Lee Cowan gets Champagne Toast Upon Return to CBS

By Chris Ariens 

As TVNewser first reported in August, Lee Cowan has changed channels and is returning to CBS News after four years with NBC News.

Cowan will continue to be based in Los Angeles and will report for CBS News as National Correspondent. He’ll report for “The Early Show,” the “Evening News” and will substitute anchor “Sunday Morning.” Cowan begins at CBS Nov. 1.

“Lee Cowan is a first class reporter and one of the best storytellers in his generation of broadcast journalists,” said Jeff Fager, Chairman of CBS News. “It’s a real thrill that he is coming home to us.”

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Fager and News president David Rhodes gave a champagne toast as Cowan, who had previously been with the network for 11 years, was reintroduced to CBS Newsers in the Evening News studio this afternoon.

More in the press release after the jump…

LEE COWAN RETURNS TO CBS NEWS AS NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT

Lee Cowan will return to CBS News as National Correspondent, CBS News Chairman and 60 MINUTES Executive Producer Jeff Fager and David Rhodes, President, CBS News, announced today. Cowan will contribute to CBS News broadcasts and platforms across the division and he will be a substitute anchor for CBS SUNDAY MORNING. He will be based in Los Angeles. His appointment is effective November 1.

“Lee Cowan is a first class reporter and one of the best storytellers in his generation of broadcast journalists,” said Fager. “It’s a real thrill that he is coming home to us.”

“Lee embodies our commitment to original reporting—to presenting a good story, well told,” said Rhodes. “We are so excited to have him back in the fold.”

“With his style and grace, Lee Cowan is one of a kind — and a Sunday Morning natural.” said Rand Morrison, Executive Producer of CBS SUNDAY MORNING. “To say that we’re thrilled to have him back on our team is an understatement.”

Most recently, Cowan has been a correspondent for NBC News since 2007, contributing to various NBC News shows, including “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” “Today,” and MSNBC broadcasts. While there, he covered major news stories and events, including presidential candidate Barack Obama during the historic 2008 presidential election campaign and the tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011.

Prior to joining NBC, Cowan was a CBS News correspondent for the “CBS Evening News.” In that role, he reported on a variety of stories of national and international importance, which included coverage from Ground Zero on the September 11 attacks, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 2006 conflict in Beirut and the 2006 tsunami in Indonesia.

Previously, Cowan served as a correspondent for CBS Newspath, CBS’ News’ 24-hour news service, for which he provided national and global coverage for CBS News’ U.S. affiliates.

Cowan joined CBS News in 1996 after serving as an anchor and reporter for WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. Prior to that, he was an anchor and reporter WWMT-TV, in Kalamazoo, Mich., and a weekend anchor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, Calif. Before joining KCOY-TV, Cowan held positions as news director and anchor at NBC affiliate KIEM-TV Eureka, Calif.

Cowan began his career in journalism in 1988 as a researcher, first for “CBS News Nightwatch” and then for the “CBS Evening News” in Washington, D.C.

Born in Salt Lake City, Cowan graduated in 1988 from the University of Washington with a double major in communications and speech communications.

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