Most memorable moments of "CBS This Morning"
As we celebrate our five-year anniversary, our team picks some of the highlights and milestones from the show.
Election night 2016
“I would have to say a big moment for the [co-hosts] was during the 2016 campaign. We were on the air till 3:30 a.m. on election night and then back in the newsroom two hours later. Between our primetime coverage and ‘CBS This Morning,’ Charlie, Gayle and I were on air for 13 hours. A memorable two days to say the least!” –Norah O’Donnell, “CBS This Morning” co-host
National Museum of African American History and Culture
“One of my favorite CTM moments was when we broadcasted live from inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture before it opened to the public. You can’t walk out of there not feeling changed. This was truly a one-of-a-kind broadcast.” – Gayle King, “CBS This Morning” co-host
“The broadcast from the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is probably my favorite moment in CTM’s five short years. The storytelling and technical challenges that show presented were very significant. But every single person at CTM was at his or her best that day. I’m very proud of our team and the support we received throughout the company.” – Ryan Kadro, executive producer
“CBS This Morning” wins Daytime Emmy
“In 2015 the ‘CBS This Morning’ technical team was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for the first time ever. The nomination and recognition of the show were so exciting. And then WE WON! The Monday after the awards Charlie, Norah and Gayle talked about it on air. It was such a wonderful moment acknowledging what we do here on the show each and every day. And such a great reward for the hardest working crew in the business.” – Randi Clarke Lennon, director
Teen activist Malala Yousafzai
“An interview I will always remember was my conversation with Malala Yousafzai [the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban]. Meeting this 16-year-old, she has such courage and presence. She told me, ‘I may be afraid of ghosts and dragons, but I’m not afraid of the Taliban.’ Malala encapsulates the story of the empowerment of women and girls around the world. It was truly an honor to sit down with her for our show.” – Norah O’Donnell, “CBS This Morning” co-host
Gen. Colin Powell endorses President Obama
“One of my most memorable moments is when Gen. Colin Powell decided to endorse Barack Obama on ‘CBS This Morning.’ It was Oct. 25, 2012, and he came to us because he felt we covered the news in a serious way and felt we were the place to come to make news. The show had only been on the air for a little more than nine months, and it was a true showing of all of the hard work we had put in was really starting to be clear.” – Jenna Gibson, political producer
Women who escaped Nazi Germany reunited
“There have been so many exciting, surprising and memorable moments for me on this show. Producing from Rio this summer, covering the Olympics ranks pretty high. As does meeting and producing some of my all time favorite movie stars Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Allison Janney, who all exceeded my expectations in how warm and smart they are. But one of the stories that will stay with me the longest was meeting two Jewish women who survived the Holocaust, and now into their 80s got a big and welcome surprise this summer. Having the opportunity to meet them and witness their reunion alongside their families was incredibly powerful. It was a reminder that in life, especially when it has been tough and full of pain, we ‘do what we have to do’ to survive and then ‘take the good things when you can get them.’ And that is exactly what these women taught us.” – Kira Kleaveland, producer
Exclusive interview with Baltimore mom Toya Graham
“It was a huge, exclusive booking, and it represented a very contentious time in our country with police violence and race relations. At the time they were protesting Freddie Gray’s death. She represented the struggle that parents go through when these communities are at odds. Every network, daytime talk show, radio show, and news outlets around the world wanted to speak with her, and we got to her first through social media crowdsourcing and quick action from the booking team.” – Kaci Sokoloff, editorial producer
Historic broadcast from One World Observatory
“One of my most memorable experiences was our broadcast from the top of One World Trade ahead of its grand opening. It is the perfect example of every department of our staff -- whether editorial or technical -- working at its very best to produce something magical. The view from the observatory was breathtaking, and the opening of One World Trade signified an important step forward for New York.” – Samantha Kulok, associate producer
Social media milestone
“A moment I’ll never forget was a digital milestone for the broadcast: the morning we reached 1 million Facebook likes. It had been a long-term goal, and we just so happened to be in our editorial meeting with the entire staff the second we crossed the mark. The entire room erupted in applause and we took a moment to celebrate the accomplishment – and then we had a party (of course).” – Kevin Prince, social media producer
