Alice Stewart, a CNN political commentator who worked on several GOP presidential campaigns, has died. She was 58.
Stewart’s body was found outside in the Bellevue neighborhood in northern Virginia early Saturday morning, law enforcement told CNN. Officials said no foul play is suspected, and believe a medical emergency occurred. Her cause of death wasn’t immediately available.
CNN reported that network CEO Mark Thompson wrote in an email to staff Saturday, “Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN. A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Born on March 11, 1966, in Atlanta, Georgia, Stewart started her career as a local news reporter and producer. She eventually moved to Little Rock,...
Stewart’s body was found outside in the Bellevue neighborhood in northern Virginia early Saturday morning, law enforcement told CNN. Officials said no foul play is suspected, and believe a medical emergency occurred. Her cause of death wasn’t immediately available.
CNN reported that network CEO Mark Thompson wrote in an email to staff Saturday, “Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN. A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Born on March 11, 1966, in Atlanta, Georgia, Stewart started her career as a local news reporter and producer. She eventually moved to Little Rock,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alice Stewart, a CNN political commentator and veteran political adviser who worked on several Republican presidential campaigns, has died. She was 58.
Stewart’s body was found outdoors in a northern Virginia neighborhood early Saturday morning, CNN reported. Law enforcement officials told the cable news outlet that no foul play is suspected and believe a medical emergency occurred.
“Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN,” Mark Thompson, the network’s CEO, said in an email to staff on Saturday. “A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Stewart joined CNN as a political commentator ahead of the 2016 election. She was also a co-host of the “Hot Mics From Left to Right” podcast,...
Stewart’s body was found outdoors in a northern Virginia neighborhood early Saturday morning, CNN reported. Law enforcement officials told the cable news outlet that no foul play is suspected and believe a medical emergency occurred.
“Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN,” Mark Thompson, the network’s CEO, said in an email to staff on Saturday. “A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Stewart joined CNN as a political commentator ahead of the 2016 election. She was also a co-host of the “Hot Mics From Left to Right” podcast,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
CNN commentator Alice Stewart, who was also a very experienced political operative, has reportedly died at the age of 58. CNN reports that police found her body in Northern Virginia’s Bellevue neighborhood on the morning of Saturday, May 18, but no foul play was suspected. Instead, officials suspected she perished after a medical emergency. Several members of the cable news network, which she joined ahead of the 2016 presidential election, have spoken out to memorialize Stewart after her unexpected death. CEO Mark Thompson, for example, said in a statement, “Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN. A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.” Meanwhile, anchor Jake Tapper wrote on social media,...
- 5/18/2024
- TV Insider
Alice Stewart, a CNN political commentator who worked on several GOP presidential campaigns, has died at 58.
Stewart’s body was found outdoors in the Bellevue neighborhood in northern Virginia early Saturday morning. No foul play is suspected, and officers believe a medical emergency occurred.
“Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN,” Mark Thompson, the network’s CEO, said in an email to staff Saturday. “A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Stewart was born in Atlanta, Georgia, an started her career as a local reporter and producer in that state. She then moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, to be a news anchor. From there, she served as...
Stewart’s body was found outdoors in the Bellevue neighborhood in northern Virginia early Saturday morning. No foul play is suspected, and officers believe a medical emergency occurred.
“Alice was a very dear friend and colleague to all of us at CNN,” Mark Thompson, the network’s CEO, said in an email to staff Saturday. “A political veteran and an Emmy Award-winning journalist who brought an incomparable spark to CNN’s coverage, known across our bureaus not only for her political savvy, but for her unwavering kindness. Our hearts are heavy as we mourn such an extraordinary loss.”
Stewart was born in Atlanta, Georgia, an started her career as a local reporter and producer in that state. She then moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, to be a news anchor. From there, she served as...
- 5/18/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Upfront week’s reliance on films isn’t actually new but it is increasingly bizarre, as evidenced by the top of Wednesday morning’s Warner Bros. Discovery presentation kicking off with sizzle that prioritized features Furiosa, Dune: Part Two and Wonka — when new episodes of the HBO and Max’s flagship Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, are just weeks away.
But the opening frames proved to be relatively misleading, as the 90-minute (notably David Zaslav free) pitch to advertisers focused almost exclusively on … advertising. And on linear TV, at that. Film was referenced, of course, but as a vehicle to get Procter & Gamble’s Olay in on the Barbie phenomenon. Ad sales execs literally offered up James Gunn’s first project of the new DC era to the room full of media buyers, asking who wants sponsorship deals ahead of its planned 2025 release: “Do you want to be in Superman?...
But the opening frames proved to be relatively misleading, as the 90-minute (notably David Zaslav free) pitch to advertisers focused almost exclusively on … advertising. And on linear TV, at that. Film was referenced, of course, but as a vehicle to get Procter & Gamble’s Olay in on the Barbie phenomenon. Ad sales execs literally offered up James Gunn’s first project of the new DC era to the room full of media buyers, asking who wants sponsorship deals ahead of its planned 2025 release: “Do you want to be in Superman?...
- 5/15/2024
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CNN’s Mark Thompson told advertisers additional details about the network’s strategy, with plans to expand franchises to digital platforms and to build new branded verticals around topics beyond politics.
“We don’t believe news is just politics,” Thompson said at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront. “Business and tech are news. Climate and weather are news. Health, wellness and living longer are news. So expect to see us build new branded verticals in all these areas on TV, on our apps and across our other platforms.”
Thompson has previously made the case that viewers are interested in a wider scope of coverage areas, while he has outlined plans to integrate linear TV and digital news units, and to boost CNN’s presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.
He pointed to the CNN franchise Five Things as the type of project that crosses platforms, with a newsletter,...
“We don’t believe news is just politics,” Thompson said at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront. “Business and tech are news. Climate and weather are news. Health, wellness and living longer are news. So expect to see us build new branded verticals in all these areas on TV, on our apps and across our other platforms.”
Thompson has previously made the case that viewers are interested in a wider scope of coverage areas, while he has outlined plans to integrate linear TV and digital news units, and to boost CNN’s presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.
He pointed to the CNN franchise Five Things as the type of project that crosses platforms, with a newsletter,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Discovery kept up with TV upfronts week’s biggest trend at their presentation out of The Theater at Madison Square Garden Tuesday: Promoting not just its TV slate as a prime ad-buying opportunity — but also its film franchises.
First up from CEO David Zaslav’s team, WB Discovery revenue and strategy chief Bruce Campbell addressed the Madison Avenue crowd following a sizzle featuring top Wbd IP and brands across film and TV series. Then Mindy Kaling took the stage to promote her Max comedy “The Sex Lives of College Girls” before introducing HBO and Max chairman and CEO Casey Bloys.
“I know when you look at me, you see a young, beautiful mother,” Kaling said. “The truth is I am an old Max veteran. I was here way back when Max was HBO Max, it was this whole other thing. It was just me, ‘Tom & Jerry’ reruns...
First up from CEO David Zaslav’s team, WB Discovery revenue and strategy chief Bruce Campbell addressed the Madison Avenue crowd following a sizzle featuring top Wbd IP and brands across film and TV series. Then Mindy Kaling took the stage to promote her Max comedy “The Sex Lives of College Girls” before introducing HBO and Max chairman and CEO Casey Bloys.
“I know when you look at me, you see a young, beautiful mother,” Kaling said. “The truth is I am an old Max veteran. I was here way back when Max was HBO Max, it was this whole other thing. It was just me, ‘Tom & Jerry’ reruns...
- 5/15/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
2nd Update, 8:43 Am Pt: Less than 24 hours ago there were no scheduled debates between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Now President Biden says there are two.
