CBS Adds Charlie Rose, Gayle King in Morning Show Reshuffle

It will try to reverse years of low ratings with an injection of new but experienced talent

CBS is rebooting its underperforming morning program, “The Early Show,” bringing on Charlie Rose and Gayle King as co-hosts, according to the New York Times.

Brian Stelter writes that CBS will announce a two-hour news show next Tuesday that, with a conversational approach to hard news, will look more like MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” or ABC’s “The View” than the morning shows of its competitors.

Rose is the long-time host of PBS’ “Charlie Rose” and a contributor to “60 Minutes” while King is an editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine, and host of her own talk show on OWN, “The Gayle King Show.” 

Also Read: Rhodes Rage: CBS News President Rips Into 'Early Show'

The new duo will join two current co-hosts, Erica Hill and Jeff Glor, as well as other new hires.

None of this has been announced publicly – it is a story based on insider knowledge rather than the quoting of direct sources, a complication Stelter hinted at Thursday with the following tweet: “Days like today make me love my job. Big, gossipy thousand-word story on the way tonight.”

The big question for CBS is whether any of these changes will make a difference. Its morning show has long trailed NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America” in the ratings, prompting frequent alterations and makeovers.

While both Rose and King are well-respected — instantly boosting the prestige of the show — it is not for their ratings.  

Comments