CBS affiliates prepare for new 'Morning;' many stations taking show option that lets them offer hour of local news; others taking 'blended' version or full feed.

Many stations taking show option that lets them offer hour of local news; others taking 'blended' version or full feed

News from New York will make way for reports from city streets, markets and farmlands as 75% of the nation's CBS-TV affiliates prepare for cooperative morning news broadcasts that place more emphasis on their communities.

Rather than rely on the two-hour national broadcast provided by CBS News, a majority of the affiliates come Aug. 12 will debut morning shows that feature a first hour of mostly local news, save three network news inserts.

The rest of the affiliates have opted for either a blended version--a format that allows some local participation in the first hour of network programing-- or the network's two-hour broadcast, which soon will feature co-anchors Jane Robelot, Mark McEwen and newcomer Jose Diaz-Balart.

In all …