In the last hour, we had the self-described “breaking news” announcement by CNN boss Mark Thompson at the Warner Bros Discovery upfront of one debate on CNN on June 27. That’s the earliest general election debate in a presidential campaign ever. It also comes before both the GOP and Democrats’ conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago in July and August, respectively.
Less than 45 minutes after the CNN announcement, Biden said there is a second debate coming in September.
Taunting Trump earlier his morning with his best Clint Eastwood impersonation to “make my day pal,” (as you can read below) incumbent Biden has just said he will step on the debate stage with the former Celebrity Apprentice host on September 10 on Disney-owned ABC.
I've also...
In the last hour, we had the self-described “breaking news” announcement by CNN boss Mark Thompson at the Warner Bros Discovery upfront of one debate on CNN on June 27. That’s the earliest general election debate in a presidential campaign ever. It also comes before both the GOP and Democrats’ conventions in Milwaukee and Chicago in July and August, respectively.
Less than 45 minutes after the CNN announcement, Biden said there is a second debate coming in September.
Taunting Trump earlier his morning with his best Clint Eastwood impersonation to “make my day pal,” (as you can read below) incumbent Biden has just said he will step on the debate stage with the former Celebrity Apprentice host on September 10 on Disney-owned ABC.
I've also...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ted Johnson and Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Mindy Kaling got right to the point at the top of the Warner Bros Discovery presentation Wednesday by joking how her show The Sex Lives of College Girls is “filled with smoking hot guys who run around campus topless.”
“It’s a Max show, not a BBC show,” she said.
Sexy! Here’s what else happened at the Wbd shindig at Madison Square Garden.
-Paul W. Downs and Hannah Einbinder of Hacks to trade barbs before teasing the third season of their sick-with-Emmys comedy starring Jean Smart. Einbinder also promotes her upcoming June 13 comedy special.
-HBO chief Casey Bloys tees up the season 2 trailer of House of the Dragon that dropped yesterday. The next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has started production and will premiere in 2025. Other upcoming premieres: Hard Knocks: Off Season with the New York Giants in July; Sam Mendes’ The Franchise in the fall,...
“It’s a Max show, not a BBC show,” she said.
Sexy! Here’s what else happened at the Wbd shindig at Madison Square Garden.
-Paul W. Downs and Hannah Einbinder of Hacks to trade barbs before teasing the third season of their sick-with-Emmys comedy starring Jean Smart. Einbinder also promotes her upcoming June 13 comedy special.
-HBO chief Casey Bloys tees up the season 2 trailer of House of the Dragon that dropped yesterday. The next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has started production and will premiere in 2025. Other upcoming premieres: Hard Knocks: Off Season with the New York Giants in July; Sam Mendes’ The Franchise in the fall,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
CNN will host the first debate between President Biden and former President Trump on June 27.
The debate will air live at 9pm Et from CNN’s Atlanta studios, with anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash set to moderate. No audience will be present to “ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate,” according to CNN. The debate is set to air live on CNN, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Max and CNN.com.
Following that announcement, Biden wrote on X that he had also accepted an invitation to a debate on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC. The primetime debate will air on ABC, streaming network ABC News Live, and Hulu and will be available to simulcast on additional broadcast and streaming news networks in the U.S. A moderator has not yet been announced for the debate.
Speaking at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront Wednesday, Mark Thompson chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide,...
The debate will air live at 9pm Et from CNN’s Atlanta studios, with anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash set to moderate. No audience will be present to “ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate,” according to CNN. The debate is set to air live on CNN, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Max and CNN.com.
Following that announcement, Biden wrote on X that he had also accepted an invitation to a debate on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC. The primetime debate will air on ABC, streaming network ABC News Live, and Hulu and will be available to simulcast on additional broadcast and streaming news networks in the U.S. A moderator has not yet been announced for the debate.
Speaking at the Warner Bros. Discovery upfront Wednesday, Mark Thompson chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eva Longoria is returning to CNN for a revival of the Searching For franchise, this one focused on Spain.
Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain was announced at today’s Warner Bros. Discovery upfront in New York, with plans for a premiere in 2025. Per CNN, the series will feature “a gastronomic pilgrimage across the rich tapestry of Spanish cuisine.” Longoria “will enjoy some of Spain’s most iconic traditional dishes and explore how innovative Spanish cuisine is propelling the future of fine dining.”
Longoria previously partnered with CNN on Searching for Mexico. The series order is a signal that the network, after announcing a cutback in original series and films from outside suppliers, is returning to an emphasis on such longform projects under new CEO Mark Thompson. Searching for Spain comes from Hyphenate Media Group.
Eva Longoria, Cris Abrego, Rachelle Mendez and Shauna Minoprio are executive producers for Hyphenate Media Group.
Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain was announced at today’s Warner Bros. Discovery upfront in New York, with plans for a premiere in 2025. Per CNN, the series will feature “a gastronomic pilgrimage across the rich tapestry of Spanish cuisine.” Longoria “will enjoy some of Spain’s most iconic traditional dishes and explore how innovative Spanish cuisine is propelling the future of fine dining.”
Longoria previously partnered with CNN on Searching for Mexico. The series order is a signal that the network, after announcing a cutback in original series and films from outside suppliers, is returning to an emphasis on such longform projects under new CEO Mark Thompson. Searching for Spain comes from Hyphenate Media Group.
Eva Longoria, Cris Abrego, Rachelle Mendez and Shauna Minoprio are executive producers for Hyphenate Media Group.
- 5/15/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in two debates ahead of this year’s presidential election. The first will air live on CNN on June 27, and the second will be hosted by ABC on Sept. 10.
Earlier in the morning, Biden posted a video on X prodding Trump to debate him. In it, Biden made fun of Trump’s ongoing criminal trial for hush money payments, referencing how Trump’s trial skips meeting on Wednesday.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” Biden said. “Now, he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I heard you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Within the hour, Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst debater...
Earlier in the morning, Biden posted a video on X prodding Trump to debate him. In it, Biden made fun of Trump’s ongoing criminal trial for hush money payments, referencing how Trump’s trial skips meeting on Wednesday.
“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate,” Biden said. “Now, he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal. I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I heard you’re free on Wednesdays.”
Within the hour, Trump responded on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst debater...
- 5/15/2024
- by Jordan Moreau and Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
CNN aims to return to the recipe that gave its viewers explorers of international cuisine such as Anthony Bourdain and Stanley Tucci.
After announcing in October of 2022 that the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet would pull back on the efforts that made it a name in original documentary series and films — ostensibly to cut costs at a time when its corporate parent was grappling with significant debt — CNN wants to get back into the business of developing original non-fiction series and movies.
“I think we are very much in the rebuild phase,” Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content, tells Variety during a recent interview.
Mark Thompson, named in August to oversee CNN following a tumultuous run under predecessor Chris Licht, has articulated a strategy of building out new areas and verticals that can help the company win more customers and viewers. Original series would seem to be one of them.
After announcing in October of 2022 that the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet would pull back on the efforts that made it a name in original documentary series and films — ostensibly to cut costs at a time when its corporate parent was grappling with significant debt — CNN wants to get back into the business of developing original non-fiction series and movies.
“I think we are very much in the rebuild phase,” Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content, tells Variety during a recent interview.
Mark Thompson, named in August to oversee CNN following a tumultuous run under predecessor Chris Licht, has articulated a strategy of building out new areas and verticals that can help the company win more customers and viewers. Original series would seem to be one of them.
- 5/15/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Sam Feist, the longtime Washington, D.C. bureau chief of CNN, will become the next CEO of C-span.
Feist will succeed Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain, who have been in the role as co-CEOs since 2012. Founding CEO Brian Lamb remains on the board of directors.
