July 12, 2004

CBS NEWS ANNOUNCES COVERAGE PLANS
FOR 2004 DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTIONS

Dan Rather Will Lead the Coverage from Boston and New York

Hannah Storm Will Anchor "THE EARLY SHOW's Coverage from Boston

And Harry Smith Will Anchor From New York

Bob Schieffer Will Anchor FACE THE NATION from Each City The Sunday Prior to Each Convention

Live, Gavel-to-Gavel Webcasts of All Sessions, Including All Major Speeches,

Will be Available on CBSNews.com, as Will Extensive Coverage and Analysis

Dan Rather, who has covered every Republican and Democratic convention since 1964, will lead CBS News' coverage of the 2004 Democratic and Republican National Conventions, it was announced today. The Democratic Convention will take place Monday, July 26, through Thursday, July 29, at the Fleet Center in Boston. The Republican Convention will be held Monday, Aug. 30, through Thursday, Sept. 2, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Based on the preliminary schedules for the conventions, CBS News plans three hours of live coverage in prime time for each convention, including the acceptance speeches. The prime time coverage will be anchored by Rather.

He will be joined by CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer and CBS News Correspondent Jim Axelrod at both conventions. CBS News Correspondent Byron Pitts, who has been covering Sen. John Kerry's campaign, will report from Boston, and CBS News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts will report from the Republican Convention.

The CBS EVENING NEWS, THE EARLY SHOW and FACE THE NATION will also originate live from each convention site.

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Following is an overview of CBS News' planned convention coverage.

? The primetime coverage schedule, anchored by Rather, is:

Democratic Convention
Monday, July 26 -- live coverage (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) Wednesday, July 28 -- live coverage of the nominating process and vice-presidential nominee John Edwards' acceptance speech (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) Thursday, July 29 -- live coverage of presidential nominee John Kerry's acceptance speech (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) Republican Convention
Tuesday, Aug. 31 -- live coverage (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) Wednesday, Sept. 1 -- live coverage of the nominating process and Vice President Dick Cheney's acceptance speech (10:00-11:00 PM, ET) Thursday, Sept. 2 -- live coverage of President George W. Bush's acceptance speech (10:00-11:00 PM, ET)

? The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER will be anchored live by Rather from each convention Monday through Thursday (6:30-7:00 PM, ET/PT). The broadcast will continue two featured series devoted to exploring the issues of the campaign: "Swing Town," which follows the election process through the eyes of ordinary voters in Allentown, Pa., and the Lehigh Valley, and "What Does It Mean To You?", an ongoing series of reports that focuses on where the candidates stand on individual issues. Rather will also anchor the Sunday edition of the CBS EVENING NEWS (6:00-6:30 PM, ET/PT) on the eve of each convention's first day.

? THE EARLY SHOW's Hannah Storm will anchor the broadcast's coverage from Boston, and Harry Smith will anchor from New York Monday through Thursday (7:00-9:00 AM, ET/PT).

? FACE THE NATION WITH BOB SCHIEFFER will originate from the convention sites the day before each one begins: from Boston on Sunday, July 25 (10:30-11:00 AM, ET) and from New York on Sunday, Aug. 29 (10:30-11:00 AM, ET). Guests will be announced closer to broadcast dates.

? CBS News/Radio plans comprehensive coverage of the conventions, including hourly updates, live anchored coverage of acceptance speeches, feeds of all major events and special features. CBS News/Radio coverage will be led by CBS News Correspondents Dan Raviv, Barry Bagnato, Lou Miliano, Peter Maer, Howard Arenstein and Mark Knoller. They will be joined by Rather, Schieffer, CBS News Senior Political Editor Dotty Lynch, Director of Surveys Kathleen Frankovic and Assistant Director Sarah Dutton, and political consultant Leonie Huddy.

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? CBSNews.com will offer live, gavel-to-gavel Webcasts of all sessions of both conventions, including all major speeches in their entirety. The site will also provide a comprehensive "on-demand" video library of video clips of major events and proceedings, all free and with no subscription required. In addition to a team of on-site CBSNews.com reporters, CBS News radio and television correspondents -- both on-site and from locations around the country -- will be providing in-depth and up-to-date information around the clock. CBSNews.com will also feature a wide variety of analysis and commentary from across the political spectrum, interactive research and educational tools, multimedia features and bulletin boards, where users can exchange their views about the conventions.

CBS News' convention coverage will be produced by Al Ortiz, Executive Producer and Director, Special Events. Kathy Sciere is Senior Editor, Campaign 2004, and Dotty Lynch is Senior Political Editor, CBS News. Marcy McGinnis, Senior Vice President, News Coverage, CBS News, is the executive in charge.

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Press Contacts: Sandy Genelius  212/975-7525            smg@cbsnews.com
                                        Kelli Edwards   212/975-6795            kfa@cbsnews.com
                                        Andie Silvers           212/975-3328            silversa@cbsnews.com