First on TVNewser: Insiders tell us Rick Kaplan‘s days of double duty at CBS News are coming to a close. Kaplan has been acting EP of The Early Show since early March. He’s also kept his day job as EP of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, though the EN staff has done most of the heavy lifting.
Kaplan’s last day at Early will be this Friday. We’re told he’s going to take a few days off. Meanwhile, insiders tell us CBS execs are looking at internal candidates to fill the Early Show EP vacancy. For the time-being TES newcomer Zev Shalev will oversee the show.
> More: Kaplan tells TVNewser, “I love my children here on the morning show and I’m happy to get back with my buds at the Evening News.” Even though he’s officially back Monday, Kaplan still has some unfinished business on TES which he’ll take care of early next week. Then he’ll take a week off. “I haven’t had time off since my hip, and that’s not really a vacation,” joked Kaplan.
Asked about the future of the Evening News and the possibility his anchor may depart after the election, Kaplan says, “look there are challenges. We’ll work our butts off together. There are a lot of things we can do together and we will.” Kaplan will also oversee general election coverage which will include the next version of Primary Questions, called Presidential Questions, “When we get down to two candidates,” Kaplan said.