CBS News names Jon Tower executive producer of ‘CBS Mornings’

CBS News has named Jon Tower executive producer of “CBS Mornings,” making permanent the leadership role he had been filling on an interim basis as the network works to improve the program’s ratings against its morning television competitors.

The appointment was announced Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in an internal memo from CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski.

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Tower, a longtime morning television producer who joined CBS News in 2014, assumes responsibility for the editorial direction and daily production of the broadcast, which continues to trail ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today” in the ratings.

“There is no one better positioned to lead the broadcast into its next chapter,” Weiss and Cibrowski wrote in the memo. “He is a thoughtful journalist, a creative storyteller, and a collaborative leader who understands both the urgency of the news and the importance of the stories that resonate with the morning audience.”

Tower has held senior production positions at “CBS Mornings” and its predecessor programs for more than a decade. In 2020, he helped oversee the broadcast following the departure of then-executive producer Diana Miller.

Before joining CBS, Tower was part of the original production team that launched MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” working alongside Chris Licht, who later became executive producer of CBS’s morning broadcast.

Licht helped reshape CBS’s morning programming before moving to “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and subsequently serving as chairman and CEO of CNN.

Tower’s promotion comes as CBS News continues efforts to strengthen its morning franchise under Cibrowski, who previously held senior leadership positions at ABC News and helped guide “Good Morning America” during its rise to first place in the morning ratings.

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Despite programming changes, “CBS Mornings” has remained in third place among the three major broadcast network morning programs. The show has also experienced declines in viewership among adults 25-54.

Cibrowski has sought to adjust the program’s editorial approach by introducing longer discussions among anchors and placing greater emphasis on stories that allow for more personal conversations and analysis.

The current on-air team includes Gayle King, Nate Burleson and Norah O’Donnell, who recently returned to the morning broadcast. Vladimir Duthiers and Kelly O’Grady also contribute regularly.

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O’Donnell’s recent segments have included a personal account of her experience with melanoma and a discussion of the dangers associated with tanning beds, reflecting the program’s increased emphasis on combining personal storytelling with broader news and health issues.

As executive producer, Tower will oversee the show’s editorial priorities, production staff, story selection and presentation while working with CBS News leadership on efforts to attract and retain viewers.

His appointment also comes amid broader changes at CBS News under Skydance ownership, with Weiss and Cibrowski overseeing the network’s editorial and operational direction.