Feist has served as Washington bureau chief and senior vice president at CNN since 2011. He oversees newsgathering operations and production, as well as coverage of major political events. He joined the network in 1990, as a freelance producer in the London bureau, and later moved to Atlanta and then to Washington, D.C. in 1992. He became political director and vice president of Washington programming, and has coordinated daily political coverage and election night production since 2006. He also was the founding executive producer of The Situation Room.
In a statement, Feist said, “Our democracy needs C-span now more than ever. I look forward to working
with C-span...
Feist will succeed Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain, who have been in the role as co-CEOs since 2012. Founding CEO Brian Lamb remains on the board of directors.
Feist has served as Washington bureau chief and senior vice president at CNN since 2011. He oversees newsgathering operations and production, as well as coverage of major political events. He joined the network in 1990, as a freelance producer in the London bureau, and later moved to Atlanta and then to Washington, D.C. in 1992. He became political director and vice president of Washington programming, and has coordinated daily political coverage and election night production since 2006. He also was the founding executive producer of The Situation Room.
In a statement, Feist said, “Our democracy needs C-span now more than ever. I look forward to working
with C-span...
- 5/14/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Just about any CEO panel these days will inevitably reach the topic of artificial intelligence, and today’s NewFront sit down with the leaders of five major news organizations was no exception.
But it was CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson who warned of what was at stake.
“If we get it wrong, we’ll get disintermediated, and people will get our stuff one way or the other in the way that AI companies have scraped everything we have ever done anyway, and they will provide it in other ways and our businesses will collapse,” Thompson said. “If we get it right, it could be a golden age of news experiences for people in this country and around the world.”
Thompson talked of AI being used as a way where people can find content “easier and quicker.”
AI was among a number of challenges that the CEOs addressed at the event.
But it was CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson who warned of what was at stake.
“If we get it wrong, we’ll get disintermediated, and people will get our stuff one way or the other in the way that AI companies have scraped everything we have ever done anyway, and they will provide it in other ways and our businesses will collapse,” Thompson said. “If we get it right, it could be a golden age of news experiences for people in this country and around the world.”
Thompson talked of AI being used as a way where people can find content “easier and quicker.”
AI was among a number of challenges that the CEOs addressed at the event.
- 4/29/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Poppy Harlow is exiting CNN after a morning show failure and sixteen years with the network. She had experienced a shakeup in 2022 and things just continued to go downhill. Now, she has made the decision to leave. Keep reading for all of the details.
Poppy Harlow Exiting CNN After Morning Show Failure
After sixteen years with CNN, Poppy Harlow is leaving and a lot has to do with a big shakeup that occurred in 2022. She had spent over five years co-hosting CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto and they made a great duo. Then, she was moved to an early morning slot alongside Don Lemon and Kaitlan Collins for CNN This Morning. Lemon had come from anchoring his own primetime show whereas Collins was a correspondent. Unfortunately, the match did not light and Lemon was starting to get into trouble. He then made an inappropriate comment about former presidential candidate, Nikki Haley.
Poppy Harlow Exiting CNN After Morning Show Failure
After sixteen years with CNN, Poppy Harlow is leaving and a lot has to do with a big shakeup that occurred in 2022. She had spent over five years co-hosting CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto and they made a great duo. Then, she was moved to an early morning slot alongside Don Lemon and Kaitlan Collins for CNN This Morning. Lemon had come from anchoring his own primetime show whereas Collins was a correspondent. Unfortunately, the match did not light and Lemon was starting to get into trouble. He then made an inappropriate comment about former presidential candidate, Nikki Haley.
- 4/27/2024
- by Amanda Lauren
- TV Shows Ace
CNN veteran Poppy Harlow has announced her exit from the cable news network.
“When I walked in the door at CNN in 2008, I was 25 years old and had never been on live TV. Green is an understatement!” Harlow said in a memo obtained by Vanity Fair. “This place has shaped me as a leader, taught me resilience, shown me the value of perspective and how to make hard decisions…. It is for those reasons that I take this leap and leave CNN with a full heart and deep gratitude.”
More from TVLineEllen DeGeneres to Address ‘Second Time I’ve Been...
“When I walked in the door at CNN in 2008, I was 25 years old and had never been on live TV. Green is an understatement!” Harlow said in a memo obtained by Vanity Fair. “This place has shaped me as a leader, taught me resilience, shown me the value of perspective and how to make hard decisions…. It is for those reasons that I take this leap and leave CNN with a full heart and deep gratitude.”
More from TVLineEllen DeGeneres to Address ‘Second Time I’ve Been...
- 4/26/2024
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Poppy Harlow, who has been with CNN since 2008, is exiting the network after 16 years, having announced her decision in a memo to colleagues on Friday, April 26. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CNN CEO Mark Thompson revealed the news during the network’s 9 a.m. editorial call before Harlow emailed her co-workers to confirm her decision. “Mark, Amy [Entelis], and the CNN management team have been wonderful and have given me the space to make this decision. I am very grateful to them,” Harlow wrote. “CNN gave me the opportunity to travel across this country and around the world — often at the worst of times, but when humanity also shows the best of itself.” Harlow joined CNN in 2008 and served as the anchor for CNNMoney.com, while also reporting for CNN and CNN International. She became a New York-based CNN correspondent in April 2012 and, in 2017, took over as co-anchor of CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto.
- 4/26/2024
- TV Insider
Poppy Harlow is leaving CNN.
The veteran anchor announced her departure in an email to colleagues Friday.
“Mark, Amy and the CNN management team have been wonderful and have given me the space to make this decision. I am very grateful to them,” Harlow wrote. “CNN gave me the opportunity to travel across this country and around the world — often at the worst of times, but when humanity also shows the best of itself.”
“There’s been plenty written about what’s wrong with journalism, and the challenges our industry faces. And it does. But there is also so much right with it,” Harlow continued. “At the heart of everything we do is the pursuit of truth – it is the core of CNN. I remain CNN’s biggest fan and I’ll be watching and cheering you on every day.”
The anchor was most recently the co-host CNN This Morning,...
The veteran anchor announced her departure in an email to colleagues Friday.
“Mark, Amy and the CNN management team have been wonderful and have given me the space to make this decision. I am very grateful to them,” Harlow wrote. “CNN gave me the opportunity to travel across this country and around the world — often at the worst of times, but when humanity also shows the best of itself.”
“There’s been plenty written about what’s wrong with journalism, and the challenges our industry faces. And it does. But there is also so much right with it,” Harlow continued. “At the heart of everything we do is the pursuit of truth – it is the core of CNN. I remain CNN’s biggest fan and I’ll be watching and cheering you on every day.”
The anchor was most recently the co-host CNN This Morning,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
King Charles, CNN’s once-a-week talker featuring Gayle King and Charles Barkley, ended last week with no plans to extend the limited series.
The show averaged about a half-million viewers in its debut but trailed its rivals in its 10 p.m. Et time slot on Wednesdays. It was announced as a limited-run series to begin with, featuring two high-profile personalities in conversation about major events and cultural moments.
The show also was a signature feature of then-ceo Chris Licht’s plans to overhaul the network’s primetime lineup with big-name personalities hosting shows once or twice a week. Although that’s a bit unconventional for cable news, MSNBC has had success with Rachel Maddow’s show since it went to just Mondays in 2022, as she had signed a new contract for fewer days.
King Charles ultimately debuted after Licht had departed and a new CEO, Mark Thompson, had joined. He has made some programming changes,...
The show averaged about a half-million viewers in its debut but trailed its rivals in its 10 p.m. Et time slot on Wednesdays. It was announced as a limited-run series to begin with, featuring two high-profile personalities in conversation about major events and cultural moments.
