Russ Mitchell Joins 'The Early Show'

Russ Mitchell has been named news anchor of The Early Show CBS announced Thursday.

Mitchell will also file reports for the broadcast and serve as a substitute anchor. He'll take on his new role on Jan. 2, 2007.

He will continue his current duties as anchor of the CBS Evening News With Russ Mitchell on Sunday nights, and as one of the rotating anchors of the Saturday edition of the CBS Evening News.

Mitchell will also continue to serve as a correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning.

"Russ has handled every one of his CBS News assignments with professionalism, skill and dedication," said Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports. "This move will establish a permanent hard-news presence on The Early Show and allow us to further define the roles of our anchors."

Mitchell has been co-anchor of the Saturday Early Show since its debut in August 1997 as "CBS News Saturday Morning" and has served as one of two rotating anchors of the CBS Evening News Saturday edition since November 1999. He was named a correspondent for Sunday Morning in July 2002 and anchor of the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News in April 2006.

The St. Louis-born Mitchell is a graduate of the University of Missouri. He lives in New York with his wife and three children.