06-02-2024, 10:57 AM
Morning Express ended right before CNN This Morning started. I imagine Licht was looking for a way to make sure CNN This Morning’s ratings compared favourably with New Day’s, so in an attempt to juice the ratings while simultaneously cutting costs, he cancelled Morning Express without any regard for what made it a success. Then stuck a simulcast of CNN This Morning in it’s place on HLN, hoping that viewers would stay and provide an on-paper ratings boost for CNN.
At least Zucker appeared to appreciate what was special about HLN’s morning output, as he spared Morning Express & Weekend Express during a previous round of cuts (which brutally scaled back the rest of HLN, including cancelling shows from longtime anchors who had only moved across from CNN relatively recently).
It probably didn’t help that CNN This Morning, in it’s initial format at least, was likely more costly to produce that New Day had been - so to fund the extra expense, HLN was thrown under the bus. Or that’s how it appeared to me, at least.
At least Zucker appeared to appreciate what was special about HLN’s morning output, as he spared Morning Express & Weekend Express during a previous round of cuts (which brutally scaled back the rest of HLN, including cancelling shows from longtime anchors who had only moved across from CNN relatively recently).
It probably didn’t help that CNN This Morning, in it’s initial format at least, was likely more costly to produce that New Day had been - so to fund the extra expense, HLN was thrown under the bus. Or that’s how it appeared to me, at least.