CBS Morning News

The CBS Morning News is the name historically given to a morning news program on CBS between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM ET. CBS's current morning news program is called The Early Show, which currently competes with NBC's The Today Show and ABC's Good Morning America. CBS's attempts at counterprogramming in this slot have never experienced the success of "Today" or "GMA".

1960s: "If you can't beat them, stay out of their time slot"

In 1961, CBS returned to the morning news battles. Following a basic law of television programming, "If you can't beat them, stay out of their time slot", the network started a program called Calendar, hosted by Harry Reasoner and Broadway actress Mary Fickett. One of the writers on the broadcast was Andy Rooney, later to gain fame on 60 Minutes. At 10:00 AM, the show went on the air an hour after the NBC Today Show had ended. Reasoner clicked as an anchor, and began his rise to modest news business stardom. CBS kept the program at 10:00 AM, until 1965; but Reasoner left in 1963, He was replaced by Mike Wallace, at which time the broadcast was renamed CBS Morning News.

Related Topics:
1961 - Harry Reasoner - Broadway - Mary Fickett - Andy Rooney - 60 Minutes - 1965 - 1963 - Mike Wallace

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CBS discovered the company could make more money running I Love Lucy reruns in the mid-morning slot in 1965, and moved "Calendar" to 7:00 AM. Wallace lasted a year, but got sick of the early morning grind, and left to cover Richard Nixon's comeback for CBS News. He was replaced by Joseph Benti, who survived four years in the job, followed by John Hart. For several years, the show producers joked they produced the show for an audience of one -- CBS founder William Paley.

Related Topics:
I Love Lucy - Richard Nixon - William Paley

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