CNN is making dramatic changes to its lineup, announcing Monday that it was giving Abby Phillip and Laura Coates new weeknight shows and launching new weekend programs with Christiane Amanpour and Chris Wallace.
Virtually no daypart goes unchanged in the revamp, as the network struggles with ratings challenges worsened by the quickening pulse of people cutting the cord on cable television. The changes were a swift move from CNN’s new leadership team of Amy Entelis, David Leavy, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling. They replaced former CNN chief executive Chris Licht, who was fired this spring.
Phillip, a political correspondent, and Coates, a CNN legal analyst, will host back-to-back weeknight shows starting at 10 p.m. Eastern, under the plans. With Kaitlan Collins at 9 p.m. and Erin Burnett at 7 p.m., that gives CNN an evening schedule led by women, with the exception of Anderson Cooper’s hour at 8 p.m.
Wallace and Amanpour will both host live hours on Saturday morning. It will be a more topical hour for Wallace, who has had trouble finding an audience for his weekend interview show since shifting from Fox News.
Heading into the 2024 campaign, political correspondent Kasie Hunt will host “Early Start” at 5 a.m. on weekdays. Phil Mattingly will be a new co-host with Poppy Harlow on the three-hour “CNN This Morning” show.
