TCA: CBS News Permanently Expands 'Face the Nation' to One Hour

Sunday show had been testing longer format since April

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/29/2012 7:13:19 PM

Complete Coverage: TCA Summer Press Tour 2012

Los Angeles -- CBS is making Face the Nation's expansion to a one-hour format permanent, CBS News president David Rhodes announced at the TCA press tour here Sunday.

The network expanded the Sunday morning public affairs show to one hour in April on a 20-week test basis to capitalize on interest in the 2012 presidential election. Year over year, Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer is up 11% in viewers and 33% adults 25-54.

"We think that will help Bob be more competitive than he's ever been," Rhodes said.

Despite the expansion, CBS will continue to rate the first half-hour and second half-hour of Face separately because football season will force pre-emptions in many markets (all of the other Sunday political shows are rated based on one hour). When sports is no longer an issue, Rhodes said it can transition to rating the full hour.

As it has been since the April expansion, markets will have the option to take the second half-hour, but CBS hopes that by making the expansion permanent, most stations would want to take the full hour. In the test run, two-thirds of CBS affiliates have taken the full hour, Rhodes said.

Rhodes also announced that Anthony Mason will join Rebecca Jarvis as cohost of the Saturday edition of CBS This Morning.