The Early Show

Michael Bass

By Bootie Cosgrove-Mather

October 8, 2002 / 3:58 PM EDT / CBS

Michael Bass was named Senior Executive Producer of The Early Show, The Saturday Early Show and the CBS Morning News in May 2002.

Bass most recently served as acting executive producer of NBC's "Today" (December 2000-May 2001), during which time the broadcast achieved all-time record demographic results. Before that, he was senior broadcast producer (December 1995-December 2000) and was responsible for virtually all aspects of the program during the most successful period in its history. Bass planned "Today's" coverage of the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta and planned and produced its coverage of the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. He also conceived and produced the popular "Where In The World Is Matt Lauer?" series for the program.

During his tenure as senior broadcast producer of "Today," Bass also created and launched the third hour of the program as executive producer of "Later Today" (June 1999-August 2000), which exceeded the time-period ratings of the previous year; was executive producer of "Weekend Today" (February 1998-June 1999), where he achieved record ratings for a weekend news program; and was the producer of NBC Sports' Olympic late night program (July-August 1996). Prior to that, Bass was broadcast producer of "Today" (January 1994-December 1995), responsible for daily and special series planning and the line production of the program. His first position at "Today" was producer (January 1989-December 1990).

Also at NBC News, Bass was supervising producer of "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw" (September 1992-January 1994) and held producer posts for NBC Sports' coverage of the 1992 and 1988 Summer Olympics.

Bass was a staff writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune (1985-86). His broadcast career began at ABC Sports as an Olympic researcher (1983-85). Bass is the recipient of five Sports Emmy Awards for his Olympic work.

He was born on May 21, 1961, in Pittsfield, Mass. Bass was graduated from Harvard University with honors in 1983 with a degree in history and literature. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and three children.