Ashleigh Banfield Moves to "Newsroom" and Kyra Phillips to host her own show on HLN
CNN announced yesterday that Ashleigh Banfield is moving to the 11 AM ET airing of CNN Newsroom, while Kyra Phillips is moving to host her own show on HLN later this summer.
As previously reported, John Berman will be getting an Early Start, taking the place of Ashleigh Banfield as co-anchor with Zoraida Sambolin.
TVNewser has the internal memos from HLN Executive Vice-President Scott Safon and CNN Domestic Executive Vice-President Ken Jautz.
John Berman Joins CNN as an Anchor of Morning Show "Early Start"
CNN Press Release - Berman to Also Contribute Reports to CNN Programs Across the Day
John Berman, who served as a correspondent for ABC News and regular contributor to Good Morning America, joins CNN as an anchor of the morning program Early Start and will contribute reports to various CNN programs including The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, it was announced by Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN.
CNN's Early Start, which premiered on January 2, 2012 with hosts Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin, airs weekdays at 5 am to 7 am, ET/PT.
"We are so fortunate to have this talented and seasoned journalist join our morning show and become a regular presence on our air throughout the day. John is a skilled reporter with a passion and personality that shine through, whether he's covering the political season or his beloved Red Sox," said Jautz.
"John is an exceptional journalist who brings with him the perspective of having covered many of the last two decades most significant stories. His coverage of the past four Presidential elections, experience as an embedded journalist in Iraq, on-site reporting during the 2006 war in Lebanon, plus his pop culture interest and acumen, make him a strong asset to our team," said Mark Whitaker, CNN Worldwide executive vice president and managing editor.
"It is a pleasure to join the prestigious global news leader CNN. I am looking forward to being a part of the morning team and to contributing across CNN's lineup," said Berman.
Berman joined ABC News in 1995 and was head writer for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings from 1997 to 1999. During that time he traveled with Jennings to cover the Columbine school shooting in Colorado and to Cuba for Pope John Paul II's historic visit. Berman was part of the World News Tonight team recognized with a 2004 Edward R. Murrow award for best broadcast.
In addition to his coverage of the presidential election seasons from 2000 through 2012, Berman reported on the Indian Ocean tsunami from Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and the steroids scandal in American sports. He has also served as regular contributor to World News with Diane Sawyer, 20/20, Nightline, and ABCNews.com. A native of Carlisle, Mass., Berman graduated from Harvard University, where he was president of Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
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).
CNN Domestic's New Morning News Block Debuts Monday
CNN Domestic will kick off 2012 with two new programs debuting January 2.
"Early Start" with Ashleigh Banfield & Zoraida Sambolin will air 5:00am to 7:00am (eastern) weekdays and "Starting Point" with Soledad O'Brien will air 7:00am to 9:00am (eastern) weekdays.
CNN unveiled Twitter accounts for both shows on Thursday. You can follow @earlystartCNN and @startingptCNN for the latest from the show producers and hosts.
CNN has also released a video introducing new recruits Banfield & Sambolin. Watch the trailer from CNN below.
CNN will launch a new format of news and conversation in the morning, including a 7-9am ET show anchored by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien in 2012.
O’Brien will anchor a new conversational ensemble program that explores top issues of the day while opening the conversation to people from all walks of life. O’Brien will continue to be a special correspondent for long-form documentaries at CNN.
“I couldn’t be more eager to return to daily news, to bring conversation and context to CNN viewers in the morning. I welcome the opportunity to give voice to people who aren’t often heard, and stories that are sometimes overlooked,” says O’Brien. “I love telling people’s stories, and I’m looking forward to bringing the perspective, heart and storytelling that have worked well in our documentaries to a morning audience”
“CNN has the opportunity in the morning to cover a wider range of stories from broader perspectives,” says Executive Vice President of CNN Ken Jautz. “We are planning to offer something original in the four-hour morning block to complement our direction in primetime.”
"This is an exciting time to be relaunching our morning show, with the morning television audience more up for grabs than it has been in years," says Executive Vice President and Managing Editor of CNN Mark Whitaker, who will oversee development of the new program. "With CNN's global reach and this unique cast of superb journalists as anchors, we have the opportunity to do something truly fresh and different."
Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin will anchor from 5-7am ET, kicking off the new CNN morning block with a new program covering a broad spectrum of the day’s news from two highly personable and passionate journalists.
Shannon High will join CNN later this month and will be executive producer of both programs. Most recently, High was the executive producer of development for NBC Peacock Productions, and before that served as MSNBC’s vice president of daytime program development, and vice president and managing editor. At MSNBC she developed The Dylan Ratigan Show and oversaw Morning Joe and daytime news. An award-winning producer, High has worked in local news in Miami, Houston and Charlotte as a manager and producer.
“I've dreamed of joining CNN for more than 20 years. It’s the gold standard of news -- the brand, the people and the product. I am excited to be stepping back into a daily anchor role with such a prestigious team, and I can't wait to get started!" says Banfield.
Sambolin adds, “I am completely thrilled to be coming to CNN. Ashleigh is an accomplished journalist with an incredible wit and dynamic personality. I look forward to collaborating with her and working together to inform, enlighten and build a strong relationship with our viewers.”
Since joining the network in 2003, O’Brien has reported breaking news from around the globe—including the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, hurricane Katrina, and the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. In addition, she has produced award-winning documentaries, including the acclaimed Black in America, Latino in America and Muslim in America. Earlier this year she was part of a CNN team that won an Emmy Award for their reporting of the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. O’Brien came to CNN from NBC, where she anchored the network’s Weekend Today show from 1999-2003. She was named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists in 2010. That same year she launched a personal foundation with her husband, the Soledad O’Brien and Brad Raymond Foundation to send underprivileged youth to and through college.
Banfield has covered national and international stories including live reports from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, England, Israel (West Bank and Gaza), Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia. Most recently, she was a correspondent for ABC News, reporting for Good Morning America, 20/20 and Nightline. Prior to ABC, Banfield anchored and hosted three programs on TruTV (formerly Court TV); Banfield and Ford: Courtside, Hollywood Heat and Disorder in the Court. As a correspondent for NBC News from 2000-2004, Banfield reported for The Today Show, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and Dateline. She received Emmy Award recognition for her groundbreaking 9/11 coverage from Ground Zero in New York City.
Sambolin was the Weekday Edition co-anchor of NBC5 News Today in Chicago and special assignment reporter and fill-in news anchor for Telemundo Chicago. She also served as host of Un Buen Doctor, a weekly Spanish language medical series airing on cable stations worldwide. Before joining NBC5, Sambolin was the creator and Emmy award-winning host and executive producer of Small Talk for Parents on WYCC-TV and Nuestros Ninos on WSNS-TV from 1999 to 2002.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
TVNewser has details of possible changes at CNN's American Morning, with Soledad O'Brien coming back to anchor the last 2 hours of AM and former Court TV and current ABC News freelancer Ashleigh Banfield joining to anchor 2 hours before Soledad. If this happens, where does this leave Ali Velshi? Will he had back to Atlanta to his spot on CNN Newsroom? Remember, CNN Newsroom is losing an hour when the new fall schedule debuts.