The show also was a signature feature of then-ceo Chris Licht’s plans to overhaul the network’s primetime lineup with big-name personalities hosting shows once or twice a week. Although that’s a bit unconventional for cable news, MSNBC has had success with Rachel Maddow’s show since it went to just Mondays in 2022, as she had signed a new contract for fewer days.
King Charles ultimately debuted after Licht had departed and a new CEO, Mark Thompson, had joined. He has made some programming changes,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Identity Crisis", Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) meets an old friend, Lieutenant Commander Susanna Leijten (Maryann Plunkett), the only surviving member of a mission they both went on years before. It seems that their compatriots have gone missing or stolen shuttlecrafts to return to the planet Tarchannen III, where they were last united. Soon after her arrival, Leijten also begins exhibiting weird behavior, twitching nervously and demanding a visit to Tarchannen III. Her body begins to mutate. Her fingers fuse together and eerie blue veins appear on her skin. Her eyes turn yellow. It's all Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) can do to slow the mutations.
Geordi, while unattended, also suddenly begins to mutate. He eventually returns to Tarchannen III, having turned into a near-invisible creature that can only be seen under a special blacklight. Leijten has to overcome her own...
Geordi, while unattended, also suddenly begins to mutate. He eventually returns to Tarchannen III, having turned into a near-invisible creature that can only be seen under a special blacklight. Leijten has to overcome her own...
- 4/14/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Will Ronna McDaniel land another TV gig? There is already interest in the former Republican National Committee chair brewing from a couple of cable news outlets.
Sources at both Newsmax and NewsNation tell The Hollywood Reporter that they would be interested in pursuing a deal with McDaniel, should she ultimately finalize a separation agreement with NBC News.
McDaniel has been seeking a lawyer to negotiate an exit from NBC, which announced her hire as an NBC News contributor last Friday and reversed course just a few days later after facing backlash from MSNBC stars like Rachel Maddow and the Morning Joe team, not to mention an on-air rebuke from Chuck Todd on Meet the Press just minutes after McDaniel’s debut appearance.
McDaniel is likely to receive a hefty payout from NBC, given her two-year, $300,000 per year deal, though sometimes negotiations result in a lower payout in exchange for a shorter noncompete.
Sources at both Newsmax and NewsNation tell The Hollywood Reporter that they would be interested in pursuing a deal with McDaniel, should she ultimately finalize a separation agreement with NBC News.
McDaniel has been seeking a lawyer to negotiate an exit from NBC, which announced her hire as an NBC News contributor last Friday and reversed course just a few days later after facing backlash from MSNBC stars like Rachel Maddow and the Morning Joe team, not to mention an on-air rebuke from Chuck Todd on Meet the Press just minutes after McDaniel’s debut appearance.
McDaniel is likely to receive a hefty payout from NBC, given her two-year, $300,000 per year deal, though sometimes negotiations result in a lower payout in exchange for a shorter noncompete.
- 3/28/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A new CNN documentary series that examines the 2003 Space Shuttle disaster is the latest effort by the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet to help its original-production arm regain momentum.
“Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight” relies on footage that has never been broadcast before as well as exclusive interviews. The four-part series will air Sunday April 7 and Sunday April 14,both at 9 p.m. eastern, with two hours broadcast each evening. The program is co-produced by BBC and Mindhouse Productions.
“This chapter in the Space Shuttle Program captured the nation’s attention and is equally as captivating in the retelling, with storytelling fueled by those who lived it firsthand and newly revealed footage from the NASA archive,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals, and creative development for CNN Worldwide, in a statement. “Our viewers have long been fascinated by stories of space exploration and this series is...
“Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight” relies on footage that has never been broadcast before as well as exclusive interviews. The four-part series will air Sunday April 7 and Sunday April 14,both at 9 p.m. eastern, with two hours broadcast each evening. The program is co-produced by BBC and Mindhouse Productions.
“This chapter in the Space Shuttle Program captured the nation’s attention and is equally as captivating in the retelling, with storytelling fueled by those who lived it firsthand and newly revealed footage from the NASA archive,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals, and creative development for CNN Worldwide, in a statement. “Our viewers have long been fascinated by stories of space exploration and this series is...
- 3/7/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
“Tough choices and hard decisions” are to come at the BBC. That is the verdict of new Chair Samir Shah, who kicked off his tenure today by setting his stall out in an all-staff email that urged greater diversity of “class and thought” in the corporation’s news coverage.
The email, seen by Deadline, lays bare the tricky financial predicament the BBC finds itself in – having found itself shy of around £100M ($126M) due to the latest license fee settlement and facing rampant inflation – by saying “we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.”
“That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently,” it adds. “My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.”
Shah, who is replacing the disgraced Richard Sharp and has worked for...
The email, seen by Deadline, lays bare the tricky financial predicament the BBC finds itself in – having found itself shy of around £100M ($126M) due to the latest license fee settlement and facing rampant inflation – by saying “we will still need to live within our means in a tough financial situation.”
“That involves thinking very hard about what we should stop doing or do very differently,” it adds. “My role – and that of the Board – is to work with the organisation as we confront hard choices and tough decisions.”
Shah, who is replacing the disgraced Richard Sharp and has worked for...
- 3/4/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
CNN has found a new role for Phil Mattingly.
The veteran journalist will become the channel’s chief domestic correspondent and an anchor, delivering enterprise reporting and filling in as a host on programs across the daypart.
Mattingly, whose first assignment will be covering Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, will also appear in 2024 convention programming and other political events.
Mattingly most recently was co-anchor of CNN This Morning, having joined the program just a few months earlier from the White House beat. New CNN CEO Mark Thompson shut down the show, moving production of the hours to Atlanta and telling staff they could apply for new jobs.
“Phil Mattingly is one of the strongest political journalists and anchors we have at CNN,” said Thompson in a statement. “As a 2016 campaign correspondent, Capitol Hill correspondent, Senior White House Correspondent and Chief White House Correspondent, Phil has risen to every challenge CNN has thrown at him.
The veteran journalist will become the channel’s chief domestic correspondent and an anchor, delivering enterprise reporting and filling in as a host on programs across the daypart.
Mattingly, whose first assignment will be covering Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, will also appear in 2024 convention programming and other political events.
Mattingly most recently was co-anchor of CNN This Morning, having joined the program just a few months earlier from the White House beat. New CNN CEO Mark Thompson shut down the show, moving production of the hours to Atlanta and telling staff they could apply for new jobs.
“Phil Mattingly is one of the strongest political journalists and anchors we have at CNN,” said Thompson in a statement. “As a 2016 campaign correspondent, Capitol Hill correspondent, Senior White House Correspondent and Chief White House Correspondent, Phil has risen to every challenge CNN has thrown at him.
- 2/28/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Phil Mattingly Named CNN’s Chief Domestic Correspondent Following Network’s Overhaul Of Morning Show
Phil Mattingly will serve as CNN’s chief domestic correspondent, taking on a new role after the network overhauled CNN This Morning.
Mattingly also will continue to fill in as an anchor, and participate in special coverage of the conventions and other political events. His first assignment will be covering Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, along with CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes.
Mattingly had co-anchored the morning program since last year, but the network shuffled its schedule last week, with CNN News Central taking over the 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Et timeslot, and CNN This Morning moving to 5 a.m. Et with Kasie Hunt as anchor. The network has not yet announced a new role for Poppy Harlow, who had co-anchored CNN This Morning since its debut in November 2022.
Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, called Mattingly “one of the strongest political journalists and anchors we have at CNN.
Mattingly also will continue to fill in as an anchor, and participate in special coverage of the conventions and other political events. His first assignment will be covering Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, along with CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes.
