CBS News names magazine vet Joanna Coles creative advisor, focusing on morning show

CBS News said Thursday that veteran editor Joanna Coles will join the division as "creative advisor," with an initial focus on "CBS This Morning."

"We want Joanna's perspective and experience to help us engage new audiences everywhere," said CBS News president David Rhodes in a memo to staff.

Rhodes also expressed support for the show. "We love the journalism that CTM is doing, we believe in the people doing it," the note read.

Rhodes said Coles would be working on a "part-time" basis, and also "weigh in on other strategic opportunities." 

"I'm so excited to be back in a newsroom for a bit, at a time when there is so much happening," Coles said. 

Rhodes introduced Coles to the staff of the morning show during their regular editorial meeting on Thursday afternoon. 

Coles, formerly the editor in chief of Cosmopolitan, was most recently chief content officer of Hearst Magazines — overseeing more than 300 publications — and is a board member at Snap Inc. She left Hearst in August.

Earlier Thursday, CBS Corp. announced a new executive position at the company: chief people officer. It will be filled by Laurie Rosenfield, who's been with CBS since May as a senior vice president, and will focus on strengthening the "culture" at the company, said acting CEO Joe Ianniello. Dana McClintock was named chief communications officer.