In an unusual setup for a cable news show, CNN has hired two executive producers to try and revive its CNN This Morning featuring Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins and Poppy Harlow.
Duo EP featuring CNN veterans Lauren Mensch and Chris Russell, who were The Hollywood Reporter
before Reported that is negotiating for work.
Mensch will lead the editorial direction of the show and lead the team in the control room from 6am to 9am. Meanwhile, Russell will lead production throughout the day and night in preparation for the show the next morning.
Mensch most recently served as EP for CNN Newsroom
with Alisyn Camerota and Victor Blackwell, while Russell most recently led NewsNation Balance of show with Leland Vittert . He also previously worked with CNN CEO Chris Licht at CBS News.
While each morning show has producers (including a senior producer, but CNN previously had a VP in that role) working the night before to ensure the next day’s The show is running smoothly, and having a dedicated EP shows a deeper commitment to developing packages and segments for the show, or as CNN describes it in a press release: “The 40 hours of infrastructure and editing operations, so it’s perfect for the next morning.”
“Just over four months, CNN This Morning has become a destination for top newsmakers and is well positioned under the leadership of Lauren and Chris, who bring years of experience producing exciting and relevant Morning TV,” said Ryan Kadro, CNN’s senior vice president of content strategy. “With the recent addition of broadcast producers Carolyn Cremen and Rachid Haoues to our talented senior team, we are building a dynamic team to help the show grow and successfully enter major election news cycles.”
The producer shakeup follows a turbulent month for the morning show, with reports of off-air disagreements between Lemon, Collins and Harlow. Later this month, Lemon’s comments on Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley (“Nikki Haley wasn’t in her prime, sorry,” Lemon said. “Woman in 20 and 2024 are considered to be in puberty s and maybe 2024s. If you google “when is a woman’s prime” it says s, 30s and 40s.”) drew widespread criticism.
Lemon ended up the following week after having a “candid and meaningful conversation” with CNN CEO Chris Licht. Return to the item. “He has agreed to attend formal training and continue to listen and learn. We take this situation very seriously,” Licht added in a memo to employees. ’ This morning was stupid and irrelevant, as colleagues and loved ones have pointed out, I regret it,” he said) He did not do that on the show , chose to move on from the controversy.
CNN This Morning
Still Licht Jigsaw puzzle produced at CNN. A year ago, he told media buyers that he wanted to make a show that “disturbs” in the morning hours.
The show has been successfully booked as a press guest , from high-profile politicians like Senator Joe Manchin and Rick Scott to CEOs who usually only appear on CNBC like Bank of America’s Brian Moynihan and Starbucks’ Howard Schultz).
When considering the HLN simulcast of CNN This Morning
(which replaces HLN’s Morning Express late last year) had higher ratings than a year ago’s New Day improved, but only CNN’s audience was mostly down from last year.
With a new producer at the helm, the channel is clearly betting to grow with 1235315470 As the election slowly begins, morning shows will be well positioned to resume ratings growth.
