The highly-anticipated 2018 midterms are three months away, and CBS News is already looking forward to how it will cover the big night.
The network’s news division–which has been under fire in recent weeks–announced happy news on Monday that Face the Nation executive producer Mary Hager will oversee the production of CBS News’ multiplatform coverage of this year’s midterm election night.
“With Mary Hager executive producing the coverage, we have someone with an experienced political eye dedicated to CBS News’ programming leading up to and including Election Day,” CBS News president David Rhodes said in a statement. “Mary is one of the top political producers in the business and, working with those covering politics day-to-day, will ensure that our election night reporting continues to be insightful, accurate and timely.”
Hager will begin working on the coverage plans immediately while also continuing to executive produce Face the Nation. She will serve as CBS News executive producer for midterm election coverage, working closely with Chris Isham, CBS News vp and Washington Bureau chief CBS News political director Caitlin Conant; and the entire politics team.
Hager and current Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan make up the only 2-woman leadership team for a national Sunday public affairs show.
“As someone who has covered the last 13 midterm and presidential election nights from either the field or the studio working with our CBS News anchors and correspondents, I’m honored to put that experience to use in what is shaping up to be a crucial night in American politics,” Hager said in a statement. “With control of the House and Senate at stake, I look forward to working with the CBS team to provide comprehensive coverage of such a crucial midterm election.”
Programming specifics for the midterm elections leading up to Election Day on November 6 will be released in the coming months.
Hager brings to the position more than 25 years of political reporting. Before becoming Face the Nation ep, Hager was the broadcast’s senior producer. She also served as then CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer’s producer for 15 years, covering numerous political events. Hager began her career at CBS News in 1991 as a researcher for the political unit, and moved to Capitol Hill to work with Schieffer as a Senate producer in 1993.