CBS News Is "Building You a Better Morning"

[Max]

Has anybody seen those ads that say "Please pardon our appearance. CBS News Is Building You a Better Morning."? I personally think that CBS's latest attempt to remake its morning show is f*cking absurd. After all, it was only twelve years ago when the network dumped tons of money into The Early Show.

IMO, the only good morning team CBS has ever had was Harry Smith and Paula Zahn. I have no idea what CBS's latest attempt involves, but I sure as hell hope the definition of a "better morning" doesn't include Julie Chen.

Les Moonface was brutally honest when he stated that GL's and ATWT's time was over. What really pisses me off, though, is that he can't concede that CBS's "day is done" when it comes to being a relevant player in the morning. In all seriousness, reruns of popular CBS primetime shows would likely get higher ratings if they aired from 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. (and would almost certainly be more profitable). But whereas network executives love to piss on soap fans, they seem to have little problem promoting other programs that are destined to fail.

[Jonathan]

It involves Gayle King and Charlie Rose.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2011%2F11%2F15%2Fcharlie-rose-gayle-king-cbs-morning-show_n_1095542.html&ei=-_LoTt_xJaWviQL_152dDA&usg=AFQjCNFR2SqWT8Fi52BCgl9S61AbW2oadw&sig2=ensJvebtS1nOPHb7kl6sqA

[DRW50]

Nothing against Gayle King, as I like her, but has she ever had any success in a national format?

It's time for CBS to just give up. Their morning shows have almost always failed and usually their attempts to fix them just make them worse, as you can see with this latest revamp.

They were so eager to kill off Captain Kangaroo because then they could have their own Today/GMA. 30 years later and it's still sh!t.

[JaneAusten]

There were actually rumors that Joe Scarboroughs morning show might move to CBS which might have been something a tad different and he's at least a relatively level headed political commentator and I enjoy his panel of commentators

[Roman]

They should put cartoons on Monday thru Friday.

[JackPeyton]

They really should try something different. Local news is all over the local channels, and NBC/ABC dominate the national news in the morning.

Throw on cartoons from 7-9 with local traffic/isssues/weather on a scroll and during the breaks. Do a talk show from 9-10.

[jpoliver78]

CBS could not move "Morning Joe" to its network, as the show is most likely owned by MSNBC, which would require that network's consent - which it was unlikely to give.

CBS has, however, done the next best thing...they will attempt to copy "Morning Joe" with their revamped "CBS This Morning". In addition to Gayle King and Charlie Rose, Erica Hill will be brought over from the concluding "Early Show". Reportedly, Hill and Rose will co-anchor the 7:00 hour and Hill and King will take over at the 8:00 hour.

The man in charge of "CBS This Morning" is none other than Chris Licht, who was also the producer of MSNBC's "Morning Joe".

As for as disparaging CBS for trying to improve their morning show, viewing habits do not change quickly when it comes to news. NBC's primetime woes may finally be affecting their news divisions, as both the "Nightly News" with Brian Williams, "Meet the Press" on Sunday mornings and "Today" are all seeing their ratings decline, while ABC is slowly creeping up (with the exception of Sunday morning's "This Week", which is actually losing viewers as well). The new "CBS This Morning" may be just the thing that CBS needs to jump start its morning...something different and not interchangeable with ABC or NBC's morning programs.

[Max]

In theory, a hard news morning show sounds like a good idea (as so many are sick of the worthless fluff that hogs up the air time on Today and GMA). And as you stated, viewing habits are slow to change. However, CBS has been irrelevant in the morning for so long (even when it was the top rated network) that any attempt to remake its image just seems futile. (Unlike with soaps, however, no network executive is ready to concede reality and try alternative programming from 7:00 to 9:00.) Furthermore, I would have a much better feeling about this show if Charlie Rose was on it for the full two hours; anything that involves Gayle King cannot credibly be passed off as hard news. Also, Mr. Chen has a poor record when trying to remake a dying CBS news program into something relevant: witness his idea to put Katie Couric into the anchor chair.

By the way, I think the declines in the NBC shows have less to do with the network's sagging primetime fortunes and more to do with the fact that Brian Williams, David Gregory, and Ann Curry are so boring.

[DRW50]

CBS has revamped their morning show 500 times. It rarely works. I'm not sure why it will now.

[DRW50]

Don't they look so happy?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-500202_162-57352425/cbs-this-morning-debuts-monday-jan-9/?tag=strip

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't know who thought it was a good idea to wake up to Charlie Rose's face and dead-like demeanor.

Oh Gayle, stop trying to make yourself happen, it's not going to work.

[Soapsuds]

What happen to the hipper younger group?? I guess no one watched. I wish Gayle King would go away. She needs to get a life outside tv. She is so annoying and talentless.

[Soapsuds]

Seriously who is going to want to wake up to Charlie Rose and Gayle King?? The demos will skew even older and the ratings will go further south.

[~bl~]

I agree if they are looking for demos, this is not the way to go. Perhaps they have given up on the younger audience as they realize most won't be up that early in the morning. The people who are home and awake when these morning shows perhaps are older and retired.

[Jonathan]

Did anyone watch? I only watched one segment in the last hour. It was decent. I love and hate the set. I think the wideshots make it look cramped, but it is modern looking.