Newsday (Suffolk Edition) from Melville, New York • 130

Dll TELEVISION JJ 'V sMUftflknil Bryant Gumbel returns to the morning TV wars as CBS tries one more time to take on and By Verne STAFF WHITER HREE WEEKS AGO only a fevered imagination could have envisioned the future home of brand-new "Early co-hosted by Bryant Gumbel The sidewalk-level space in the old General Motors Building at the comer of 58th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan was a scene fell of both potential and chaos though more of the latter than the former Steel girders framed huge glass windows and insulation panels hung precariously like flypaper from cathedral-high ceilings A cascade of sparks from a worker's blowtorch fell harmlessly onto other workers below all scrambling against the same relentless dock But outside there was magic with a distinctive New York flavor A brilliant sun lit tiie Plaza Hotel across Fifth while horse-drawn buggies ambled leisurely by- All of this is why CBS after 50 long and mostly fruitless years will have a new address in this morning starting Monday Yet even in this embryonic stage the questions seem so obvious: Do people watch morning TV for the view or for the set? For the hosts or for the news? Or do they watch simply for a bleary-eyed pre-caffeinated morning fix born of routine and habit? Flip on the set and boom Matt Katie and Al Then drink a cup of coffee and hit the road Morning producers will tell you that habit Ncmdajf Phots An Mims Biyant Gumbla and co-host Jane Clayson of new "Early in front of what will be their Raw sidewalk-level studio in the General Motors Building on Fifth Avenue The program launches Monday as the newest effort by the network to compete with NBC and ABC frankly I think supposed to then there will be folks who say you know clear Bryant the force they thought he was or he should have stayed away or three years have left him rusty or a zillion and one things But I base things on what people are going to He adds "You know as well as I do that things move at a glacial pace in the morning so I think unrealistic naive for someone to think going to charge up the hill and in a year well be in first place I think Absurd indeed So why spend an estimated $35 million (on the studio alone) and bring back one of best-known morning guys if third place is just fine and dandy? There are good reasons Foremost morning TV is considered the only growth area left in network TV more viewers are watching TV in the morning than they were at the beginning of the (roughly 13 million people each day up from 12 million) From a purely is either their biggest friend or biggest foe Forever viewers have avoided CBS in the 7-to-9 am slot This is a habit CBS hopes to break with a brand-new set and fresh pair of hosts To call "Early a big risk is ridiculous As executives realistically point out CBS has no place to go but up Still there is a gamble With a street-level studio nice view and Gumbel and Jane Clayson in the seats CBS is effectively mimicking "Good Morning America" which is mimicking show Which begs another question: At what point does mimicry become overkill? No one of course has an answer just yet On the eve of the big day Gumbel returning to the morning slog after a nearly three-year hiatus (preceded by 15 years at says "1 think there is a downside I guess if things go as well as some people might expect and if we set the world on fire and I financial perspective ABC and particularly NBC have wrought enormous gains: has long been considered the single most profitable show on all of television Yet CBS has been a bystander during a veritable gold rush Six years ago CBS learned that even dreadful time periods can overcome a historical stigma When David Letterman came aboard late-night curse was instantly lifted And at least symbolically the network is trying to link the late-night success to the morning hence the name "Early to "Late Nevertheless to get to morning-show relaunch CBS needed some luck When Gumbel joined the network in March 1997 he presumably left morning behind forever intent on becoming a prime-time star But "Public Eye With Bryant was a swift failure and he be- Continued on Ds s' 1 1 i.