Dan Rather to retire as CBS News anchorman

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Dan Rather announced yesterday that he would step down as anchorman of "The CBS Evening News" on March 9, after nearly a quarter-century on the job.

Mr. Rather will continue working full time for "60 Minutes" as an investigative reporter. CBS is preparing the findings of its investigation of Mr. Rather's report that President Bush compromised his National Guard service three decades ago, which was based on forged documents and broadcast in the weeks before the presidential election.

Critics accused Mr. Rather of trying to manipulate the election, demanded that he resign and that a federal investigation be organized.

CBS aired Mr. Rather's bombshell on "60 Minutes" on Sept. 8. The story was questioned at once by Internet bloggers, and the controversy soon was taken up by newspapers and other TV networks.

He apologized later that month. Sumner Redstone, president of CBS' parent company, Viacom, acknowledged that the network "had been damaged by the report" and appointed a two-man panel to review internal decisions that had cleared the way for Mr. Rather's story.

The findings are expected to be made public after Thanksgiving.

"I have been lucky and blessed over these years to have what is, to me, the best job in the world," Mr. Rather, 73, said. "I have always said that I'd know when the time was right to step away from the anchor chair."

He said discussions had been held since summer about when it would be "appropriate" for him to leave.

"I have always been and remain a 'hard news' investigative reporter at heart. I now look forward to pouring my heart into that kind of reporting full time," Mr. Rather said.

NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw earlier announced that he will resign effective Dec. 1.