mountainave

Phil Lipof has appeared with others besides just Eva.

King Charles with Gayle King and Charles Barkley coming to CNN Wednesday nights this fall.

I’m aware. I fit into one of those categories.

Can’t make any inferences based off of one night for an experimental show she essentially guest hosted. But a win for sure.

Initial thoughts: interesting concept. The stand-ups, floor-to-ceiling graphics, and camera pans from one part of the studio to another reminded me of CNN’s election night coverage, which is probably not an accident. Creates a more active and fast-paced feeling. As others have said, no graphics overhaul yet. Lower thirds and bug are all the same. Some elements drawing from the new logo did appear sporadically. Some of the standing felt excessive, though. I almost felt bad for the anchors. I only watched the first 10 minutes but I didn’t see anyone sit down once. Even the panel discussion I saw involved everyone standing and chatting around a table. It was almost distracting. I suspect they will recalibrate some of this over time.

Wondering if the new studios for News Central will coincide with a new studio for This Morning. From a programmatic perspective I would think getting the new studio for the flagship morning show up and running should take priority over the daytime lineup. On the other hand, the temp studio CNNTM is using functionally works, whereas the studios from which Newsroom has aired lately are not well configured for a 3-host panel with stand ups, graphics, etc., so I get the need to revamp those. We’ll see.

She hasn't worked with him in 7 years, but yes, they did work together when he launched CBS This Morning with her.

While the success of her CNN show is yet to be determined, the fact that he was able to sign her is a big win for Licht. Cable and broadcast networks have been courting her for years.

It appears from the reporting that network management decided the incident did not rise to the level of an immediately-terminable offense, but that GMA's EP is not allowing him in her studio. Her boss (i.e., Godwin) would obviously be aware of that and therefore approve of it. So I agree with others that once his contract is up, he's out.

https://nypost.com/2023/02/23/only-one-reason-charles-barkley-is-considering-cnn-show/ Barkley essentially confirms he and King are in ongoing talks with CNN.

I don't love the quarter eye logo behind text in the bottom left, but otherwise, I think it's a great open. There is a marked disconnect between what TV news junkies on a message board like and what the general public likes. Is it how Cronkite presented the news? No. But this style is what catches people's attention in 2023 and it has sent ABC WNT to #1. I actually quite liked the cuts syncing with the music. I think this version nicely delivers the headlines in an active, attention-holding way without the doomsday drama of WNT("As we come on the air"..."Happening right now"...every verb ending in -ing).

Dani Beckstrom is covering GMA this weekend. Not bad for only six months at WABC.

Interesting concept Licht is reportedly pursuing with a different show hosted by a big name each weeknight (a la network primetime, where you have a different TV show each night in the same slot). Would also make sense in the context of an offer for Gayle King to host a show once a week. A single host in primetime hasn't worked despite multiple attempts, so can't fault him for trying something (very) different.

Janice Yu subbed in for Shirleen this morning.

May be an unpopular opinion in this thread among the love-to-hate-CNN-ers, but I think Licht has put together a strong product in CNN This Morning. It delivers the hard news with a light atmosphere that many have denounced ABC, NBC, and even CBS for turning away from in favor of tabloid fare and pop culture. I think moving Don Lemon to the morning on a roundtable show was a smart, creative move that reels in his excessive prime-time opining while still giving room for human perspective. Kaitlan Collins is an excellent political interviewer and Poppy Harlow has been a strong, personable anchor for years. The three clearly have good chemistry, too. I look forward to seeing how the show evolves over the next several months, including with a new set of its own. Licht, who is deeply experienced in launching and relaunching morning shows, is playing the long game and not obsessing over the day to day ratings like some folks here, as he acknowledged he recognizes it can take around a year for a show to start gaining its own footing.

They've had that for several weeks.

More overtures to Gayle King, this time to host a weekly interview show for CNN while remaining at CBS Mornings (like Anderson Cooper's arrangement, but in reverse): https://nypost.com/2023/01/31/cnn-wants-gayle-king-to-host-weekly-prime-time-show-report/ King's a phenomenal interviewer, but I remain skeptical that CNN would be able to successfully differentiate this show from Chris Wallace's weekly interview show.

I don't think Chris Licht, whose mandate is to make CNN distraction-free, is going to hire two major distractions.

Now confirmed by mainstream sources: https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/27/media/gma3-anchors-depart/index.html

I agree that if TJ was engaged in any form of relationship with a subordinate, direct or indirect, and didn't disclose it, that -- in combination with his multiple other workplace affairs -- taken together are grounds for termination. Regardless of the age of the subordinate, there is an inherent power dynamic in the workplace between a person in a position of power and a subordinate that justifies the reporting requirements most employers have. Separately, with the departures of Tom Llamas and now Cecilia Vega, the increasingly likely termination of Holmes, and the questionable future of Robach, ABC's talent bench has taken a major hit. That's a serious setback for a network's talent development. That leaves Linsey Davis and Whit Johnson as major players for now.

Derick Waller was behind the desk anchoring with Michelle this morning.

Take it with a grain of salt given the sources (Page Six, People, etc.), but those outlets are citing sources indicating TJ and Amy likely won't return to GMA3. https://pagesix.com/2023/01/13/amy-robach-t-j-holmes-likely-out-at-gma3-after-affair/ https://people.com/tv/amy-robach-tj-holmes-unlikely-to-return-for-gma3-have-not-been-terminated-source/? https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/t-j-holmes-amy-robach-133818053.html?

Would like to see an afternoon hour returned to Brianna Keilar.

Has nothing to do with that. Licht has a mandate to streamline operations and cut costs.

I can't explain the decision to bench them anymore than anyone else, but this went all the way to the level of Bob Iger, who's now back as Disney's CEO, so it was not made with haste. I'm certain they consulted with PR & Public Affairs, and knew the likelihood of external media attention. As I've previously said, I agree that relationships between non-subordinate colleagues are private matters so long as they don't become workplace matters. Godwin acknowledged that their behavior (as it is currently known) did not violate any policies. Still, it sounds like this became a serious workplace distraction once the affair was brought to light which is itself an issue executives must deal with as well. Moreover, Holmes and Robach surely had to meet with HR, Godwin, and perhaps others at the company, all of which is time consuming and distracting if you're also preparing for and hosting a show the same day. There may also be more to the story that we don't know, and the decision to bench for a few days may have also been a "warning shot" to Robach and Holmes to mind their behavior. All in all, many possibilities, but ABC is not the JV team and I'm willing to believe there was a fair rationale for the decision. They were not terminated. It would not surprise me to see them back on air on Monday.