CBS White House reporter John Roberts jumps to CNN

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Veteran CBS News White House
reporter John Roberts, once considered a front-runner to
replace longtime anchor Dan Rather, is leaving the network to
join CNN, the cable news outlet said on Wednesday.

Roberts, 49, who began his CBS tenure in 1992 as co-anchor
of that broadcaster’s morning news program, will begin his new
assignment as CNN senior national correspondent on February 20,
the Time Warner Inc.-owned network said.

His move to CNN comes after a stint of more than six years
as chief White House correspondent for CBS News. The Toronto
native also has served as anchor for the Sunday edition of the
CBS Evening News broadcast since 1995 and a substitute host for
the Sunday morning interview program “Face the Nation.”

Prior to 1995, Roberts was a New York-based reporter
working primarily for CBS’s flagship weeknight evening
newscast, contributing reports on health issues and other
subjects.

Roberts was regarded as a leading candidate to take over
the Evening News anchor chair after Rather stepped down in
March 2005, six months after coming under fire for his botched
“60 Minutes II” report questioning the military service of U.S.
President George W. Bush.

Instead, veteran colleague Bob Schieffer, 68, was assigned
to replace Rather for the time being while CBS News sought a
permanent successor, including efforts to court Katie Couric,
co-host of rival NBC’s top-rated morning show “Today.”

Two weeks ago, newly installed CBS News President Sean
McManus said that CBS correspondents like Roberts, Russ
Mitchell and Mika Brzezinski possessed the skills but lacked
the stature to assume the mantle of Evening News anchor.

Ratings for CBS Evening News, the third-ranked nightly
network newscast, have improved under Schieffer, but McManus
has said Schieffer was not interested in keeping the job on a
long-term basis.

There was no immediate word from CBS News on who would
replace Roberts at the White House.