Mitchell will Continue as Anchor of the CBS EVENING NEWS, Sunday Edition, and Correspondent for CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING

CBS News named veteran reporter Russ Mitchell a National Correspondent, it was announced today by Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports.  Mitchell will continue as Anchor of the CBS EVENING NEWS, Sunday Edition, and Correspondent for CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING.  The appointment is effective immediately.

"In addition to his wealth of anchoring and reporting experience, Russ has impeccable news judgment and has been an integral member of the CBS News team throughout his 18-year career here," says McManus.  "After three years on one of the hardest shifts in the business, Russ is back in the field where he will lend his expertise to the evening and weekend broadcasts and pursue an expanded focus on special assignments."

Mitchell was named the news anchor of THE EARLY SHOW in January 2007.  He became the anchor of the CBS EVENING NEWS, Sunday Edition, in April 2006.  Mitchell has been a correspondent for CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING since July 2002.

He served as the anchor of the Saturday edition of THE EARLY SHOW beginning with its debut on the network as "CBS News Saturday Morning" (1997-07) and as one of the primary anchors of the CBS EVENING NEWS, Saturday Edition (1999-2006).  Mitchell was a CBS News correspondent, contributing to many broadcasts, including the CBS EVENING NEWS, first from Washington, D.C. (1995-99), and then from New York.  He also contributed to 48 HOURS.

Mitchell reported from Florida on the devastation and aftermath of Hurricane Frances in 2004.  He co-anchored special coverage of the Columbia Shuttle disaster with Dan Rather.  Mitchell has been a part of CBS News' coverage of every presidential campaign since 1992 and has covered four presidential inaugurations for the network.  He also anchored the late-night "CBS Sunday Night News" (1995-97) and a CBS News primetime special for the "Class of 2000" project.

Mitchell previously had been a correspondent for the CBS News magazine, "Eye to Eye" (1993-95), reporting from Russia, Chile, Indonesia and France, in addition to covering the 1994 U.S. military operation in Haiti.  He served as the co-anchor of the Network's overnight news broadcast, UP TO THE MINUTE, beginning in 1992, the year he joined CBS News.

Mitchell was a weekend anchor and daily reporter for KMOV-TV, the CBS affiliate in St. Louis (1987-92), and a reporter at KTVI-TV St. Louis (1985-87) after having anchored at WFAA-TV Dallas (1983-85).  He began his broadcasting career at KMBC-TV Kansas City.

Mitchell has received numerous professional honors, including a 2001 Sigma Delta Chi Award for spot-news coverage of the Elian Gonzalez case, a 2007 Emmy Award for a report on why we remember things, a 1997 Emmy Award for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800, and a 1995 National Association of Black Journalists News Award.  He also was the recipient of two Emmy Awards from the St. Louis Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and a 1989 Best Reporter honor from the Missouri UPI.

Mitchell was born in St. Louis and graduated in 1982 from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism.  He lives in New York.

*  *  *

Press Contact:

Kelli Halyard                (212) 975-6795                       KEE@cbsnews.com