Report: CNN To Replace American Morning With Two New Shows?

VIDEO

by Nando Di Fino | 8:32 am, October 31st, 2011

» 13 comments

TVNewser‘s Chris Ariens wrote a piece in September suggesting that American Morning would soon be shuttered and replaced with two shows — one from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m and another from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Ashleigh Banfield — who has been working as a correspondent with ABC — would host the first block; Soledad O’Brien — who had been leading CNN’s documentaries — would anchor the second.

On Sunday, Brian Stelter of the New York Times echoed the initial report, saying that the announcement could come as early as this week, and that Chicago local news personality Zoraida Sambolin would likely join Banfield in the early block. CNN declined to comment for the piece.

American Morning has been buried in the ratings, falling behind both FOX and Friends and MSNBC’s Morning Joe. Part of the reason it failed to attract the large audiences was the constant revolving door of anchors. It debuted in 2001 with Paula Zahn. In the decade that followed, according to Ariens:

In February 2002, Bill Hemmer was named Zahn’s co-anchor. A year later, Zahn moved to primetime and Hemmer anchored alongside Heidi Collins, Daryn Kagan and finally Soledad O’Brien who jumped to CNN from NBC News in 2003.

In 2005, Hemmer left CNN for Fox News and was replaced by Miles O’Brien. The O’Brien pairing would last almost two years when in April, 2007, the O’Briens were replaced by Kiran Chetry (who had left Fox News for CNN) and John Roberts (who would later leave CNN for Fox News).

Ariens says that the shows likely won’t debut until after the new year. So, for now, the only place you can get your sneak preview of Sambolin would be if you live in Chicago. Or through a host of YouTube videos, like the one below:

American Morning, Ashleigh Banfield, CNN, Soledad O'Brien, Zoraida Sambolin

Anonymous

To have a watchable morning news show , find a single host with a sunny personality and no agenda .Robin Meade is perfect in the AM. : She’s pleasant , has no guests or cooking segments , and gives the news without a slant .
Hypocrisyjoe

That’s the formula Fox & Friends uses! BWAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Anonymous

Sounds like a loser in the making. Soledad O’Brien is about as appealing as Gloria Steinem. HLN has Robin Meade. She is hot, she is fun, she is never offensive.
Anonymous

I’m sure Soledad will have a special about “What Its Like to be Black In America at 7:00AM”
Anonymous

So now we get a twofer. Two failures for the price of one. Will these people ever learn?
Anonymous

We had Ashleigh in the mornings for a few years here in Dallas. It didn’t work.
Bobby

Yea for ROBIN MEADE…she is a breath of fresh air in the morning slot…AND that gal can sing too. Have you heard her CD? What a doll…hope she is around forever. LOVE YOU ROBIN.
Blue123

Soledad O’Brien is so very boring. This want last long. O’Brien is passable at doing “stand ups”..and that’s pushing it. She has the humor of roadkill….but she is attractive.
Rick Patel

Amen! Can somebody give me an “Amen”?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFYUXB4GYCTXLUOINSJXEPNOLI Mike H

There are problems with the management here with all these fill-in shows, failed shows, shows that are losers from the get go. Seems as though they just don’t get it. They need to bring in some high profile men on the air. I am so tired of all these chatty women they hire here. I love CNN as a whole and think they are more fair than FOX news, but there are major structural problems at CNN.
AliveStillkickin

I hear Keith Olbermann is looking…………AGAIN!!!
LMAO!!!
AliveStillkickin

CNN ….like MSNBC…..needs to change ALL of their shows.
Muppets would be an improvement over the libshit they now have.
Anonymous

I think CNN’s Christine Romans is just fine in the morning. Smart and ladylike. More people apparently watch the three silly women on Fox and Friends although I don’t see why.