winfrey has long been a source of her industry influence, reputedly isn’t taking the demotion quietly.

According to alleged sources, King has demanded that her accommodations at the West 57th Street location match those she enjoyed at Times Square.

“She made it very clear — she’s not going to be shoved into some dingy little room,” one insider explained. “She expects the same level of comfort and prestige she had at 1515 Broadway. No exceptions.”

The standoff represents more than just a disagreement over office space, the unsubstantiated report claims.

For King, it reportedly symbolizes her diminishing status at a network where she has struggled to boost viewership despite her celebrity connections and a hefty paycheck. CBS News has experienced several embarrassing shake-ups in recent years, including the short-lived tenure of Jeff Glor as CBS Evening News anchor and Norah O’Donnell’s subsequent $4 million pay cut from her original $8 million deal.

“This is the final insult. Gayle is done putting up with this,” a second source claimed. “She’s got Oprah in her corner, she has options, and she’s not afraid to use them.”

The ultimatum comes at a particularly vulnerable moment for CBS News, with one insider describing morale as “at the bottom” and employees anxious about their futures.

The controversy surrounding King’s studio relocation has erupted amid growing criticism of her interviewing style. Viewers have increasingly taken issue with what many perceive as inappropriately personal questions during celebrity conversations.

A February 2025 interview with comedian Marlon Wayans sparked outrage when King posed a raunchy bedroom question that created palpable discomfort. Social media erupted with criticism, calling her approach “cringe” and “unprofessional.”

King’s interview last summer with Kevin Costner generated similar backlash when she appeared to dismiss the actor’s account of an uncomfortable fan encounter.

Viewers accused her of failing to acknowledge celebrities’ right to boundaries, with many feeling “she was too quick to dismiss Costner’s perspective.”

Her recent conversation with White Lotus star Jason Isaacs further inflamed critics, who slammed what they described as questioning that “prioritizes viral moments over journalistic depth.”

The Times Square exodus isn’t limited to CBS.

According to the Los Angeles Times, across the street, ABC’s “Good Morning America” is preparing to abandon its own studio for Disney’s new headquarters in Lower Manhattan this June. Both networks had established their morning shows in the tourist hub to compete with NBC’s successful “Today” show format at Rockefeller Plaza.

As CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon implements cost-cutting measures ahead of the potential Skydance takeover, King stands at a crossroads, Radar claims. With the backing of Winfrey and what sources describe as other “options” at her disposal, the veteran broadcaster appears prepared to make a decisive stand against what she reportedly views as the network’s ultimate betrayal — or walk away entirely.