CNN Shakes Up Programming Slate, Adds Two New Prime-Time Hosts to Lineup

CNN is shuffling personalities with a new lineup of hosts.

Abby Phillip will be hosting “CNN NewsNight” at 10 p.m., while Laura Coates will host “Laura Coates Live” at 11 p.m.,” the network announced in a release.

Phil Mattingly will join Poppy Harlow on “CNN This Morning,” while Kasie Hunt will anchor “Early Start.”

The two most boring women in tv journalism are Kaitlan Collins and Abby Phillip. I won’t be watching evenings on CNN. Bring back Alisyn.

— Ann Steinbach (@annsteinbach) August 14, 2023

Chris Wallace will anchor a weekend program that the release said “features a fast-paced, provocative panel of some of the country’s best reporters and influential commentators to make sense of breaking news, the latest developments in the 2024 presidential race, and set the agenda for what’s next.”

The release noted that Manu Raju will anchor the Sunday edition of “Inside Politics” while Christiane Amanpour will have a new weekend show that was not named.

A Gayle King and Charles Barkley show called “King Charles” will appear as a limited series during the fall. The changes come after former CEO Chris Licht was let go.

A report in the New York Post quoted what it said was a media veteran’s caustic reaction to the changes.

CNN makes sweeping changes to its line-up in an effort to boost ratings: Abby Phillip and Laura Coates added to evening line-up as Chris Wallace and Christiane Amanpour get their own new weekend showshttps://t.co/oNvGuckXiM

— Blaze Woods (@BlazeWoods1) August 14, 2023

“It’s like musical chairs,” said a source, who was not named.

“No one [at the network] is electric,” a second source said.

“Saw the line up. Ehhh. Totally dull. Will make zero difference,” the Post quoted a third source as saying.

Axios noted that new lineup “gives diverse talent more visibility.”

“Two evening anchors are women of color, and women will anchor all news between 7 p.m. ET and midnight — with the exception of Anderson Cooper at 8 p.m.,” Axios noted.

Not at all impressed with CNN’s new lineup of hosts…with the exception of Anderson. Definitely will not be watching.

— Linda Roach (@Hoyden2727) August 14, 2023

The New York Times noted that the changes come as the network has tumbled in the ratings.

Citing Nielsen data, Adweek reported that in July, CNN averaged 534,000 total primetime viewers, which was 12th in basic cable. For the sake of comparison, Fox News averaged 1,571,000 while MSNBC averaged 1,124,000 viewers.