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No black backdrop for Charlie Rose? No problem—the spiffy new CBS This Morning studio, with brick walls and a mural of video screens, served just as well, although it was a little distracting. The network’s revamped morning news program, anchored by Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, went off to a good start on its Monday debut. Unlike previous half-hearted versions, the new show seems a huge improvement and presented itself as a serious contender with other networks. It began with a 90-second montage of news clips called “Eye Opener,” then went on to feature a 60 Minutes followup, an introduction to its new studio on 57th Street in New York, and talk segments with Newt Gingrich, Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer and other correspondents. Rose dominated those interviews, something he probably could do in his sleep—and there were concerns whether he’d be too tired in the morning slot, although that hasn’t been an issue yet.
