[Global TV]

You're right, it's clearly a downgrade all around but still they could have left things as they are on screen and just move production to Atlanta. Where will Poppy and Phill go? Poppy has been moved around the schedule a lot and could end up disposed like Alisyn Camerotta? Is she even still with CNN? I guess CNN Max is always an option.

Alisyn is currently a correspondent for “The Whole Story” and presented a report two weeks ago or so.

[inletwindow]

All production for CNN morning line-up will move to Atlanta.

This is really the big headline. Dozens and dozens of jobs lost in NY. They all move to Atlanta.

Of course, they can reapply for those jobs… but they are not guaranteed to get them.

And many who live in NY probably won’t want to move there.

Four hours of production picked up by ATL.

[conrad73]

Terrible changes. Poppy and Phill are a competent pair of pleasant people that gave us the news without fluff or stunt-pulling. I don't understand what was wrong with that??? CNN will never get the ratings FOX & MSNBC get, especially not in the morning so any sort of attempt to compete with them is a silly. Counting on Kasie Hunt to change your fortunes is mad. She is a hard watch, an hour of her is an hour too much and for some reason, us CNNI viewers have to suffer through 2 hours and very soon 3 hours of her. Who is pushing her????

Acosta on weekdays??? My God. Clearly they want him to Trump up their coverage, in this election year and another potential Trump presidency. Another terrible mistake.

If they are moving production to Atlanta, why not use Atlanta anchors/reporters as well. There's a lot of talent there, without the DX NY bias.

It would be wonderful if CNNI could somehow tune out of this mess and just have its own coverage again. Max & Bianca are wasted and should get more hours. But I doubt it's ever gonna happen since the whole idea now is to make both channels use same production teams.

I agree with every point you've made here. Nothing makes sense to me as a mainly CNN viewer, really considering making the switch for good. I've been experimenting with MSNBC and find Ana Cabrera's hour far superior to what we get on CNN.

Poppy and Phil have real chemistry on CNN This Morning, it's a great show to watch. The prospect of two hours of Kasie Hunt each morning in her casual fleece-wear is an instant turn off. Jim Acosta on every day really has some wow factor.

Mark Thompson won't last long in that role. I can't see these changes being popular with viewers.

[Global TV]

From NYT:
“ Ahead of Monday’s announcement, CNN executives had acknowledged internally that the lackluster viewership and relatively high expenses necessitated a change, according to a person familiar with the discussions who would speak only on the condition of anonymity to avoid straining relationships. Mr. Thompson had pondered what to do about those problems for months, culminating this weekend when he informed Mr. Mattingly and Ms. Harlow of his decision.”

[EastCoast]

While these aren’t the strongest changes, I can’t say I’m disappointed to see Poppy and Phil shelved. Phil’s inability to sit still drove me bonkers. As for the chemistry, Poppy and Don had chemistry, particularly during their Christmas broadcast in 2022. Poppy and Phil liked each other but I can’t say they had morning show chemistry.

What no else seems excited about is the return of John Berman and Kate Bolduan to the 7am and 8am hours. I always felt like the NY NC trio would work in the mornings, it seems management agrees.

As for Jim Acosta, he’s toned down a lot since Licht laid down his ultimatum. He will be a good addition to dayside.

As for Kasie Hunt, I think that three hours is a bit much. I don’t have anything against her, I’m just surprised to see her solo anchor 3 hours a day.

I’m really curious what this means for Max and International. Now that CNN has gone down the path of not showing First Move on the NA feed, it’s entirely possible that some of CNN dayside may end up on CNN Max instead of separate content. As others mentioned, showing one hour of NC also doesn’t make sense.

[Brekkie]

Didn't CNN used to be based in Atlanta?

[Global TV]

To me the big upgrade is the NewsCentral earlier. Is what CNN should be all daytime.

---

Didn't CNN used to be based in Atlanta?

Yeah it was founded there in the 80’s and is probably still its largest hub

[inletwindow]

Didn't CNN used to be based in Atlanta?

Yes. And it sort of still is and isn’t at the same time.

It’s a huge production hub and it’s where the heart of newsgathering and technical operations are based.

But most of the top executives are in NY. And most of the anchors are in NY or DC.

CNN Center in Atlanta was officially CNN’s world headquarters…. And that designation never went away, even as more and more things shifted to NY.

But now CNN Center itself is going away… and CNN’s new Atlanta location is unlikely to be called CNN’s headquarters.

Still, Atlanta remains a huge part of CNN. And this news today moves the production team for four hours back to the city.

[sky303]

On a few aspects, I wish that CNN would just use Atlanta again for weekday news, why not? Also I get to throw in my line of Robin Meade was right there , should have moved her show to CNN have it done from Atlanta. Sorry if I tend to bring that up alot, was a fan of her show and format and think CNN screwed up there.

Someone thought Don Lemon would have been the better AM choice, for some reason. CNN This Morning was doomed and it did that it failed. I feel bad for Poppy and Phil, I didn't watch but they really shouldn't have been pushed aside like this. Poppy should be getting that 10am ET slot not Acosta, who I'm not a fan of anyways. I hope they land well.

On the News Central thing, it works for the simulcasting too since sadly we know they aren't going to make a show for CNN I in those hours, CNN News Central is a better name for simulcasting than New Day and CNN This Morning at the least. The US does have many many many morning show options down to local stations doing them, and CNN has tried tons of different things, maybe it's better to just have the rolling news on during those hours and go with their day.

I don't know why CNN , and before that MSNBC, rates Kasie Hunt that high , I don't get it. Christine Romans was perfect for Early Start, warm and inviting but still serious and professional. Hunt was a downgrade, if they really want to cost cut just have Max and Bianca do three hours between 4-7am ET, why not?

So with "The Bulletin" not going to be 3pm ET, after all, I assume that CNN News Central DC will continue to be 3 hours then?

Also , good thing they never made that set for CNN This Morning , after all.

[mark]

To be fair to CNN, the breakfast slot is catch-22 for them. Straight news doesn't get them decent ratings in that slot, but they don't want to move away from it as it's what their brand is built on, so nothing they've tried has been different enough to shift the ratings dial.

They're essentially turning back the clock to the days before American Morning launched and doubling down on the straight news format to the extent that they're not even trying to make it a morning show. It's actually not a terrible idea under the circumstances. The alternatives would be try keep trying to make CNN This Morning work or scrapping it for yet another new show.

I'm surprised they're rebranding Early Start as CNN This Morning, though - they're replacing a stable, long-standing brand with essentially a failed one.