CNN Axes Current ‘This Morning’ Presenters, Expands Kasie Hunt Show as Part of AM Restructure – Deadline

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CNN is abandoning the latest version of CNN this morning as part of a reorganization of its morning programming.

Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly have hosted the show since August, after several lineup changes since its debut in fall 2022. Kasie Hunt’s 5 a.m. ET show, known as early start, will expand one hour and take over the CNN this morning qualification.

The changes will take effect at the end of this month.

CNN News Centermeanwhile, it will move to 7 a.m. ET and run until 10 a.m. ET, with hosts John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner.

Jim Acosta, who hosted a weekend show, will host CNN Newsroom to 10 a.m. ET and Pamela Brown will host an 11 a.m. ET hour starting in the spring. Wolf Blitzer will anchor the hour until he returns from maternity leave. Brown’s show will be called. The newsletter with Pamela Brown.

CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson said the network is talking to Harlow and Mattingly about new roles at the network.

In a note to staff, Thompson said the changes mean the network will no longer produce morning programming from New York and that the team that produces CNN this morning will be dissolved. He said they can apply for other open positions in the network.

“What we are announcing today is a change in strategic direction and not a reflection of the talent, experience and dedication of the New York-based editorial production and operations teams who have worked on our morning production; They are among the best in the world. business,” Thompson wrote.

CNN this morning was a hallmark of the plans of Thompson’s predecessor, Chris Licht. He teamed up with Harlow with Kaitlan Collins and Don Lemon, setting up a new studio in New York and focusing on the chemistry and conversation between the three news personalities. But the show failed to make an impact on the ratings. Lemon was fired from the network in April after he apparently survived the furor over an incident in which he had spoken about when women were “in their prime.” He later apologized. Collins was moved to primetime programming in June.

CNN this morning it averaged 326,000 viewers in January, as well as 87,000 on an HLN simulcast. That compares to 1.06 million for Fox News. fox and friends and 1.01 million for MSNBC good morning joe.

Thompson is holding CNN News Center, another programming move by Licht that simplified morning and afternoon programming to emphasize the urgency of breaking news and the latest from CNN correspondents. But by moving the AM edition of news center Earlier, CNN’s new chief is ushering in single-anchor news shows at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., even returning to the name newsroom for a programming block.

Berman was a co-host of the previous version of CNN’s morning show, New dayand it will return to its previous period.

His note to staff is below:

February 5, 2024

Dear All,

I wanted to update the entire CNN family about the changes we reported to our US cable morning programming team today, which will go into effect later this month.

We’ve decided to reshape the way we approach mornings on national cable. First, we are expanding the program currently known as early start for one hour so that in the future it will operate from 5 to 7 a.m. ET under the CNN this morning brand. It will be anchored as it is now by Kasie Hunt in DC and will be produced in Atlanta.

Second, we are moving our CNN News Center franchise with John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner until 7 a.m. and will run until 10 a.m. ET. This production team will continue to be based in Atlanta.

That move opens up two hours of new programming at 10 a.m. and at 11 a.m. Jim Acosta will anchor CNN Newsroom at 10 am and at 11 am it will be presented The newsletter with Pamela Brown, which will be released in the spring. Meanwhile, Wolf Blitzer will host the 11am hour while Pam is on maternity leave. Both shows will also be produced in Atlanta.

These changes mean that we will no longer produce morning programming in New York and will disband the team currently producing. CNN this morning in that city. Our primetime and weekend programming in New York will continue.

What we are announcing today is a change in strategic direction and not a reflection of the talent, experience and dedication of the New York-based editorial production and operations teams who have worked on our morning production – they are among the best in the business . . We will strongly encourage you to apply for the many new open positions we will be making available this week in Atlanta and Washington, DC, along with other open positions in New York in other programming blocks. We’re also talking to Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly about new roles at CNN.

I am well aware that today’s announcement means great uncertainty for many valued colleagues. Change and uncertainty are inevitable in an industry undergoing a revolution, but we should never underestimate the human consequences they entail. So to everyone who has been involved in the New York-based project early start and CNN this morningThank you for your hard work and total commitment to the program since its launch.

Brand

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