Less than a week after announcing that Hannah Storm would be leaving The Early Show, CBS News has named Saturday Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez to the post. Rodriguez came to the network in June, having been a popular co-anchor at CBS O&O WFOR in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale.

"This is my dream job," said Rodriguez in a press release. "I get to utilize the journalistic skills I've developed over the past 15 years and have fun at the same time with feature segments. To do that with a group of people I like and respect as much as The Early Show team, who've made me feel welcome from day one, is wonderful."

Rodriguez joins Harry Smith and Julie Chen. The appointment is effective Monday, Jan. 7.

Click continued to read the press release...

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ IS NAMED A CO-ANCHOR OF “THE EARLY SHOW”

Maggie Rodriguez, who has been co-anchor of THE SATURDAY EARLY SHOW since June 2007, will become co-anchor of the weekday THE EARLY SHOW, it was announced by Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports. The appointment is effective Monday, Jan. 7.

Rodriguez joins Harry Smith and Julie Chen as a co-anchor of the broadcast, as well as news anchor Russ Mitchell and weather anchor Dave Price.

"In the past six months, Maggie has proved to be a remarkably good fit in morning news," said McManus. "Not only has she done great work on the morning broadcasts, both weekend and weekday, but she also has reported for the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC and anchored the weekend EVENING NEWS. Her tenacity as a journalist and her authenticity and warmth will serve Maggie and CBS News very well. As we look to the future—including our switch to a full national format on Jan. 7 - I'm pleased that she, Harry, Julie, Russ and Dave will be in charge of the 'morning shift' at CBS News."

"Maggie is a terrific addition to THE EARLY SHOW with so much experience in live anchoring," said Shelley Ross, Senior Executive Producer of the broadcast. "In the time she’s been working with our EARLY SHOW team, we've come to both respect her as a journalist and really enjoy her as a colleague. Our weekday viewers already know her from her work on the program, most recently in our autism series and last week’s breaking news in Aruba, and I look forward to having her join the team, working with Harry, Julie, Russ and Dave every day."

"This is my dream job," said Rodriguez. "I get to utilize the journalistic skills I've developed over the past 15 years and have fun at the same time with feature segments. To do that with a group of people I like and respect as much as THE EARLY SHOW team, who’ve made me feel welcome from day one, is wonderful."

In addition to co-anchoring THE SATURDAY EARLY SHOW, Rodriguez has reported for and substitute-anchored the weekday edition of the broadcast. She also has reported for the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC and CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING, as well as substitute-anchored the weekend EVENING NEWS.

Before joining CBS News, Rodriguez anchored the 5:00 PM and 11:00 PM newscasts at WFOR-TV, the CBS Owned station in Miami (2000-07). While there, she reported on and anchored coverage of a wide range of major news events, including many hurricanes and, from New York, the one-year anniversary of 9/11. Rodriguez also was first on the air with coverage of the transfer of power in Cuba from Fidel Castro to his brother, Raul. Ultimately, the newscast received an RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for its coverage of that story.

Before that, she was anchor of the midday news and of a weekend magazine show at KABC-TV Los Angeles (1994-2000). Rodriguez also was a field reporter and covered a wide array of stories, including earthquakes, mudslides and the O.J. Simpson trial.

She served as a reporter for the Univision Network (1991-1994) in Miami. Rodriguez’ career in journalism began at WLTV Miami (1989-90), a Univision-owned station, where she was an associate producer, field producer and assignment editor.

She has received a total of seven Emmy Awards and two RTNDA Murrow Awards.

Rodriguez' alma mater, the University of Miami, awarded her the first-ever "Alpha Epsilon Rho Professional of the Year Award,” its top honor for professionals in the communication industry. She also is the recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Council’s prestigious “Young Hispanic Leadership Award" for professional accomplishments and community service.

Rodriguez was born in Miami and grew up in South Florida. She attended American University in Washington, D.C. and was graduated from the University of Miami in 1991 with a degree in broadcast journalism and Spanish. Rodriguez and her husband have a daughter.