‘Energetic Presentation’ And Anchors Being ‘More Authentic’

CNN on Wednesday promised it would bring a “fresh approach” to its daytime programming, featuring “energetic presentation,” whatever that means. The moves come as CNN had its lowest-rated year in history in 2021, landing in third place behind Fox News and MSNBC in both prime time and total day ratings.

The network’s revamped daytime programming will bring the launch of two new shows, one anchored in New York and the other in Washington. Both will feature a trio of anchors and focus on breaking news and developing stories. “CNN’s dayside audience is highly influential, with executives and leaders watching from their offices around the country as the day’s news unfolds,” said CNN Worldwide Chairman and CEO Chris Licht in a statement released by the network. “We are leaning into our greatest strengths, showcasing our unparalleled newsgathering operation and giving our anchors the room to be more authentic. We’ve seen how our audience responds to this format, and we believe it will put us in a position of strength going into the evening and primetime hours.”

The new daytime newscasts will take a “fresh approach” the network says, “to embrace the events of the day and deliver an engaging experience for audiences. Inspired by the spirit and success of CNN’s special event coverage, these programs will feature CNN’s global reporting resources, bringing stories to viewers in real time, while leveraging innovative use of technology to offer context.” It’s unclear how this format differs from traditional newscasts, and CNN was not specific about what it billed as “energetic presentation.”

The first new show—to debut “in the coming months”—will air from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, co-anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, and will be based at CNN’s studios in New York City. The second show, weekdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, will be based in Washington and co-anchored by Brianna Keilar, Boris Sanchez and Jim Sciutto.

Keilar, Sanchez and Sciutto, the network’s announcement said, would “bring a powerhouse dynamic to covering the day’s news.” It’s entirely unclear what that might mean, but CNN said “more details would be shared in the weeks ahead.”

CNN also announced Wednesday that Alisyn Camerota and Laura Coates, who have co-hosted CNN Tonight from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET in the network’s struggling prime time lineup would split up, with Camerota taking the 10 p.m. hour, and Coates the 11 p.m. hour. And on weekends, Jim Acosta will expand his anchor duties, hosting CNN Newsroom from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.