— RATHER SIGNS OFF FROM CBS NEWS ANCHOR DESK

"CBS Evening News" anchor Dan Rather, 74, who covered the Kennedy assassination, Vietnam War, Watergate, Iraq and hurricanes but has been best known recently for his role in a story on President Bush's national guard service that was apparently based on false documents, stepped down from the anchor desk last night after more than two decades. "We've shared a lot in the 24 years we've been meeting here each evening," Rather said in his farewell at the end of last night's broadcast, "and before I say good night this night, I need to say thank you." Following the botched report, Rather is reportedly being pushed out a year before he wanted to leave, but is set to continue reporting for "60 Minutes Wednesday," which featured the controversial story. Rather was eventually forced to apologize for the report on air, but made no mention of it during his farewell Wednesday, instead returning to his short-lived former sign-off "courage." Veteran correspondent Bob Schieffer is slated to take over the show until a new format is unveiled. Peter Jennings is now the last of the "Big 3" anchors still around after Tom Brokaw's retirement from NBC's network newscast last year.

— WISE-TV, KDLH NEWSROOMS FOLD AFTER FCC DECISION

Two TV news operations in the Midwest have been closed after the Federal Communications Commission approved a cost-cutting deal between two station groups. Granite Broadcasting Corporation and Malara Broadcast Group are cooperating in shared services agreements in Fort Wayne, Ind., and Duluth, Minn., which allow them to shut the local news departments at the weakest stations, WISE-33 (NBC) and KDLH-3 (CBS), respectively. The FCC approval of the agreement and sales of the stations allowed both newsrooms to be closed this week. In each case, a lead co-anchor from the defunct news department has been retained to present alternative newscasts on their station from the studios of the former competitor. Ch. 33's Linda Jackson is anchoring news at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. from WPTA-21 and Ch. 3's Pat Kelly is helming a 5:30 p.m. newscast from KBJR-6. They are also doing news briefs at 11 p.m., and the network newscasts will be bumped to 6 p.m. for Ch. 3 and 7 p.m. at Ch. 33, once WKJG. Between the two stations, at least 80 people are reportedly out of work. The companies say the combination will strengthen coverage.

— JIM ROSENFIELD TO DROP ANCHOR AGAIN AT WCBS-TV
Anchorman Jim Rosenfield, who left WNBC-4's 5 p.m. newscast last week, will move across town to WCBS-2 as lead anchor, according to the News and the Post. Rosenfield, a former weekend anchor in Chicago, first came to New York for a stint on the noon and 6 p.m. desk at Ch. 2 before being picked up by Ch. 4 in 2000. He signed off "Live at Five," where he played the straight man to wacky Sue Simmons, last Friday. No word on when he will show up at CBS, where Ernie Anastos is set to vacate his anchor spot alongside Roz Abrams to defect to WNYW-5 sometime this year.


— LAYOFFS EXPECTED AT TROUBLED MINNESOTA STATION

A Minneapolis newspaper is reporting more trouble may be ahead for local cellar dweller KSTP-5. The ABC affiliate, which is locally owned but trails in the ratings, could lay off 10 or more behind-the-scenes staffers on Monday, sources told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. This would come as the latest round in staff upheavals at Ch. 5, which recently laid off its main anchor team to bring back Cyndy Brucato, a public relations executive who anchored at Ch. 5 in the 1980's and is now being teamed with sports anchor Joe Schmit at 5 p.m.  

— NEVADA STATION DROPS CONSULTANT AFTER CONTROVERSY
Las Vegas station KVBC-3 will stop paying state senator Barbara Cegavske to be a station consultant after news of the position went public and generated controversy. Ch. 3 has reportedly been paying $3,000 a month to Cegavske to give them information on legislative and education issues. Many complained about a perceived conflict of interest after Cegavske disclosed the side job at a budget hearing.


— REPORT: WOLO-TV COULD RETURN MORE STAFF TO COLUMBIA
South Carolina's WOLO-25, which has been originating its newscasts in Charlotte for the past few years, could soon get more of a presence back in its home market, according to MediaWeek. A recent report in the magazine says the station is planning to increase its local presence by moving some anchors back to Columbia later this year and possibly opening up a second studio in the city. The ratings-poor ABC affiliate gained notoriety after owner Bahakel Communications began having the anchors at sister station WCCB-18 (Fox) front the Ch. 25 newscast in 2002.

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