Scott Pelley will be the new presenter of the CBS Evening News, the network confirmed on Tuesday (Image: CBS)

CBS News has announced that the 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley will replace Katie Couric as the anchor of the CBS Evening News, confirming what had been anticipated by industry observers.

In a statement released on Tuesday morning, CBS said that Pelley - a twenty-two year veteran of the network - would take up his new position on 6 June. The appointment follows Couric's announcement last week that she would soon be wrapping up her five-year stint at the Evening News.

"Scott has it all. He has the experience, the credibility and he is among the very best reporters ever to work at CBS News," said Jeff Fager, the chairman of CBS News.

"We like to think of CBS News as the 'reporter's network' and I can't think of anybody in this business better suited for the anchor chair than Scott."

David Rhodes, the president of CBS News, added that Pelley was "the ideal journalist to lead this broadcast".

Pelley maintains a high profile as a 60 Minutes reporter, having joined CBS's flagship current affairs programme in 2004. His time at the network has included a stint as the chief White House correspondent during the Clinton administration.

"I am delighted to join the terrific team at the Evening News. It's a privilege to work alongside the most gifted and talented journalists in the industry," Pelley said.

Pelley was immediately viewed as one of the favourites to take over the Evening News post after reports first emerged that Couric had decided not to renew her contract, and is generally seen as a safe option for the network given his long-time presence on CBS news and current affairs programming.

But he will face an uphill battle to improve the Evening News' ratings position. The bulletin remains mired in third place among the network news broadcasts, regularly trailing NBC Nightly News by margins of around three million viewers.

Media Spy discussion: CBS News