CNN Shuffles Lineup With New Spots For Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer & Kasie Hunt; Jim Acosta’s Show Bumped From Mornings
CNN unveiled details of changes to its daytime and afternoon lineup Thursday, with Wolf Blitzer moving to mornings to anchor The Situation Room with Pamela Brown, Jake Tapper getting a new time slot, and Kasie Hunt shifting to afternoons.
There is no word on what will happen to Jim Acosta, as Blitzer and Brown’s The Situation Room will take his place in the 10 a.m. ET slot.
More from Deadline
Tapper’s show will move to 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET, with a new show hosted by Hunt, called The Arena, getting the 4 p.m. ET slot.
Audie Cornish will take over CNN This Morning at 6 a.m. ET, and Rahel Solomon will host 5 Things at 5 a.m. ET.
CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson unveiled further plans earlier today to shift the network’s focus to digital, with layoffs of about 200 employees from its workforce but with plans to hire 100 in digital roles.
The network also is developing a new streaming service, as well as an online site dedicated to lifestyle stories and coverage.
In his memo, Thompson signaled there would be changes to reduce the costs of production, as CNN already shifted those operations from New York to Atlanta for its morning shows.
CNN has not yet given launch dates for the new lineup, but said that new programming would begin in the next few weeks.
No decision has yet been made on Acosta’s next role. CNN offered Acosta the midnight ET slot, a move that triggered pushback online as it would diminish his visibility at a time when Donald Trump has returned to the White House. When Acosta was on the White House beat during Trump’s first term, the president frequently lashed out at him specifically.
Acosta was told last week about the network’s planned changes but, according to the Status newsletter, also was told that it had nothing to do with content or ratings. His viewership has held up in the time slot, and even posted 200,000 more total viewers than the previous hour on Tuesday, per Nielsen. On his show this morning, he wrapped up by saying, “I’m Jim Acosta, still reporting from Washington.”
The midnight slot likely would mean a move to Los Angeles, where the show would air in primetime. Plans are also for it to air internationally, where it would appear in the morning hours.
The new lineup is below:
5 a.m.-6 a.m. ET: 5 Things with Rahel Solomon
6 a.m.-7 a.m. ET: CNN This Morning with Audie Cornish
7 a.m.-10 a.m. ET: CNN News Central
10 a.m.-12 p.m. ET: The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown
12 p.m.-1 p.m. ET: Inside Politics with Dana Bash
1 p.m.-4 p.m. ET: CNN News Central
4 p.m.-5 p.m. ET: CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt
5 p.m.-7 p.m. ET: The Lead with Jake Tapper
7 p.m.-8 p.m. ET: Erin Burnett OutFront
8 p.m.-9 p.m. ET: Anderson Cooper 360
9 p.m.-10 p.m. ET: The Source with Kaitlan Collins
10 p.m.-11 p.m. ET: NewsNight with Abby Phillip
11 p.m.-12 a.m. ET: Laura Coates Live
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