Mattingly had co-anchored the morning program since last year, but the network shuffled its schedule last week, with CNN News Central taking over the 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Et timeslot, and CNN This Morning moving to 5 a.m. Et with Kasie Hunt as anchor. The network has not yet announced a new role for Poppy Harlow, who had co-anchored CNN This Morning since its debut in November 2022.
Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, called Mattingly “one of the strongest political journalists and anchors we have at CNN.
- 2/28/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Welcome to ElectionLine’s A View From Abroad series, in which we speak with media figures who don’t live in America but keep a close eye on its politics. Every few weeks, these smart observers will provide a unique perspective on what promises to be a fraught and unpredictable campaign for the White House. This week, our interview is with Matt Frei, who serves as an anchor and Europe editor for Channel 4 News. He is nominated for the network presenter prize at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards, which take place on February 28.
Donald Trump is building a wall. Not the concrete border between the U.S. and Mexico that was partially erected during Trump’s first term, but a metaphorical one of hardened electoral support.
That’s the view of Matt Frei, the veteran UK journalist who has chronicled Trump’s GOP career. “He’s building himself...
Donald Trump is building a wall. Not the concrete border between the U.S. and Mexico that was partially erected during Trump’s first term, but a metaphorical one of hardened electoral support.
That’s the view of Matt Frei, the veteran UK journalist who has chronicled Trump’s GOP career. “He’s building himself...
- 2/13/2024
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
A new podcast series has been launched by a leading UK charity to help people get a better night’s sleep.
Sleep On It, created by The Sleep Charity, shares advice and real-life stories focused on the importance of sleep and how sleep can be improved.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of the charity, said: “Sleep is so important for health and wellbeing. However, it can be difficult for people to know what to do or where to turn if they feel they are not getting enough.
“Sleep On It has been set up to provide an easy and accessible way for people to gain practical advice and tips on sleep, and to listen to inspirational real-life stories about people who have realised the benefit of improved sleep.”
TV scientist, author and ambassador for The Sleep Charity, Mark Thompson, hosts ‘Sleep On It’ and says: “As an astronomer, I have, for most of my life,...
Sleep On It, created by The Sleep Charity, shares advice and real-life stories focused on the importance of sleep and how sleep can be improved.
Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of the charity, said: “Sleep is so important for health and wellbeing. However, it can be difficult for people to know what to do or where to turn if they feel they are not getting enough.
“Sleep On It has been set up to provide an easy and accessible way for people to gain practical advice and tips on sleep, and to listen to inspirational real-life stories about people who have realised the benefit of improved sleep.”
TV scientist, author and ambassador for The Sleep Charity, Mark Thompson, hosts ‘Sleep On It’ and says: “As an astronomer, I have, for most of my life,...
- 2/12/2024
- Podnews.net
Updated: CNN is dropping the latest iteration of CNN This Morning as part of a shake-up of its morning lineup.
Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly have anchored the show since August, after several lineup changes since its debut in the fall of 2022. Kasie Hunt’s 5 a.m. Et show, known as Early Start, will expand an hour and take on the CNN This Morning title.
Changes will go into effect later this month.
CNN News Central, meanwhile, will move to 7 a.m. Et and run until 10 a.m. Et, with anchors John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner.
Jim Acosta, who has anchored a weekend show, will anchor CNN Newsroom at 10 a.m. Et and Pamela Brown will anchor an 11 a.m. Et hour starting in the spring. Wolf Blitzer will anchor the hour until she returns from maternity leave. Brown’s show will be called The Bulletin with Pamela Brown.
Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly have anchored the show since August, after several lineup changes since its debut in the fall of 2022. Kasie Hunt’s 5 a.m. Et show, known as Early Start, will expand an hour and take on the CNN This Morning title.
Changes will go into effect later this month.
CNN News Central, meanwhile, will move to 7 a.m. Et and run until 10 a.m. Et, with anchors John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner.
Jim Acosta, who has anchored a weekend show, will anchor CNN Newsroom at 10 a.m. Et and Pamela Brown will anchor an 11 a.m. Et hour starting in the spring. Wolf Blitzer will anchor the hour until she returns from maternity leave. Brown’s show will be called The Bulletin with Pamela Brown.
- 2/5/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
CNN has told staff it is moving its much-hyped Chris Licht-era morning show, This Morning, from New York to its Atlanta headquarters, two people familiar with the matter have told The Hollywood Reporter.
The show’s 50-person team have been told they can reapply for jobs within the network, according to the people familiar. Phil Mattingly and Poppy Harlow will be moving to new roles, per sources.
CNN will move up its News Central show, hosted by John Berman, Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan, to help fill the time slot. Early Start host Kasie Hunt will anchor from 5 a.m.-7 a.m. Et, News Central moves from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. and Jim Acosta signs on at 10 a.m. Et.
The network declined comment.
CNN’s new chief, Mark Thompson, sent a note to staffers, below:
Dear all,
I wanted to let the whole CNN family know...
The show’s 50-person team have been told they can reapply for jobs within the network, according to the people familiar. Phil Mattingly and Poppy Harlow will be moving to new roles, per sources.
CNN will move up its News Central show, hosted by John Berman, Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan, to help fill the time slot. Early Start host Kasie Hunt will anchor from 5 a.m.-7 a.m. Et, News Central moves from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. and Jim Acosta signs on at 10 a.m. Et.
The network declined comment.
CNN’s new chief, Mark Thompson, sent a note to staffers, below:
Dear all,
I wanted to let the whole CNN family know...
- 2/5/2024
- by Lachlan Cartwright
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CNN is turning some of the lights out on its efforts to produce morning news.
The network is revamping its entire A.M. schedule as the Warner Bros. Discovery-based cable news outlet continues to grapple with poor ratings.
Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, who co-anchor “CNN This Morning,” will leave the line-up, while Kasie Hunt’s early-morning program will take on an extra hour. Her show, “Early Start,” will run from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., and will take on the “CNN This Morning” title. CNN will then move “CNN News Central,” anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, to a 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot, with Jim Acosta and Pamela Brown taking over new hours at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
The moves mean, as CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a note to staffers Monday, that “we will no longer produce morning programming in...
The network is revamping its entire A.M. schedule as the Warner Bros. Discovery-based cable news outlet continues to grapple with poor ratings.
Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, who co-anchor “CNN This Morning,” will leave the line-up, while Kasie Hunt’s early-morning program will take on an extra hour. Her show, “Early Start,” will run from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., and will take on the “CNN This Morning” title. CNN will then move “CNN News Central,” anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, to a 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot, with Jim Acosta and Pamela Brown taking over new hours at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
The moves mean, as CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a note to staffers Monday, that “we will no longer produce morning programming in...
- 2/5/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Peter Bart: A Biden-Trump Rematch Dims Cable News Prospects And A Print Media Biz Already In Trouble
“Sequels suck, whether you’re making them or watching them.” So said one storied filmmaker in rejecting a rich movie deal (details below), and he’d likely react the same if offered Biden vs. Trump.
The New Hampshire primary results this week reinforced media alarm over a projected 2024 rerun that could fracture ratings and reduce print coverage to “meaningless dribble,” in the words of one publisher.
Can there be a fix? Mark Thompson, the new CNN chief who has seen half his linear audience disappear, optimistically promises a digital upheaval not only in election coverage but beyond.
On the print side, however, chaos prevails: The Los Angeles Times has lost its top editors and roughly half of its news staff and sold off the San Diego Union-Tribune. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun, once also owned by the Times, has been acquired by Sinclair, a TV station behemoth whose leader, David Smith,...
The New Hampshire primary results this week reinforced media alarm over a projected 2024 rerun that could fracture ratings and reduce print coverage to “meaningless dribble,” in the words of one publisher.
