TV news personality Norah O’Donnell is opening up about a defining moment in her career when she refused to accept less than equal pay before stepping into one of the most high-profile roles in morning television.
During the Feb. 24 episode of “The Jamie Kern Lima Show,” the veteran journalist reflected on being asked in 2012 to leave her role covering the White House and join Gayle King and Charlie Rose as co-anchor of “CBS This Morning.” She recalled being told she needed to give an immediate answer after executives presented her with an offer. She did not.
“They said, ‘Here’s the deal,’” O’Donnell shared. Her response was clear. She would not take the job unless she was paid the same as the highest-paid man on the show. She said she knew he was earning the top salary and believed she deserved equal compensation.
When she was initially told that was not possible, O’Donnell did not back down. “Then I don’t want the job,” she said she told them. The result surprised even her. “So I got paid the same.”
She acknowledged that not every negotiation ends that way, but said there are moments when you have to advocate for yourself. “In the times that you know that you are worth it, you have to ask for it,” she said.
Advocating for Yourself in High-Stakes Moments
O’Donnell co-anchored “CBS This Morning” from 2012 to 2019 before going on to anchor the “CBS Evening News.” She now serves as a CBS News correspondent and contributing correspondent for “60 Minutes.”
Her conversation with Jamie Kern Lima didn’t just stop at salary negotiations. O’Donnell also addressed the current climate at CBS News, which has seen leadership shifts and high-profile departures in recent months.
In a separate preview shared by People, O’Donnell said she has never been pressured to edit interviews or compromise her integrity. “Have I felt pressure? Sure,” she said. “But have I ever been in the situation where I had to compromise my integrity? No.”
She also shut down the idea that CBS provides interview questions in advance, noting that doing so would violate journalistic standards. While publicists may call producers to ask what topics will be covered, she said decisions ultimately come down to what is newsworthy.
At a time when scrutiny around media credibility is high, O’Donnell emphasized that she can only speak for her own work. “Not in my work,” she said.
How It Connects to “We the Women”
O’Donnell’s stance on equal pay and self-advocacy ties directly into the message behind her new book, “We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America.”
In an interview with CBS News, she said she was shocked by how much she hadn’t been taught about women’s contributions to American history. The book highlights trailblazers like Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor; Patsy Mink, author of Title IX; and Mary Katharine Goddard, whose name appeared on the first official printing of the Declaration of Independence.
O’Donnell has also spoken about experiencing sexism in her own career, including being asked how she would cover the White House while raising three young children — a question she pointedly asked whether a man would receive.
For O’Donnell, the through line is representation, confidence and refusing to shrink in rooms where decisions are made.
And when it comes to knowing your value, she said it best: “In the times that you know that you are worth it, you have to ask for it.”
