New CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht last week addressed the network’s ratings-challenged morning show on Wednesday during the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront event at New York City’s Hulu Theater, and, according to FOX News Digital, he didn’t sound thrilled with the status quo of the morning program he inherited.
"Here are some specifics we are planning for the fall. First, we will reimagine our morning show, leveraging our correspondents and unmatched resources in the U.S. and around the world to provide news that viewers need to know as they start their day," Licht said during the presentation to advertisers.
Licht didn’t refer to the morning show by its current name during the announcement but stopped short of providing details of the "reimagined" program. He is expected to work with "New Day" executive producer Eric Hall to determine how CNN’s morning lineup can be more successful going forward.
"New Day" is among the CNN programs that haven't been "working well," as the morning offering has failed to resonate with viewers since its 2013 launch.
"New Day" has been one of CNN’s least-watched programs this month and has shed 31% of its April audience. It's averaged a dismal 395,000 viewers in May to rank as the No. 41 cable news program, despite its desirable timeslot.
Jeff Zucker took over CNN in January 2013 and created "New Day" with hand-picked anchors Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira. It debuted that June with hopes it would emerge as a flagship morning program akin to NBC’s highly successful "Today," but with edginess that could only happen on cable.
However, Zucker’s morning show success didn’t repeat itself and "New Day," which has never managed to averaged even 700,000 viewers for a year, settled for an average audience of only 471,000 during the first quarter of 2022. Viewership has continued to slide, with only 418,000 people tuning in each morning so far during the second quarter and only 388,000 last week.
Along the way, "New Day" has become infamous for ratings issues and lineup changes. Cuomo, Bolduan and Pereira have been gone from the program for the years. Longtime co-anchor Alisyn Camerota was replaced last year by the outspokenly liberal Keilar, who now shares the anchor desk with Berman.
Licht’s re-imagining of Keilar and Berman’s morning program was vague, but it appears certain that changes are looming.
Berman, who moved to the anchor chair when Cuomo was promoted to primetime by Zucker, is a favorite of CNN rank-and-file staffers. Keilar, on the other hand, has developed a reputation for conducting combative interviews with conservatives and non-White Republicans that have scolded her for talking down to them. Last year, she irked Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., during an interview about the Congressional Black Caucus snubbing him despite his vocal interest in joining the group of Black lawmakers by fixating on his past support for former President Trump.
"The people at CNN, they have an agenda, they have a political agenda. Let's be very clear," Donalds told Fox News Digital last year when asked about the interview.
No comments:
Post a Comment