Dan Rather, the veteran CBS News broadcaster who recently came under fire for his reporting on George W. Bush's military service record, said yesterday he would resign as anchorman for the Evening News after 24 years in the job.

His departure was announced as CBS executives prepare for the release of an internal report on the much-criticised 60 Minutes programme that forced an apology from the network. The broadcast relied on documents related to Mr Bush's National Guard service that proved questionable.