CNN Cancels Current Morning Show in Big Shakeup

The shakeups at CNN keep coming. The network has canceled the latest iteration of CNN This Morning, which has been co-anchored by Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly since August, amid a larger revamp of its entire morning schedule.

CNN This Morning was launched in 2022 by former network chief Chris Licht as part of Licht’s bigger plans for the network. Since its launch, though, CNN This Morning has not only failed to gain much traction in the ratings, per CNN, but has also been surrounded by drama. Along with reports of on-set clashes between the hosts, Don Lemon, who co-hosted the original iteration of the program alongside Harlow and Kaitlan Collins, was fired from the network in April. According to Deadline, the show averaged 326,000 viewers in January, as well as 87,000 on an HLN simulcast, falling far short of the 1.06 million for Fox News’ Fox & Friends and 1.01 million for MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

While the current iteration of the show is getting the boot, CNN This Morning isn’t completely done. Kasie Hunt’s 5 a.m. ET show Early Start will expand an hour and take on the CNN This Morning title, with the show moving from New York to Washington, DC. Per CNN, the network “is in talks with Harlow and Mattingly concerning new roles at the network.”

“What we are announcing today is a change in strategic direction and not a reflection on the talent, expertise and dedication of the New York-based editorial production and operations teams who’ve worked on our morning output – they’re among the best in the business,” new chief executive Mark Thompson wrote in a memo to staff Monday. “We will be strongly encouraging them to apply for the many new open roles that we are making available this week in Atlanta and Washington, DC, along with a number of other open roles in New York in other programming blocks.”

The change to CNN This Morning marks one of several changes to CNN’s morning slate. As part of the overhaul, CNN News Central, anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan, and Sara Sidner, will move to 7 a.m. ET and run until 10 a.m. ET, airing two hours earlier than usual. Those two hours will be filled by CNN Newsroom at 10 a.m. ET, anchored by Jim Acosta, and an hour spot anchored by Pamela Brown beginning at 11 a.m. ET called The Bulletin with Pamela Brown. Since Brown is currently on maternity leave, Wolf Blitzer will anchor the hour until she returns.The changes are set to go into effect later this month.