Rene Syler

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Rene Syler

René Syler (born February 17, 1963) cohosted CBS News’ The Early Show from October 2002, when it debuted in its four-anchor format, until she left in December 2006. She has interviewed First Lady Laura Bush, former President Jimmy Carter, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Senator John McCain and NASA’s first female shuttle commander, Eileen Collins, as well as celebrities including Melissa Etheridge and Prince.

[edit] Background

Syler was born at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and grew up near Sacramento, California. She was graduated from Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks, CA, and California State University at Sacramento in 1987 with a degree in psychology.

Syler began her career in jounalism as a weekend reporter at KTVN-TV in Reno, Nevada from 1987 to 1989. She then became a weekend anchor at KOLO-TV until 1990, when she moved to Birmingham, Alabama to become the weekend anchor at WVTM-TV. In 1992 she became the morning and noon anchor at WFAA-TV in Dallas, Texas. From 1997 to 2002 she anchored newscasts at KTVT, a CBS-owned station in Dallas.

Syler is an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists, and is a recipient of the 2004 Gracie Allen Award for Individual Achievement in the National Best Anchor category for her breast cancer series. Even before her breast cancer scare, Syler was very active in numerous breast cancer causes. The American Women in Radio and Television also awarded her Television Personality of the Year in 1997.

Syler left the Early Show on December 22nd, 2006, after announcing she was about to undergo a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, which was successful. She's also in the process of publishing a new book, "Good Enough Mother," which is due out in March.