CBS names four anchors to a new `Early Show' format; Harry Smith returning

NEW YORK (AP) _ After months in flux, CBS' struggling ``The Early Show'' said Monday it will adopt a four-anchor format that returns Harry Smith to the morning slot and pledged ``a more spontaneous

Monday, October 14th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ After months in flux, CBS' struggling ``The Early Show'' said Monday it will adopt a four-anchor format that returns Harry Smith to the morning slot and pledged ``a more spontaneous broadcast.''

The changes are to begin Oct. 28 for ``The Early Show,'' which has trailed NBC's frontrunning ``Today Show'' and ABC's ``Good Morning America.''

Smith was co-anchor of ``CBS This Morning'' from 1987-96, then left the network to be host of A&E's ``Biography'' series, where he will continue.

He will be joined on ``The Early Show'' by Hannah Storm, an NBC Sports anchor and reporter for the past 10 years; Rene Syler, an anchor at CBS-owned Dallas station KTVT; and Julie Chen, the news reader for ``The Early Show'' since its debut in November 1999.

Chen is the lone holdover from the original ``Early Show,'' which was co-anchored by Bryant Gumbel and Jane Clayson after CBS spent $30 million to build a new studio near Central Park. The broadcast has never seriously challenged ``Today'' or ``Good Morning America'' in the ratings.

Since Gumbel's departure in May, CBS has been looking for a new lineup. In September, Clayson was reassigned to other duties at CBS News.

In announcing the new anchors, CBS News president Andrew Heyward promised that ``The Early Show'' would remain news-oriented.

``But besides the news, our anchors will also give viewers a more spontaneous broadcast with four distinct personalities adding their own interests to the mix,'' he said.