CBS hands ayem mike to Assuras
Journo to co-anchor with Robelot
The Canadian-born Assuras will share the anchor desk with Jane Robelot, who's been working the first hour of the CBS show with substitute co-hosts since Cynthia Bowers was reassigned to the web's Dallas bureau earlier this summer. Assuras will also replace Bowers as anchor of the 5-7 a.m. "CBS Morning News."
Robelot and Mark McEwen will remain anchors of "This Morning's" 8 a.m. hour. As part of a local-national hybrid formula sanctioned by the web, most CBS affils carry only a portion of the first hour of "This Morning," subbing their own local newscasts for the national broadcast. The 8 a.m. hour therefore has a larger national audience.
While CBS execs have expressed their support for the Robelot-McEwen team, there's been intense speculation in recent months that more changes are ahead for the ayem show, including a possible anchor shakeup and a revamped format focusing more on entertainment and lifestyle segments. Some sort of national-local hybrid is expected to survive, if only because affils might balk at giving back the full two-hour slot.
