KCBS to Team Lampley, Toyota for 5 P.M. News

Jim Lampley, who joined KCBS-TV Channel 2 as its principal sportscaster last September, was named Friday as co-anchor of the station’s 5 p.m. newscast. He’ll team with Tritia Toyota beginning Aug. 1, replacing John Schubeck, who will continue to anchor the 11 p.m. news.

Lampley, whose initial deal with the CBS-owned station also had included working for the network sports division on weekends, will discontinue that affiliation. But he will continue to do sports reports for the “CBS Morning News” at 6:30 a.m. and “CBS This Morning” from 7 to 9 a.m., and to anchor sports events for Home Box Office.

Erik Sorenson, news director at KCBS, said station officials had been looking to expand the anchor staff anyway and had been impressed seeing Lampley fill in for Harry Smith as co-anchor of “CBS This Morning” on July 4, the day after an Iranian jetliner was shot down by a U.S. navy vessel. Lampley was given a chance to co-anchor Channel 2’s 11 p.m. newscast the following week and did “a very good job,” Sorenson said.

Although sports reporters have made the jump to news anchoring before--CBS sportscaster Brent Musburger was an anchor at Channel 2 in 1979, and “Today” show host Bryant Gumbel once covered sports for KNBC Channel 4--Sorenson acknowledged he was gambling on whether viewers would accept Lampley in another role.

“I wouldn’t be so arrogant as to guarantee it will work,” he said. “But I feel confident that the audience will not only accept him but also like him as an anchor--possibly even more than as a sports reporter.”

In addition to his anchoring duties, Lampley will be doing news reporting for the 11 p.m. newscast and will be heavily involved in KCBS’ election night coverage in November, Sorenson said.

Tony Hernandez and Gil Stratton will handle the sports chores at KCBS until a permanent sports director is named, the station said.