Can there be a fix? Mark Thompson, the new CNN chief who has seen half his linear audience disappear, optimistically promises a digital upheaval not only in election coverage but beyond.
On the print side, however, chaos prevails: The Los Angeles Times has lost its top editors and roughly half of its news staff and sold off the San Diego Union-Tribune. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun, once also owned by the Times, has been acquired by Sinclair, a TV station behemoth whose leader, David Smith,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
CNN, meet Sin City.
As CNN appears poised to expand its original series offerings, the cable channel has set its next series: Vegas: The Story of Sin City.
The series will premiere Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m., and will explore “the past seventy years of America’s cultural maturation through the lens of this unique city, featuring the entertainment acts, the visionary entrepreneurs, the infamous mafia figures, and the colorful political history that put it on the map,” per CNN.
That will include interviews with Vegas icons like Wayne Newton and Paul Anka, as well as journalists, showgirls, and historians. The series is produced for CNN by Bungalow Media+ Entertainment.
“Vegas is another of our acclaimed CNN Original Series that brings new life and color to major stories and events in our collective history,” said Amy Entelis, executive VP of talent for CNN Originals, and creative development for CNN Worldwide.
As CNN appears poised to expand its original series offerings, the cable channel has set its next series: Vegas: The Story of Sin City.
The series will premiere Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m., and will explore “the past seventy years of America’s cultural maturation through the lens of this unique city, featuring the entertainment acts, the visionary entrepreneurs, the infamous mafia figures, and the colorful political history that put it on the map,” per CNN.
That will include interviews with Vegas icons like Wayne Newton and Paul Anka, as well as journalists, showgirls, and historians. The series is produced for CNN by Bungalow Media+ Entertainment.
“Vegas is another of our acclaimed CNN Original Series that brings new life and color to major stories and events in our collective history,” said Amy Entelis, executive VP of talent for CNN Originals, and creative development for CNN Worldwide.
- 1/25/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mark Thompson’s vision for CNN is beginning to take shape.
In a wide-ranging memo titled “CNN’s Future” sent to staffers Wednesday morning, Thompson outlined a new organizational structure for the company, one built “around the future not the past.”
“We need to recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN,” Thompson wrote. “It’s time for a new revolution.
“There’s news of a fair amount of change at CNN in this memo, and no doubt more in the coming months,” he wrote. “Change is essential if we’re to secure this great news company’s future. It brings uncertainty — that I’m afraid is inevitable — but in my experience, it’s also often rich in personal and shared opportunity. As we enter this new chapter in CNN’s storied history, I’d encourage you to take a leaf out of Ted Turner’s book.
In a wide-ranging memo titled “CNN’s Future” sent to staffers Wednesday morning, Thompson outlined a new organizational structure for the company, one built “around the future not the past.”
“We need to recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN,” Thompson wrote. “It’s time for a new revolution.
“There’s news of a fair amount of change at CNN in this memo, and no doubt more in the coming months,” he wrote. “Change is essential if we’re to secure this great news company’s future. It brings uncertainty — that I’m afraid is inevitable — but in my experience, it’s also often rich in personal and shared opportunity. As we enter this new chapter in CNN’s storied history, I’d encourage you to take a leaf out of Ted Turner’s book.
- 1/17/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CNN’s CEO Mark Thompson laid out a strategy for the news organization, focusing on integrating linear TV and digital news units, and boosting its presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.
In a memo to employees sent today (read it below), Thompson called his plans a “true multimedia strategy,” including the combination of the leadership of the international, domestic and digital news operations.
Virginia Moseley has been named to a new role as executive editor of CNN and Mike McCarthy, who had been general manager of CNN International, will be managing editor. “As far as possible we want single integrated teams to cover stories for all platforms,” he wrote.
Thompson also announced the hiring of Alex MacCallum as the new executive vice president of digital products and services, tasked with developing new digital products and “the subscription and other relationships with users that will make CNN once again indispensable to younger,...
In a memo to employees sent today (read it below), Thompson called his plans a “true multimedia strategy,” including the combination of the leadership of the international, domestic and digital news operations.
Virginia Moseley has been named to a new role as executive editor of CNN and Mike McCarthy, who had been general manager of CNN International, will be managing editor. “As far as possible we want single integrated teams to cover stories for all platforms,” he wrote.
Thompson also announced the hiring of Alex MacCallum as the new executive vice president of digital products and services, tasked with developing new digital products and “the subscription and other relationships with users that will make CNN once again indispensable to younger,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Athan Stephanopoulos is stepping down as EVP and Chief Digital Officer of CNN, as CEO Mark Thompson focuses on a new structure for the network.
Stephanopoulos joined the network in fall 2022 under then-ceo Chris Licht.
In a statement sent to employees, Stephanopoulos said: “In my discussions with Mark since his arrival, there was much we agreed on, in particular that innovative high quality digital news services would be increasingly important for CNN’s future success. But it also became clear that Mark had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter.”
Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Thompson said that Stephanopoulos...
Stephanopoulos joined the network in fall 2022 under then-ceo Chris Licht.
In a statement sent to employees, Stephanopoulos said: “In my discussions with Mark since his arrival, there was much we agreed on, in particular that innovative high quality digital news services would be increasingly important for CNN’s future success. But it also became clear that Mark had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter.”
Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming
Thompson said that Stephanopoulos...
- 1/3/2024
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
New CNN CEO Mark Thompson is contemplating a new structure and vision for CNN, and that will include a rethink of the news organization’s digital strategy.
To that end, Thompson told employees Wednesday morning that CNN executive VP and chief digital officer Athan Stephanopoulos will leave the company at the end of January.
“Since his arrival, Athan has been a strong and capable leader of our digital team and a collaborative colleague across the organization,” Thompson wrote. “I know that everyone who’s worked alongside him at CNN will want to join me in thanking him for everything he’s done for us and to wish him every success in his next chapter.”
Stephanopoulos joined CNN in Oct. 2022, filling a role that had been a priority for then-ceo Chris Licht. He was previously the president of the digital news brand NowThis.
“In my discussions with Mark since his arrival,...
To that end, Thompson told employees Wednesday morning that CNN executive VP and chief digital officer Athan Stephanopoulos will leave the company at the end of January.
“Since his arrival, Athan has been a strong and capable leader of our digital team and a collaborative colleague across the organization,” Thompson wrote. “I know that everyone who’s worked alongside him at CNN will want to join me in thanking him for everything he’s done for us and to wish him every success in his next chapter.”
Stephanopoulos joined CNN in Oct. 2022, filling a role that had been a priority for then-ceo Chris Licht. He was previously the president of the digital news brand NowThis.
“In my discussions with Mark since his arrival,...
- 1/3/2024
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Athan Stephanopoulos will leave his role as chief digital officer of CNN as the news outlet’s new chief starts to implement his strategic vision for the Warner Bros. Discovery property.
In a memo issued Wednesday, Stephanopoulos said that Mark Thompson, CNN”s new chief, “had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter. I sincerely wish CNN and each of you great success in the path ahead.”
This marks the second turnover of digital executives at CNN since Warner Bros. Discovery took over management of the operation as part of its purchase of WarnerMedia assets from AT&T in August of 2022. In June of 2022, CNN parted...
In a memo issued Wednesday, Stephanopoulos said that Mark Thompson, CNN”s new chief, “had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter. I sincerely wish CNN and each of you great success in the path ahead.”
This marks the second turnover of digital executives at CNN since Warner Bros. Discovery took over management of the operation as part of its purchase of WarnerMedia assets from AT&T in August of 2022. In June of 2022, CNN parted...
- 1/3/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Martha Stewart didn’t talk to CNN for a new original documentary series the news outlet has produced about her. But she’s still the star of the show.
