CBS News is overhauling the on-air team of *The Early Show* in an effort to lift the morning program from third place in the ratings. Beginning January 3, Saturday co-anchors Chris Wragge and Erica Hill will replace weekday hosts Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez. Marysol Castro, formerly of ABC’s *Good Morning America* weekend edition, will replace weather forecaster Dave Price, while Jeff Glor will become the regular news reader.

The changes come as *The Early Show* continues to trail NBC’s *Today* and ABC’s *Good Morning America*. In the week before Thanksgiving, Nielsen reported average daily audiences of 5.6 million for *Today*, 4.6 million for *Good Morning America* and 2.9 million for *The Early Show*. CBS News President Sean McManus said he did not expect an immediate ratings turnaround but believed the new team’s chemistry would help the program grow. Executive producer David Friedman similarly praised the group’s energy and said the decision was about choosing the right team for the future.

Wragge and Hill have co-anchored the Saturday edition since 2008. CBS executives said they had demonstrated an ability to move between hard news and lighter stories. Wragge, who previously worked in sports, will give up his local news anchoring role at CBS’s New York affiliate. Hill, formerly of CNN, is already part of the weekday program as its news reader.

Smith, who has hosted CBS morning programs for 17 of the preceding 25 years, said he was grateful for the opportunity and wished his successors well. He will remain with CBS as a reporter and as the primary substitute anchor for the *CBS Evening News*, *Face the Nation* and *Sunday Morning*. CBS said it was discussing future roles with Rodriguez and Price.

Television critic David Bianculli said CBS had reason to make changes given the show’s long struggle in the ratings, though he found the speed of the overhaul surprising.

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