CNN Domestic today debuted its new morning news block of "Early Start" and "Starting Point".

Early reaction to CNN's 5am show "Early Start" has been mixed on our forum with users commenting:

Lazlo: "It has potential to be a show that I could watch regularly when I'm up early enough."

Axl0706: "They are really working hard to come across as relaxed, cute and kinda funny. That's fine for their first show, but I hope they are going to cut it out starting tomorrow, because it's already beginning to be a little annoying."

Charles: "...the content isn't all that different from Wake Up Call, but we all know by now that CNN can never do a program with content that's truly unique from everything else on the schedule. Ashleigh and Zoraida appear to have good on air presence, but I really hope the light banter isn't permanent. I think it's in CNN's best interests to differentiate themselves from the other morning cable programs by focusing more on the news and less on anchor banter."

excel99: "Very good choice of anchors. Bright (at 5am!) and seemingly genuine chemistry. Encouraging to see the show not lead on politics. But very low 'volume' of stories, even as brief headlines. Wouldn't have wanted to watch to get updated on the latest news. Did not like the 'phoning someone up who wasn't warned in advance' feature. A best a gimmick, at worse it's what is expected from an entertainment show, not a news channel."

madaboutpenny: "Compelling reason to wake up extra early to watch this show? Not-so-much. Except I will say that this Zoraida Sambolin lady is super-solid. Ashleigh Banfield has always (and continues to) get on my nerves a bit. She's very... interrupt-y. And it's not just nerves."

Geoffrey: "...Also, the wake up call segment was weird. They teased this hugely famous person and it was Kerry Kennedy. Didn't exactly live up to the promotion and hearing someone who just woke up stumbling to come up with coherent thoughts for a few minutes is not what I want to see when I just wake up and turn on CNN. (Wolf Blitzer was the unlucky victim in the 6:00 hour.) And it didn't seem like they covered that many stories but, as someone said earlier, it could be because of Iowa (or it could just be what CNN and the rest of cable does these days: only a few stories an hour)."

Watch the first 30 seconds of "Early Start" below from CNN.



Meanwhile, "Starting Point" with Soledad O'Brien debuted with a live broadcast from Waveland Cafe in Des Moines, Iowa; kicking off CNN's coverage of Tuesday's Iowa caucuses. Watch the opening moments of "Starting Point" from CNN below.


"Early Start" with Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin airs weekdays from 5:00am to 7:00am (eastern) and "Early Start" with Soledad O'Brien airs weekdays from 7:00am to 9:00am (eastern).