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” is a four-part series produced by CNN Studios, a division devoted to longer-form and enterprise programming in the wake of a strategic decision made in 2022 to scale back big ambitions to compete in the documentary arena. Under previous leader Jeff Zucker, CNN extended its aegis to the world of film festivals and documentary series led by notables such as Anthony Bourdain, Lisa Ling and W. Kamau Bell.
A good chunk of that work was scrapped after Warner Bros. Discovery, a big player in the world of cost-conscious reality programming, took over CNN, and installed a leader, Chris Licht, who had a mandate to pare operations. Months later, CNN would win an Oscar for a documentary...
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” is a four-part series produced by CNN Studios, a division devoted to longer-form and enterprise programming in the wake of a strategic decision made in 2022 to scale back big ambitions to compete in the documentary arena. Under previous leader Jeff Zucker, CNN extended its aegis to the world of film festivals and documentary series led by notables such as Anthony Bourdain, Lisa Ling and W. Kamau Bell.
A good chunk of that work was scrapped after Warner Bros. Discovery, a big player in the world of cost-conscious reality programming, took over CNN, and installed a leader, Chris Licht, who had a mandate to pare operations. Months later, CNN would win an Oscar for a documentary...
- 1/3/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper rang in 2024 with some boozing on live television — bringing back alcohol consumption to CNN after staying sober for last year’s New Year’s Eve broadcast.
“It’s the top of the hour and we’ve been here for seven years doing this, and for most of those years at the top of the hour we typically have a toast,” Cohen said early on in the broadcast, turning to Cooper. “I’m hearing from a lot of people…does Daddy get his juice?”
“Can Daddy get his juice responsibly?” Cooper asked, before Cohen pulled out a bottle of tequila and shot glasses, and both imbibed to start the show.
Back in November 2022, then-ceo Chris Licht announced that CNN would be dialing down alcohol consumption for its New Year’s telecast. Regular host Cohen was quick to claim that that rule, in fact, did not apply to him as a host,...
“It’s the top of the hour and we’ve been here for seven years doing this, and for most of those years at the top of the hour we typically have a toast,” Cohen said early on in the broadcast, turning to Cooper. “I’m hearing from a lot of people…does Daddy get his juice?”
“Can Daddy get his juice responsibly?” Cooper asked, before Cohen pulled out a bottle of tequila and shot glasses, and both imbibed to start the show.
Back in November 2022, then-ceo Chris Licht announced that CNN would be dialing down alcohol consumption for its New Year’s telecast. Regular host Cohen was quick to claim that that rule, in fact, did not apply to him as a host,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Valerie Wu and William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Whoever said linear television is dying did not tell NBC or Fox News Channel. (Though they would also be right.) In IndieWire’s now-annual ranking of every TV channel by viewers, NBC pretty comfortably came out on top. No fake news here: Fox News was again no. 1 on cable, making it eight years in a row.
For calendar 2022, we ranked all 126 Nielsen-rated basic cable channels. This year, we upped the ante and added broadcast networks and premium TV channels to the mix; overall that’s 153 channels.
It is no surprise the Top 4 channels of 2023 are the so-called “Big 4” broadcasters: NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. Even if you stopped watching broadcast television years ago, a lot of Americans still tune in. The medium is ostensibly free (with an antenna) and the channels are very findable within the bundle. And broadcast nets carry sports, local news, and late-night TV — what more...
For calendar 2022, we ranked all 126 Nielsen-rated basic cable channels. This year, we upped the ante and added broadcast networks and premium TV channels to the mix; overall that’s 153 channels.
It is no surprise the Top 4 channels of 2023 are the so-called “Big 4” broadcasters: NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. Even if you stopped watching broadcast television years ago, a lot of Americans still tune in. The medium is ostensibly free (with an antenna) and the channels are very findable within the bundle. And broadcast nets carry sports, local news, and late-night TV — what more...
- 12/15/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
New CNN chief Mark Thompson may have plans to shake up the cable news channel’s offerings, but he isn’t messing with New Year’s Eve.
CNN said Monday that Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will return as the hosts of its annual New Year’s Eve show, originating from New York’s Times Square.
The channel says that Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will be joining as co-hosts, taking over at 12:30 a.m. ahead of the central time zone celebrations. Sidner and Champion will host from Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon previously held down the late night hours for CNN.
CNN says that Richard Quest will report from the crowds in Times Square, with Stephanie Elam from Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Florida, Gary Tuchman and his daughter Lindsay from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Boris Sanchez from Miami,...
CNN said Monday that Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will return as the hosts of its annual New Year’s Eve show, originating from New York’s Times Square.
The channel says that Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will be joining as co-hosts, taking over at 12:30 a.m. ahead of the central time zone celebrations. Sidner and Champion will host from Auditorium Shores in Austin, Texas. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon previously held down the late night hours for CNN.
CNN says that Richard Quest will report from the crowds in Times Square, with Stephanie Elam from Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Randi Kaye from Key West, Florida, Gary Tuchman and his daughter Lindsay from Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Boris Sanchez from Miami,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
British TV vet Samir Shah has been unveiled as the new BBC Chair, coming with a major decision on the licence fee imminent.
Shah, who runs production company Juniper TV and used to be a senior BBC News exec, has been appointed by the government several months after the resignation of Richard Sharp, who left the corporation after just two years amidst the conflict-of-interest scandal involving the facilitation of a potential loan for Boris Johnson.
Shah has been working on and off in TV for four decades and is well known in industry circles. He used to run the BBC’s political journalism shows and was a non-exec director during the ‘Crowngate’ affair involving Queen Elizabeth II, at which point he advised Director General Mark Thompson over a scandal that led to the resignation of BBC One Controller Peter Fincham. He bought Juniper in 1998 and has made shows for the likes of the BBC,...
Shah, who runs production company Juniper TV and used to be a senior BBC News exec, has been appointed by the government several months after the resignation of Richard Sharp, who left the corporation after just two years amidst the conflict-of-interest scandal involving the facilitation of a potential loan for Boris Johnson.
Shah has been working on and off in TV for four decades and is well known in industry circles. He used to run the BBC’s political journalism shows and was a non-exec director during the ‘Crowngate’ affair involving Queen Elizabeth II, at which point he advised Director General Mark Thompson over a scandal that led to the resignation of BBC One Controller Peter Fincham. He bought Juniper in 1998 and has made shows for the likes of the BBC,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
The reign of King Charles — the CNN show, not the British monarch — began rather quietly Wednesday.
The weekly show, hosted by Gayle King and Charles Barkley, drew just 501,00 viewers for its debut, according to same-day Nielsen ratings (it adjusted up a little from 486,000 in fast nationals). It finished a distant third among the biggest cable news channels in total viewers and didn’t really moving the needle from CNN’s recent averages in the hour. In fact, it ranks as the smallest audience of any of CNN’s primetime debuts this year.
King Charles was one of the last big moves of the brief Chris Licht era at CNN. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network announced the show in late April — six weeks before Licht was let go following a profile in The Atlantic that was poorly received among network staffers. (Mark Thompson became CEO of CNN in October.)
The...
The weekly show, hosted by Gayle King and Charles Barkley, drew just 501,00 viewers for its debut, according to same-day Nielsen ratings (it adjusted up a little from 486,000 in fast nationals). It finished a distant third among the biggest cable news channels in total viewers and didn’t really moving the needle from CNN’s recent averages in the hour. In fact, it ranks as the smallest audience of any of CNN’s primetime debuts this year.
King Charles was one of the last big moves of the brief Chris Licht era at CNN. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned network announced the show in late April — six weeks before Licht was let go following a profile in The Atlantic that was poorly received among network staffers. (Mark Thompson became CEO of CNN in October.)
