CNN is revamping the morning programming, canceling the current “CNN This Morning” anchor duo of Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, adding an additional hour to Kasie Hunt’s early show and bumping up “CNN News Central” to 7 a.m.
And with that, new CEO Mark Thompson has fully undone the programming decisions made by former CEO Chris Licht, whose first move was to create “CNN This Morning,” initially with hosts Harlow, Kaitlan Collins and Don Lemon.
Thompson told staffers Monday that production of the new “This Morning” will move from New York to Atlanta. Harlow and Mattingly will no longer host “CNN This Morning,” but are engaged in discussions about new roles.
“I wanted to let the whole CNN family know about changes we informed our US cable morning programming team of earlier today, which will go into effect later this month,” Thompson said in a memo to staff obtained by TheWrap. “We have decided to reshape how we approach mornings on domestic cable.”
CNN will be adding an additional hour of 5 a.m. ET programming with Kasie Hunt which will air from D.C. Hunt’s program will be rebranded to “CNN This Morning” and will run daily until 7 a.m. ET.