Report: CBS 'Early Show' Revamp Plan With Charlie Rose And Gayle King Makes Competitors Smile

Folks at ABC are “doing a happy dance” over word that CBS is about to remake The Early Show into a Morning Joe-like ensemble gabfest with Charlie Rose and Gayle King joining current co-hosts Erica Hill and Jeff Glor, The New York Times says. The plan indicates that the network is abandoning any hope of overtaking ABC’s Good Morning America or NBC’s Today in the ratings, and are settling instead for the cachet of being a hard-news alternative — which appeals to CBS’ older demo. CBS hasn’t decided whether to stick with the Early Show name, and it seems there’s no role for another co-host, Chris Wragge. The revamped show would have a regular group of contributors with Rose guiding things at 7 AM, and King taking charge at 8. CBS execs can’t be pleased with the way The Times framed their plans: The paper says that the industry’s view ranges “from skeptical to downright dismissive” and describes Rose as “a mainstay on the Manhattan cocktail party circuit.”