CBS News is overhauling *The Early Show* in an effort to lift the broadcast from third place in the morning news ratings. Beginning January 3, Chris Wragge and Erica Hill, who have co-anchored the Saturday edition since 2008, will replace weekday co-hosts Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez. Marysol Castro, formerly of ABC’s weekend *Good Morning America*, will replace weather forecaster Dave Price, and Jeff Glor will become the regular newsreader.

The changes come as CBS trails its rivals by a wide margin. In the week before Thanksgiving, NBC’s *Today* averaged 5.6 million viewers, ABC’s *Good Morning America* drew 4.6 million, and *The Early Show* attracted 2.9 million. CBS News President Sean McManus said he did not expect an immediate shift in ratings but believed the new team’s chemistry could help the program grow. Executive producer David Friedman also praised the group’s energy.

Smith, the longest-serving member of the departing weekday team, had worked on CBS morning shows for 17 of the previous 25 years. He plans to remain at the network as a news reporter and a primary substitute on *CBS Evening News*, *Face the Nation* and *Sunday Morning*. CBS was discussing future roles for Rodriguez and Price.

Wragge previously worked as a sports reporter and local news anchor, while Hill joined CBS from CNN and filled in for Rodriguez during her maternity leave. McManus said the pair had shown on Saturdays that they could move comfortably between hard news and lighter stories. Television critic David Bianculli said the changes were understandable given the show’s performance, though he found their suddenness surprising.

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