Soviet Quake Cancels Networks’ Cuban Plans

The killer earthquake that rumbled through the Soviet Caucasus and prompted Mikhail Gorbachev’s premature return to Moscow Thursday also shook apart CBS’ all-out plans to cover his now-canceled trip to Cuba.

Both “CBS This Morning” and the “CBS Evening News” canceled their scheduled broadcasts from Cuba today and stayed home in New York. The other networks were not planning similar broadcasts from Cuba, though they had planned to send correspondents to report on the visit.

The stay-at-homes included “CBS Evening News” anchorman Dan Rather and “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Harry Smith.

Gorbachev’s change of plans came too late to recall “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Kathleen Sullivan and executive producer David Corvo, however, who already had flown to Cuba. Sullivan reported from there for Thursday’s broadcast.

Los Angeles-based correspondent David Dow and four other producers also had gone to Cuba for CBS, a spokeswoman said.

Gorbachev’s return home led to NBC’s and ABC’s dropping plans to send correspondents to Cuba, network officials said Thursday. NBC’s Ed Rabel, based in Miami, and ABC’s Richard Threlkeld in New York had been scheduled to go.

Cable News Network’s Lucia Newman, normally based in Managua, Nicaragua, went to Cuba, though. She will stay there through Saturday, a spokeswoman said.