October 14, 2002

CBS NEWS TO DEBUT THE NEW "EARLY SHOW" ON MONDAY, OCT. 28

HARRY SMITH, HANNAH STORM, JULIE CHEN AND RENE SYLER ARE NAMED THE ANCHORS OF THE BROADCAST

Harry Smith, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen and Rene Syler will become the new anchors of THE EARLY SHOW, CBS News' weekday morning broadcast, it was announced by Andrew Heyward, President, CBS News. The new broadcast will premiere Monday, Oct. 28 (7:00-9:00 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

THE EARLY SHOW debuting in two weeks will offer a fresh twist on the traditional morning news program: four anchors reporting the top stories of the day, interviews and features, but in a more flexible and spontaneous format. This less rigid structure will provide the opportunity for more direct exchange between four distinct personalities while still offering viewers the staples of news, weather and information they've come to expect.

"First and foremost, the new EARLY SHOW is a news program," said Heyward, "so we'll continue to provide viewers with the stories and issues of the day, as well as local weather and news. But our anchors will also give viewers a more spontaneous broadcast with four distinct personalities adding their own interests to the mix. The result will be a lively, unconventional and engaging program."

"The unique talents and diversity of our anchors give us great flexibility in putting together an informative and interesting broadcast each day," said Michael Bass, Senior Executive Producer of THE EARLY SHOW. "In addition to being free from the conventional format of anchors simply alternating stories for two hours, when news warrants, our anchors won't be chained to the studio. We'll showcase their diverse strengths and interests and give viewers a distinctive alternative in the morning."

Smith, 51, has served as the host of A&E's "Biography" series since 1999 and will continue to do so when he assumes his full-time EARLY SHOW duties. Before that, he worked for CBS News for 13 years as an anchor, correspondent and featured contributor for various broadcasts. Smith was a regular contributor to the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER, where his "Travels With Harry" offered a weekly report on unique American people and places off the beaten track. He also served as substitute anchor and occasional correspondent for CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING and anchored and contributed to CBS News documentaries and 48 HOURS, the primetime news magazine. Smith served as co-anchor

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of "CBS This Morning" (1987- 96), covering a wide range of domestic and international stories, including the Persian Gulf War from Saudi Arabia for a month of live broadcasts, as well as reports from Japan, Poland, Hungary, Bosnia, Cuba, France, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Great Britain, Moscow and Spain. Domestically, he covered stories ranging from the 1989 San Francisco earthquake to the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Republican and Democratic National Conventions to the Oklahoma City bombing. Smith also served as the co-host of CBS Sports' weekday morning coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France and Lillehammer, Norway. He joined CBS News in 1986 as a Dallas-based reporter and was named a correspondent in March 1987, reporting primarily for the CBS EVENING NEWS. Prior to that, Smith was a reporter and anchor for KMGH-TV, the CBS affiliate in Denver (1982-85). He also worked for Denver's public television station, KRMA-TV (1981-82), and in radio for several years, at KHOW and KIMN Denver and WLW Cincinnati (1973-81). Smith was born Aug. 21, 1951, in Lansing, Ill. He received a B.A. degree in communications and theater from Central College in Pella, Iowa. Smith lives in New York with his wife, sports anchor and reporter Andrea Joyce, and their two sons.

Storm, 40, has been an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports for the past 10 years. She hosted that network's broadcasts of dozens of major sports events, including the Olympics, the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Wimbledon. Storm has hosted coverage of four Olympic Summer Games: the late-night programs from Barcelona and Atlanta, and the daytime and weekend programs from Sydney and Salt Lake City. She became the first woman to serve as the solo anchor of a network's major sports package when she hosted NBC's coverage of the NBA (1997-2002) and Major League Baseball, including three World Series (1995, '97 and '99). Storm also was the primary play-by-play announcer for the inaugural season of the Women's National Basketball Association (1997). Her extensive reporting experience includes work for NBC's coverage of the National Football League, the NBA, the PGA Tour and golf's Women's U.S. Open. Storm received the Gracie Allen Award from the American Women in Radio and Television for her work as a reporter. She is also the only woman to have been nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Sports Television Host. Storm's recently published book, Go Girl!, a sports guide for parents, is in its second printing (Source Books, 2002). Before joining NBC Sports, she anchored "CNN Sports Tonight" and weekend sports programs for the cable channel (1989-92). Previously, Storm was a sports anchor and reporter for WPQC-TV Charlotte, N.C. (1988-89); KTXH-TV Houston; Home Sports Entertainment; KNCN-FM Radio in Corpus Christi, Texas; and WNDU-TV South Bend, Ind. (between 1982-88). Storm was born on June 13, 1962, in Oak Park, Ill. She was graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1983 with a degree in political science and communications. She lives in the New York area with her husband, NBC Sports anchor Dan Hicks, and their three children.

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Chen, 32, has been the news anchor of THE EARLY SHOW and anchor of the CBS MORNING NEWS since Nov. 1, 1999, when THE EARLY SHOW debuted. She has also served as a substitute anchor for THE EARLY SHOW. Chen has hosted "Big Brother," CBS's summer reality series, since its debut three years ago. She substitute-anchored the CBS MORNING NEWS and "This Morning," THE EARLY SHOW's predecessor, for five months in the summer and early fall of 1999 before the premiere of THE EARLY SHOW. Prior to joining CBS News in June 1999, Chen was a reporter and anchor for WCBS-TV, the CBS Owned station in New York (1997-99). She was a reporter for WDTN-TV Dayton (1995-97). Chen served as a producer for ABC News One, that network's affiliate news service (1991-95), and as a production assistant in ABC News= Los Angeles bureau (1990-91). She was born on Jan. 6, 1970, in New York City. Chen was graduated from the University of Southern California in 1991 with degree in broadcast journalism and English. She lives in New York.

Syler, 39, has anchored the noon and 6:00 PM newscasts at KTVT, the CBS Owned station in Dallas, since February 2000. Before that, she anchored the noon and 5:00 PM newscasts, beginning in 1997 when she joined the station. Syler was the morning and noon anchor at another Dallas station, WFAA-TV (1992-97). She was the weekend anchor at WVTM-TV Birmingham, Ala. (1990-92) and at KOLO-TV Reno, Nev. (1989-90), and was a weekend reporter at KTVN-TV, also in Reno, before that (1987-89). Syler was born on Feb. 17, 1963, at Scott AFB near Belleville, Ill., and grew up in Sacramento, Calif. She was graduated from California State University at Sacramento in 1987 with a degree in psychology. Syler is an active member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators and the National Association of Black Journalists. The American Women in Radio and Television also awarded her Television Personality of the Year in 1997. Syler is married to Buff Parham, with whom she has two children.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Photography of the four anchors and Michael Bass is available at CBSPressExpress.com (type in "The Early Show" as a locator) or through the CBS News Press Office or CBS Photo Department.

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Press Contacts: Jenny Tartikoff (N.Y.) 212/975-2856 or tartikoffj@cbsnews.com Kelli Edwards (N.Y.) 212/975-6795 or kee@csbnews.com Sandy Genelius (N.Y.) 212/975-7525 or smg@cbsnews.com