Mary Hager, CBS News Politics and ‘Face the Nation’ Guru, to Retire

Mary Hager, the longtime political-news guru and behind-the-scenes force at CBS News and its Sunday public-affairs program, “Face the Nation,” will retire from the program in January, according to two people familiar with the matter. Hager informed colleagues at CBS News of her decision on Wednesday, these person say, in order to give the Skydance news division time to search for a replacement. There is no obvious successor for Hager in her producer role at “Nation” at this time, largely because Anne Hsu, who was named the program’s executive producer in 2025, is moving to a new role within CBS News, according to the people familiar with the program. CBS News declined to make executives available for comment. The media-industry newsletter Status previously reported on her decision. Hager could not be reached for immediate comment. Hager is seen as a force at CBS News, and has been the guiding presence at “Face the Nation” during the tenures of moderators Bob Schieffer, John Dickerson and Margaret Brennan. She covered nearly every presidential campaign, convention and election night over the past 30 years at CBS News, in capacities that range from embed to anchor producer to executive producer of midterm coverage. She also spent more than 15 years as CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer’s producer. And while she ran or helped run “Face The Nation” since 2011 as a senior producer, executive producer and senior executive producer, she also served in other capacities. Since 2022, she was also CBS News’ executive editor for politics. More to come….