Page "The Early Show" Paragraph 11

Their teamwork helped boost the show's ratings, albeit briefly ; George Merlis, a former GMA producer hired to revamp the broadcast, is also credited by most network insiders with nearly doubling viewership numbers by March 1983.

The numbers continued to climb during the summer ; during one week in August 1983 it passed The Today Show for the second place spot behind GMA, and was in closing distance behind the latter program for the # 1 spot before it dropped back to third place again.

After Merlis was relieved from his duties for his trouble, Sawyer, tired of the morning grind, left in the fall of 1984 to become the first female correspondent on 60 Minutes.