Public Eye Television Program

Will two former sportscasters make it big in prime time in the arena of straight news? Or make it at all? One is urbane Bryant Gumbel, already widely known after long ago relinquishing sports as his main focus and becoming a star as co-host of the venerable NBC News morning program, "Today." His main venue is now Wednesday nights as host-interviewer on the underdog new CBS newsmagazine series, "Public Eye With Bryant Gumbel."

Will two former sportscasters make it big in prime time in the arena of straight news? Or make it at all? One is urbane Bryant Gumbel, already widely known after long ago relinquishing sports as his main focus and becoming a star as co-host of the venerable NBC News morning program, "Today." His main venue is now Wednesday nights as host-interviewer on the underdog new CBS newsmagazine series, "Public Eye With Bryant Gumbel."

For a man who has a $7-million-a-year contract and a new prime-time newsmagazine riding on his shoulders, Bryant Gumbel looks pretty relaxed. He's wearing a hip tweed sports jacket, a polo shirt and shoes with no socks while he works in a temporary office down the hall from "60 Minutes." "When I came over here, I wore a coat and tie for five days," says Gumbel, who left NBC for CBS this summer after hosting the "Today" show for 15 years.

For a man who has a $7-million-a-year contract and a new prime-time newsmagazine riding on his shoulders, Bryant Gumbel looks pretty relaxed. He's wearing a hip tweed sports jacket, a polo shirt and shoes with no socks while he works in a temporary office down the hall from "60 Minutes." "When I came over here, I wore a coat and tie for five days," says Gumbel, who left NBC for CBS this summer after hosting the "Today" show for 15 years.