In 1994, WCBS demoted Jensen to host of its Sunday morning public-affairs show. At that time, he had been WCBS' lead anchor for 29 years—longer than anyone in New York television history. The station's ratings had declined considerably, and management wanted new blood at the anchor desk. However, the decision and the manner in which the situation was handled caused a firestorm of criticism. The criticism increased when Jensen was forced to retire, in 1995, shortly after Westinghouse announced it was buying CBS. WCBS' ratings plummeted even further, and by the end of 1995 it had sunk into last place and remained there for more than a decade before recovering in the mid-2000s.