Fitness programs for losing body fat and gaining lean body mass, such
as Body for Life by Phillips or Lean Body Promise by Labrada, have
generally common elements:
- Exercise - alternate cv and strength, strength is a multiset split
routine, cv is a high intensity interval routine
- Diet - 5-6 meals a day of lean protein and complex carbs plus veggies
- Lots of water

I have used these programs with good success.

However, there seems to be some ambiguity about when the "best" time
is to eat the first meal of the day.

Phillips recommends that you wait until an hour after your workout to
eat anything in order to max calorie burn.  I've seen more recent
research suggesting that getting protein in your system before your
workout is beneficial to making training gains.

So the question is... what are the researchers saying is the best time
to have the first meal of the day if the goal is to lose weight and
build muscle mass?

Assume that I'll be exercising in the morning, not too long after waking up.

Should I eat something before I exercise, right after, wait an hour?

Does it vary based on whether it's a cv or strength workout?  (e.g.,
wait an hour to get max calorie burn from a cv workout, but have some
protein before a srength workout)

Your theoretical training program is almost identical to mine. I
suggest that you eat as soon as you get up, the sooner you get some
calories in you the sooner you start the metabolic machine! 
Exercising on an empty stomach pulls glycogen from muscle stores,
increasing muscle catabolism (the muscle is broken down in order to
relase it).  I would recommend a protein shake or something that has
protein in it that isn't too heavy, for both strength and cv.

Exercise increases metabolic rate.  New studies have just been
reaseased that weight training will sustain this increased rate longer
than cardio.  OK, so when you don't eat before you workout, and chow
down right after, the calories will be burned faster due to the
increased metabolic rate. However, in the long run, due to the muscle
catabolism this is counterproductive. If you eat before, you start the
metabolism, breaking the fast you had overnight.  Giving your body
some feul to run off of rather than pulling from the muslces glycogen
storage prevents catabolism and allows for a more productive workout.

Thanks for the feedback!

Eat when you feel yourself hungary. Because there is a molecular
pathway between your brain and fat tissue. So listen to them and eat
when you are hungary.

ps: it is very dangerous to eat before heavy exercise...

I am a believer in eating 5 or 6 small meals a day to achieve the best
weight balance for your body. This allows your metabolism to work at
its most effecient level.

I like to drink a protein shake first thing in the morning for the
energy that I will need for a workout yet it is light enough so that
it does not hinder my workout in any way.

There are some great tips and information on gaining weight or losing
weight the correct way with a free downloadable weight gain/weight
loss diary at http://www.wellnessfitnesshealth.com

Hope this helps!

Jeff