CNN announces revamped daytime lineup with new show format
By Oliver Darcy, CNN Business
CNN on Wednesday announced a revamped dayside programming lineup that the network said will employ a new format for shows to deliver the news to viewers.
The cable news channel — which has been led since last spring by a new chairman and chief executive, Chris Licht — said in a press release that the fresh approach will better showcase CNN’s reporting resources and leverage “innovative use of technology to offer context.”
A key component of the new format, a CNN spokesperson said, is that anchors will no longer sit behind desks. Instead, the spokesperson explained, they will be moving around and utilizing the full square footage of the network’s various studios.
“CNN’s Dayside audience is highly influential, with executives and leaders watching from their offices around the country as the day’s news unfolds,” Licht said in a statement announcing the news.
Licht added that he believes the new format will allow anchors the ability to be “more authentic” in front of the camera and put the network “in a position of strength going into the evening and primetime hours.”
The announcement from CNN said the network will split its dayside programming into two distinctive three-hour blocks: one filmed out of New York and one out of Washington, DC.
The first block, which will air 9 a.m ET to 12 p.m. ET, will be anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. The second block, which will air 1 p.m. ET to 4 p.m. ET, will be anchored by Brianna Keilar, Boris Sanchez and Jim Sciutto.
“Inside Politics” will continue airing at noon ET with anchor John King.
As a result of the programming changes, “CNN Newsroom” anchors Victor Blackwell and Alisyn Camerota will transition to new roles. Blackwell will move back to hosting the network’s weekend morning show from Atlanta.
Camerota, the network said, will focus on the 10 p.m. program, a time slot she has been guest hosting with Laura Coates for months. Coates, CNN said, will focus solely on anchoring the 11 p.m. hour.
CNN also said that Jim Acosta will be expanding his role on the weekends after the network announced Pamela Brown, who anchored weekend prime time, had been named chief investigative correspondent. Acosta will anchor 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
CNN didn’t say specifically when the new schedule will go into effect, but the network said it will happen sometime in the coming months.
The moves announced Wednesday are some of the most sweeping programming changes that Licht has implemented since taking over the network in early 2022.
Licht’s most significant programming move to date was his reimagining of the weekday morning show late last year in which he replaced “New Day” with “CNN This Morning,” anchored by Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow, and Kaitlan Collins.
The CNN chief, however, is still searching for a 9 p.m. host since anchor Chris Cuomo was fired in 2021. The 9 p.m. time slot is considered to be one of the most important as it is one of the most highly rated hours of the day.
The-CNN-Wire
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