In the world of cable news, there are two primary distinctions of on-air talent: on one side, you’ll find the hosts who can seamlessly navigate a rundown of both hard and soft news, acting as anchor to a show, and on the other, the reporters/analysts who provide journalistic cred or expert insight on the topic at hand. While these core attributes are often mutually exclusive, CNN’s Soledad O’Brien is the rare breed of broadcast veteran who is equally experienced at both. As the recently named new host of CNN’s morning programming, it is hoped that she will bring an interesting and innovative new form to the morning show concept. Today, I spoke to O’Brien and she revealed her plans on what she hopes to be a winning formula.

CNN’s Piers Morgan, who’s forcefully defended himself in recent days against accusations of hacking by journalists who worked for him when he was a tabloid editor in London, has gotten a vote of confidence from the boss. Ken Jautz, CNN’s U.S. president, tells AdWeek “we were very familiar with his background and several people talked to him about [his tabloid background].” Jautz says Morgan’s effectively defended himself and “we do not believe there’s any impact on the show.”

At CNN, “outspoken” is out, and reporting is in. The network unveiled a new lineup Wednesday that will debut in the fall, moving Anderson Cooper to 8 p.m., bumping Eliot Spitzer and bringing in Erin Burnett. “The overall lineup is meant to underscore CNN’s commitment to quality journalism,” said CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz in an interview with Mediaite. In each hour of the new lineup, Jautz says, CNN will offer “first rate reporting” and a “wide range of opinions.”

CNN’s new Erin Burnett show may not have a name or a start date, but it’s got an executive producer. CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz made the announcement this morning that Wilson Surratt will begin work on the show effective immediately. “Wil has spent 17 years in newsrooms, control rooms and in the field and he is one of the most inventive and accomplished producers in the television news business,” said Jautz. “We are delighted that he is returning to the CNN family.”

Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/U.S. has announced that Sam Feist, political director and vice president of Washington-based programming for CNN, has been promoted to Washington, D.C. bureau chief and senior vice president. Feist will oversee daily operations of the bureau and lead all newsgathering and programming from the nation’s capital. Feist will assume his role effective immediately and will report to Jautz.

“For two decades at CNN, Sam has demonstrated his commitment to serious journalism and strong political programming,” said Jautz. “His experience, vision, and understanding of our nation’s capital will ensure CNN’s Washington bureau and its coverage remain second to none.”

If it seems that lately CNN’s looked a lot more international, with correspondents–some you knew and others you didn’t–popping up all over the globe, well you’ve noticed some of the changes put in place by recently-named CNN chief Ken Jautz. “It’s important to stand out by being different,” Jautz tells the Associated Press’ David Bauder. “If much of the cable space is politically oriented and partisan politically oriented, the way to be different is…to talk about different subject matters and approach it differently.”

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has been named a dayside anchor for the network, effective January 31. Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/U.S., made the announcement this morning. Malveaux replaces Tony Harris, who quit the network.

CNN says Malveaux will CNN Newsroom from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays, joining a dayside lineup that includes Kyra Phillips, Ali Velshi and Brooke Baldwin.

It was the big breaking news of the night, and only CNN’s Anderson Cooper had the key interview–the man at the center of the story: Dr. Andrew Wakefield, whose infamous study linking childhood vaccines to autism had just been declared an intentional “fraud” by a British medical journal. At the top of AC360, Cooper had the story–and the “get.” What followed was an at times bruising interview via Skype.

CNN been a bit bland for your tastes? Well, get ready for a jolt of in your face.

New CNN/U.S. chief Ken Jautz tells The Wall Street Journal his ratings-handicapped news network hasn’t been all that interesting. “I think sometimes we have been flat,” he tells WSJ’s Sam Schechner. The solution? Well, aside from swapping out Larry King for newcomer Piers Morgan, everybody from morning to primetime’s been told to turn up the volume:

The anticipated changes at CNN’s poorly-rated American Morning–including the departure of co-host John Roberts–were confirmed in a memo to staff from CNN boss Ken Jautz.

According to Jautz, Roberts will leave the show in the next few weeks and he’s expected to land in Atlanta in a reporting role. But the morning memo reveals more changes at AM, including the departure of executive producer Jamie Kraft, who’s headed to NBC Nightly News, and format changes designed to make the morning show “better suited to the morning and to better reflect the way people view news as they’re getting going with their day.”

Will the new year bring a slew of shakeups at CNN, now under new Ken Jautz-led management? The New York Post thinks so.

The Murdoch-owned tab says the head-rolling and chair-shifting will being in January, with American Morning co-host John Roberts first on the list to pick up a new gig, at least according to the Post‘s “insiders:

Piers Morgan Tonight, the program that will replace Larry King Live in January 2011, began to take shape this morning, when CNN announced that TV vet Jonathan Wald will serve as Morgan’s executive producer.

Ken Jautz is now running CNN, but in the eyes of some of the staff it might be more notable that Jon Klein is no longer running the network.

The firing has brought out some former and current employees speaking openly about their positive reaction to the move. We spoke to several people inside CNN about the feeling Friday, and Klein himself.

Former HLN head Ken Jautz has taken over as head of CNN, following the dismissal of Jon Klein.

As he begins his first week at the helm, we talked to Jautz today about his big picture plans for the network, whether HLN talent could end up at CNN and the characterization that he’s the “opposite of Jon Klein.”

Today, New York Magazine‘s Daily Intel blog caught up with Jonathan Klein, who was removed from his position as CNN’s president this week. Gabriel Sherman writes Klein’s version of how he heard the bad news:

It appears that the terrible ratings finally caught up with him. Brian Stelter at the NY Times reports that beleagured president of CNN Jon Klein is out of his current position, replaced by Ken Jautz, who is currently heading up HLN. CNN’s Worldwide Chief sent a memo to CNN’s staff this morning indicating that Klein was leaving with “our respect and friendship” without specifying the reason why he was out, though certainly CNN’s declining ratings were at issue.

“One of the main themes in Jane’s book, for those of you who have read it know, is Jane’s plea, if you will, for living a simpler life. Now I don’t know about you all, but to me if you host a national syndicated successful daily television show, write a bestselling book and you’re one of the most sought-after and active speakers in the entire CNN/HLN universe, that doesn’t sound very simple.”

While Fox News is headed for its best ratings of all time, and CNN and MSNBC are seeing some of their worst ratings of 2009, where does that leave cable news network #4 – CNN sister network HLN?

In a very good place. HLN is also on pace for its best ratings ever, in total day and prime time, in total viewers and the A25-54 demographic. So what’s working?

Headline News announced that Joy Behar will get her own show in the 9PM slot. How much longer until HLN head Ken Jautz gets a chance to clean up the CNN mess?