15-09-2023, 08:37 PM
Yes, there was a genuine focus on business which has since “drifted”. I do wonder if that was partly down to behind the scenes cutbacks at CNN Business, so the programme ended up being more and more like general Newsroom bulletins. Also, during Covid, everything was unprecedented so the format of the programme really fell apart. Partly justifiably the audience wanted Covid news too, along with news about business and the economy.
Unfortunately, after that being the case for a matter of years, I suspect it wasn’t easy for the show to just “come back” in it’s original form.
Also, now I’ve thought about it for more than about 5 seconds, which I hadn’t when I’d first posted, CNN may be trying to realign Julia’s role into something akin to what Christine Romans used to do. It’s possible they want Julia to fill Christine’s former job title of something like Chief Business Correspondent, along with occasional presenting as cover for Richard Quest. There may not be time left in the day to also solo-anchor your own show if that is what Julia is going to be doing. I know Christine used to do Early Start as well, but then Julia would take over business two-ways later on, so Christine didn’t have to be on call from 5am until 5pm+!
Meanwhile, Early Start is moving towards a more politics-skewed and typical CNN US hour, and less a business and general international news hour. This is quite a change in tone from, say, when CNN first moved to Hudson Yards.
Basically, all of this sets them up for more political coverage ahead of the election.
Unfortunately, after that being the case for a matter of years, I suspect it wasn’t easy for the show to just “come back” in it’s original form.
Also, now I’ve thought about it for more than about 5 seconds, which I hadn’t when I’d first posted, CNN may be trying to realign Julia’s role into something akin to what Christine Romans used to do. It’s possible they want Julia to fill Christine’s former job title of something like Chief Business Correspondent, along with occasional presenting as cover for Richard Quest. There may not be time left in the day to also solo-anchor your own show if that is what Julia is going to be doing. I know Christine used to do Early Start as well, but then Julia would take over business two-ways later on, so Christine didn’t have to be on call from 5am until 5pm+!
Meanwhile, Early Start is moving towards a more politics-skewed and typical CNN US hour, and less a business and general international news hour. This is quite a change in tone from, say, when CNN first moved to Hudson Yards.
Basically, all of this sets them up for more political coverage ahead of the election.