CNN will go to a three-anchor format in daytime revamp

CNN is getting its daytime anchors away from their desks.

The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network is planning a new look and format for its morning and afternoon news programs in an effort to be “more authentic,” according to an announcement made Wednesday by CNN Chairman Chris Licht.

The day will be divided into two three-hour blocks, the first following its revamped morning program “CNN This Morning” at 9 a.m. Eastern. John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner will co-anchor out of the network’s New York studios, where they will apparently be free to wander.

Political analyst John King’s program “Inside Politics” remains at noon Eastern. The network will stay in Washington for the second block starting at 1 p.m. Eastern, with Brianna Keilar, Boris Sanchez and Jim Sciutto as anchors.

Current weekday afternoon anchor Victor Blackwell will move to Atlanta, where he will co-anchor the weekend edition of “CNN This Morning” with Amara Walker.

CNN did not give a launch date for the changes, which are expected to be put in place in the coming months. While more viewers are available to watch in the evening, Licht believes the daytime programs can boost the network’s image as a go-to destination for breaking news.

CNN used multiple anchors for its recent coverage for the House of Representatives’ votes for speaker, which Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) eventually won. The network, which typically trails Fox News in the ratings, did see gains among viewers in the 25 to 54 age group that advertisers seek when they buy time on news programming.

“CNN’s Dayside audience is highly influential, with executives and leaders watching from their offices around the country as the day’s news unfolds,” Licht said in a statement. “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 prime time hours.”

CNN also announced that Alisyn Camerota will take over the 10 p.m. Eastern slot in prime time, with Laura Coates following her at 11 p.m. The two had been appearing together in a two-hour block.

CNN still has no set plans for the 9 p.m. Eastern hour vacated by Chris Cuomo when he was fired by the network in December 2021. Cuomo now hosts a nightly show on Nexstar Media Group’s NewsNation channel.

Licht arrived at CNN in April, replacing the ousted Jeff Zucker. Programming changes have moved at a slow pace, as part of Licht’s job so far has been to reduce costs under a mandate from debt-ridden Warner Bros. Discovery.

The network launched its new morning program with Don Lemon, Poppy Harlow and Kaitlin Collins in November.