The...
- 11/30/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav gave former CNN chief Chris Licht a warm endorsement, even hinting at the possibility that the TV news vet could work again with the company.
Licht is a “great guy, talented guy,” Zaslav said at the New York Times DealBook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center, as Licht sat in the audience. The exec was ousted from CNN last June after a tumultuous run capped by a damning profile in The Atlantic. Weeks before the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger closed in April 2022, Zaslav had chosen Licht to head up CNN, reportedly without having conducted a robust search process. The two had been personally acquainted before the hiring.
“Chris is a good friend,” Zaslav said. As to their parting ways, he added, “That was … look, there are a lot of good days and a lot of tough days. Chris has had a lot of great days.
Licht is a “great guy, talented guy,” Zaslav said at the New York Times DealBook Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center, as Licht sat in the audience. The exec was ousted from CNN last June after a tumultuous run capped by a damning profile in The Atlantic. Weeks before the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger closed in April 2022, Zaslav had chosen Licht to head up CNN, reportedly without having conducted a robust search process. The two had been personally acquainted before the hiring.
“Chris is a good friend,” Zaslav said. As to their parting ways, he added, “That was … look, there are a lot of good days and a lot of tough days. Chris has had a lot of great days.
- 11/29/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
David Zaslav Says Hollywood Must Make “Tougher, Faster” Decisions to Avoid “Generational Disruption”
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav says his company is now “in a position to really attack for growth” over the next year, with its finances stabilizing and the entertainment industry moving forward after the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
But he added that the “generational disruption” that is impacting the industry “requires more aggressive, tougher, faster, decisions.”
Zaslav made the comments at the New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York Wednesday morning, in an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin.
The moment “requires very hard decisions, and many of them are unpopular,” Zaslav added, noting the decision to cut film and TV projects, some of which were already completed. “It’s a very scary time, but its also an exciting time because of what’s possible. We were the first ones through. We needed to get healthy and needed to build a real business around this company.
But he added that the “generational disruption” that is impacting the industry “requires more aggressive, tougher, faster, decisions.”
Zaslav made the comments at the New York Times Dealbook Summit in New York Wednesday morning, in an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin.
The moment “requires very hard decisions, and many of them are unpopular,” Zaslav added, noting the decision to cut film and TV projects, some of which were already completed. “It’s a very scary time, but its also an exciting time because of what’s possible. We were the first ones through. We needed to get healthy and needed to build a real business around this company.
- 11/29/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sylvester Stallone’s career took off after writing and starring in the first Rocky. The actor was in the process of carving out a nice career for himself after the Oscar-winning drama. But despite his growing film resume, many considered Rocky II his comeback film. It wasn’t an attitude that Stallone appreciated.
Sylvester Stallone didn’t think his career needed saving with ‘Rocky II’ Sylvester Stallone | Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Stallone once owed a lot of his success to the Rocky franchise. Both the movie’s titular character, and the actor himself, became household names after it first hit theaters. But ironically, Stallone felt that Rocky’s momentum made it easier to fail in the eyes of critics. He felt the film might’ve set expectations way too high for his career. Stallone believed that other films he’d done were measured with the same metrics used for Rocky.
Sylvester Stallone didn’t think his career needed saving with ‘Rocky II’ Sylvester Stallone | Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Stallone once owed a lot of his success to the Rocky franchise. Both the movie’s titular character, and the actor himself, became household names after it first hit theaters. But ironically, Stallone felt that Rocky’s momentum made it easier to fail in the eyes of critics. He felt the film might’ve set expectations way too high for his career. Stallone believed that other films he’d done were measured with the same metrics used for Rocky.
- 11/17/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
CNN Max is attracting users who are “20 years younger” than traditional TV viewers, according to Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
In a commentary provided for investors following Wbd’s third-quarter results announcement Wednesday, Zaslav said his team had been “analyzing everything” to do with the new streaming service since its launch in October. The evidence was as expected before launch: It is attracting much younger viewers who don’t subscribe to cable to its suite of live news and analysis programs and original shows.
Wbd will “continue to iterate and improve the offer,” added Zaslav. “But the key takeaway here is we saw an opportunity and were able to pivot quickly, seamlessly and decisively and by providing CNN Max as a service we’re expanding our audience and our impact. The fact is what CNN does has never been more important or impact and no one does it better.
In a commentary provided for investors following Wbd’s third-quarter results announcement Wednesday, Zaslav said his team had been “analyzing everything” to do with the new streaming service since its launch in October. The evidence was as expected before launch: It is attracting much younger viewers who don’t subscribe to cable to its suite of live news and analysis programs and original shows.
Wbd will “continue to iterate and improve the offer,” added Zaslav. “But the key takeaway here is we saw an opportunity and were able to pivot quickly, seamlessly and decisively and by providing CNN Max as a service we’re expanding our audience and our impact. The fact is what CNN does has never been more important or impact and no one does it better.
- 11/8/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. Discovery, led by CEO David Zaslav, shrunk its overall losses on higher revenues as the impact of the dual Hollywood strikes weighed on the major studio, as did a sluggish U.S. ad market.
Wbd’s overall revenues rose 2 percent to $9.97 billion, just shy of a revenue estimate of $10 billion. And the net loss at the Hollywood studio fell back to $407 million, against a year-earlier loss of $2.28 billion. The latest loss at the owner of CNN, Discovery and the Max streaming platform included $1.75 billion in one-time pre-tax amortization charges.
The adjusted Ebitda rose 22 percent to $2.96 billion, and the third quarter earnings per-share loss of 17 cents was well off an analyst estimate for a 9 cents loss. Wbd, the result of an earlier combination of Discovery and WarnerMedia, ended September with total global streaming subscribers falling .7 percent to 95.1 million, compared to 95.8 million at the end of the second quarter and...
Wbd’s overall revenues rose 2 percent to $9.97 billion, just shy of a revenue estimate of $10 billion. And the net loss at the Hollywood studio fell back to $407 million, against a year-earlier loss of $2.28 billion. The latest loss at the owner of CNN, Discovery and the Max streaming platform included $1.75 billion in one-time pre-tax amortization charges.
The adjusted Ebitda rose 22 percent to $2.96 billion, and the third quarter earnings per-share loss of 17 cents was well off an analyst estimate for a 9 cents loss. Wbd, the result of an earlier combination of Discovery and WarnerMedia, ended September with total global streaming subscribers falling .7 percent to 95.1 million, compared to 95.8 million at the end of the second quarter and...
- 11/8/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On day one as the CEO of CNN, Mark Thompson found himself facing a global crisis after Hamas’ surprise attack against Israel. The veteran news executive is taking over a massive news organization in the middle of an enormously consequential world event, one that will undoubtedly be critical for CNN and its plan to restore itself as the global TV news leader.
When Russia invaded Ukraine last year (just a few months before Thompson’s predecessor Chris Licht took over the venerable news channel), CNN’s viewership soared as it converged on the nascent war (CNN has long benefitted from viewers who don’t typically watch TV news but tune in where there is a major event).
It’s too soon to tell if CNN will see a similar rise in viewers given the violence in Israel, but Thompson, speaking on CNN’s Monday morning editorial call, seems acutely aware of the stakes.
When Russia invaded Ukraine last year (just a few months before Thompson’s predecessor Chris Licht took over the venerable news channel), CNN’s viewership soared as it converged on the nascent war (CNN has long benefitted from viewers who don’t typically watch TV news but tune in where there is a major event).
It’s too soon to tell if CNN will see a similar rise in viewers given the violence in Israel, but Thompson, speaking on CNN’s Monday morning editorial call, seems acutely aware of the stakes.
- 10/9/2023
- by Alex Weprin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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