CBS’s morning program, THE EARLY SHOW, is undergoing major anchor changes, CBS News has confirmed.
Harry Smith/CBS
As reported by the Associated Press and TV Newser, anchors Harry Smith, Maggie Rodriguez and Dave Price are leaving the show.
Chris Wragge and Erica Hill, current anchors of the Saturday edition of the program, and Marysol Castro, a former weather correspondent of ABC’s Good Morning, America, will replace them. Jeff Glor will be the news anchor in the new lineup.
The new lineup will debut on January 3rd, CBS News President Sean McManus said.
“We constantly focus on how to improve the broadcast, and we think we have a terrific combination in Erica, Chris, Jeff and Marysol. This new team brings vibrancy, intelligence and warmth that I think America will grow to love,” McManus said.
Maggie Rodriguez/CBS
Wragge and Hill have co-anchored the Saturday Edition of THE EARLY SHOW since 2008. Hill also has been News Anchor for THE EARLY SHOW since January of this year. Wragge has also been co-anchor of CBS 2 News at 5:00 PM and 11:00 PM in New York, the nation’s largest market, a position he has held since 2006.
Glor has anchored the Saturday edition of the CBS EVENING NEWS and been a National Correspondent reporting for all CBS News broadcasts since 2009. He has also been a substitute anchor for the CBS EVENING NEWS since March 2007. Castro served as the weather and feature correspondent of ABC News’ weekend edition of Good Morning America from 2004 to 2010.
Dave Price/CBS
CBS has confirmed that Smith, Rodriquez and Price will continue at CBS News in new roles.
Smith will shift his focus to hard news with an expanded role as primary substitute anchor on the CBS EVENING NEWS, FACE THE NATION and SUNDAY MORNING, while continuing to report major stories for all CBS News broadcasts. Smith has been anchor of THE EARLY SHOW since October, 2002, and previously anchored a past morning news program for the network, CBS THIS MORNING, from 1987 to 1996. He joined CBS News in 1986.
Discussions are currently underway concerning the roles Rodriquez and Price will have. Rodriguez joined THE EARLY SHOW in December 2007 and is also a substitute anchor on the CBS EVENING NEWS. Price joined CBS News in July, 2003.
CBS’s EARLY SHOW has been the third-rated morning news program and has struggled for years in ratings against GMA and NBC’s Today.
THE EARLY SHOW airs weekdays 7:00-9:00am, following the Lowcountry’s top-rated local early news program, LIVE 5 NEWS THIS MORNING.
We will totally miss these anchors. We will def. start watching one of the other shows. What a shame.