Journalist McEwen stars as news world's jack-of-all-trades

It's 7:00 in the morning. While most students have not even considered waking up, Mark McEwen is already busy co-anchoring CBS News' "This Morning." But this is not the only opportunity to catch the jack-of-all-trades McEwen as he bounces from morning to prime time without a moment's rest or hesitation.

INTERVIEW
	Mark McEwen This Morning CBS Weekdays at 7 a.m.

McEwen started his broadcast career out as a radio disc jockey. As an avid music listener, he was easily adapted to playing contemporary hits. McEwen DJed in Detroit for a while - in the position that shock jock Howard Stern later filled.

"I'm a rock 'n' roller," McEwen said in an interview with The Michigan Daily. McEwen left radio to become weather reporter on CBS's "The Morning Program" in 1987 after CBS executives offered him the position. While weather was not exactly what McEwen had envisioned as his goal in the media industry, he saw it as an opportunity to get his foot in the door and his face on the tube.

And it paid off. McEwen's musical knowledge and exceptional interviewing abilities got him promoted to the position of Entertainment Editor of the show in 1992. From this position, McEwen has been able to interview many important entertainment figures such as Madonna and Steven Spielberg. One of his personal favorite interviews was with Sidney Poitier. "I grew up with him and it was so great to get to interview him," he said.

McEwen also received the opportunity to interview politicians during his tenure in television journalism. He said interviewing politicians is more difficult because they often try to slip away from the question. One of McEwen's strengths is being able to reword the question just enough to make it appear new, while at the same time driving at the same point. Among his favorite political interviews was with President Bill Clinton.

In addition to his morning shows, McEwen made forays into specialty prime-time programming. In January, he hosted a two-hour CBS documentary titled "Class of 2000" that examined the hopes and dreams of the freshman class of Maryland's Joppatowne High School.

Another of McKewen's specials was a program called "Live By Request ... Tony Bennett" for A & E. McEwen stated that interviewing Bennett was also enjoyable, as it gave him the opportunity to speak to one of his favorite musicians.

A very unique, playful side of McEwen's personality was revealed when he recently made a guest appearance on VH1's "Top 10 Video Countdown." He said that the show's host, his friend A.J. Hammer, asked him to do it and that their appearance together was unscripted and unrehearsed.

McEwen also hosts a program on the CBS cable network "Eye On Cable," called "The Best Of Us," which spotlights everyday heroes in extraordinary situations. The program debuted recently.

As for the future, McEwen has left his options open. He said he greatly enjoys what he does now but would like to someday host his own talk show. He also said he would like to do some work for news programs such as "60 Minutes."

McEwen's vast array of experience has given him the ability to hop seamlessly from one situation to another. This ability will continue to serve him as he skyrockets through the field of television journalism.

05-07-97