On Monday, CNN made a significant adjustment to its primetime programming lineup in response to a substantial decline in ratings experienced by the network over the course of the previous year.
The network has revealed that Abby Phillip of CNN will be occupying the 10:00 p.m. time slot, while Laura Coates will be hosting the 11:00 p.m. hour. The two positions have remained unoccupied after the termination of previous anchor Chris Cuomo by the network in December 2021, and the subsequent reassignment of Don Lemon, who has since been dismissed, to the program “CNN This Morning” in November 2022.
CNN has announced that Phil Mattingly, the top White House reporter, has been appointed as a co-host for “CNN This Morning” with Poppy Harlow. The initial composition of the show consisted of Harlow, Lemon, and Kaitlan Collins. The network terminated Lemon’s employment in April, resulting in two unfilled seats. Subsequently, Collins was granted her own program at 9:00 p.m.
As reported by CNN, Kasie Hunt will assume the role of host for “Early Start” following the resignation of Christine Romans in late July. Additionally, Pamela Brown is slated to present a new program during the 3:00 p.m. time slot.
Additionally, the network is in the process of reorganizing its weekend programs. According to a statement made by CNN, Victor Blackwell has been designated as the host for a Saturday show scheduled to run at 8:00 a.m. Additionally, Chris Wallace will be hosting a show at 10:00 a.m., followed by Christiane Amanpour at 11:00 a.m.
The current shakeup at the network represents the most recent in a series of adjustments which have been implemented due to the network’s ongoing challenges with poor ratings and profits. In the previous fiscal year, CNN had a decline in revenues, dropping below the $1 billion mark which was the first time since 2016. This decline may be attributed to the increasing popularity of streaming services. Additionally, CNN encountered its lowest ratings across the crucial 25-54 demographic, a metric that has been tracked since 1992.
CNN Announces New Programming Lineup@abbydphillip to Anchor 10pm & @thelauracoates to Anchor 11pm
Christiane @Amanpour & Chris Wallace to Launch New Weekend Shows@Kasie Hunt to Anchor Early Start & @Phil_Mattingly to Co-Anchor CNN This Morning & morehttps://t.co/YDOXjtXgyx pic.twitter.com/3fDdR4zdjY
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) August 14, 2023
The outlet reported, “CNN’s interim leadership team — made up of Amy Entelis, David Leavy, Virginia Moseley, and Eric Sherling — is hoping that the new lineup will boost ratings by breathing new life into the lineup in preparation for the 2024 presidential cycle. The team is making a not-so-subtle bet that its younger, up-and-coming talent are best suited to position the network for the future.”
“One of CNN’s key differentiators is our deep roster of experienced journalists, reporters and storytellers,” CNN’s four-person leadership team said in a statement. “Many joined CNN early in their careers and have grown with the network throughout the years.”
The leadership team described the group of hosts as “extraordinarily talented” and said they “share the same CNN sensibility: versatility, determination and an inquisitive and empathetic approach to reporting the news.”
“By expanding the range and depth of our programming lineup across multiple dayparts, we are strengthening our reporting excellence throughout the schedule, elevating our ability to tell great stories across platforms, and doubling down on CNN’s position as the most trusted name in news,” they said.
Chris Licht, the former President of CNN, assumed the role after his predecessor Jeff Zucker in the year 2022. However, he was terminated from his position at the network in early June.
In June, former vice president Mike Pence addressed Republican voters in Des Moines, Iowa, at a CNN Town Hall.
Strangely, the event took place on the same day that Chris Licht, the head of CNN, was fired by the network, in large part because he supported a Trump Town Hall that led the “most trusted name in news”‘s dissenters to publicly revolt.
Pence, a former congressman, governor, and Trump ally from Indiana, spoke with presenter Dana Bash for 90 minutes about a range of subjects, including why he wants to be president, abortion, Ukraine, and other subjects.
About the events surrounding January 6, he threw MAGA patriots and Trump under the bus.
Pence reiterated his belief that Trump was mistaken to believe that the vice president could rescind the election.
…I felt that he was asking me to choose between him and the Constitution. I chose the Constitution. And I always will.
I said today President Trump was wrong then, he’s wrong now.
He went even further, though, and declared that Trump should never again hold the position of President.
Anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution should never be president in the first place. And anyone who asks anyone else to put themselves over the Constitution should never be president again.
If elected, Pence indicated he will not pardon any J6 members:
You know, on the day of January 6, I issued a tweet demanding that people leave the Capitol. And grounds.
I said that those that failed to do that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and I continue to believe that today.
Mike Pence when asked if he would pardon any J6 prisoners
“I have no interest or no intention of pardoning those that assaulted police officers, or vandalized our Capitol.”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 8, 2023
Pence apparently had not seen the most recent news about that day, that Capitol Police let in hundreds of protesters.
During the events of Jan. 6, a side door to the Capitol was mostly unguarded and open. According to police security footage obtained by a media outlet, more than 300 people were allowed into the Congress house unimpeded, even though officers tried to keep protesters out of other areas.
