CNN had a messy summer, what with struggling ratings and fumbled leadership, but it’s time to get serious. The network unveiled a new prime-time and morning lineup in an August 14 press release, its first big move since the dramatic ouster of chaos agent former CEO Chris Licht, hired by new parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and its head honcho, David Zaslav. Licht isn’t the only skeleton in CNN’s closet — the network fired ex-star Don Lemon from his doomed morning show in April following sexist comments earlier this year. Abby Phillip, host of Inside Politics Sunday, will host the 10 p.m. slot on weekdays, followed by CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates, who will helm the 11 p.m. slot. Gayle King and Charles Barkley will debut a limited series this fall, King Charles, slated for Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Of course, CNN’s most famous face will continue to host his eponymous hit, Anderson Cooper 360.
On the morning and daytime front, Kasie Hunt will anchor Early Start after previously anchoring MSNBC’s morning program Way Too Early. CNN’s chief White House correspondent Phil Mattingly will take on a new challenge as well — joining Poppy Harlow as co-anchor of CNN This Morning. Afternoon programming will look the same, with the exception of Pamela Brown’s new show out of Washington. Former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, who first moved to the now-extinct CNN+, will host a new weekly program, in addition to Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?. The new lineup isn’t lacking in diversity — in addition to Phillip and Coates and two Black women journalists anchoring prime time, Victor Blackwell will take the 8 a.m. Saturday hour and Manu Raju will host the weekend’s Inside Politics. CNN currently ranks behind both MSNBC and Fox News in viewership, and time will tell if the new shake-up makes some money moves.
This post has been updated to clarify new series King Charles.