CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could take a primetime slot vacated by Chris Cuomo at 9 p.m. in 2021
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could take over the coveted primetime slot vacated by Chris Cuomo, according to a new report — the latest in a series of changes made by CEO Chris Licht to make the network less partisan.
The maneuver would result in the 31-year-old former White House correspondent abandoning her plum gig as co-host of the network’s now Don Lemon-less “This Morning” hour for the holy 9 p.m. show.
The top spot has long been vacant, following Cuomo’s high-profile nixing in December 2021. Ratings have languished ever since, despite a series of rousing interviews and a revolving door of talent and hosts.
The mastermind behind these various changes and experiments is said to have been Licht, who was appointed three months after Cuomo’s ouster and immediately faced the task of righting — and reinventing – the swinging news operation.
Most recently, the network terminated one of its most outspoken and polarizing hosts, Lemon, removing him from his long-held position. 10pm to 12am slot ‘reimagined’ morning show. That left co-anchors Poppy Harlow and Collins — now the talk of the town after a town hall with Donald Trump broadcast by the new station.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could take over the coveted primetime slot vacated by Chris Cuomo, according to a new report — the latest in a series of changes to make the network less partisan
The top spot has long been vacant, following Cuomo’s high-profile nixing in December 2021. The ratings have since languished, despite a string of rousing interviews and a revolving door of talent and hosts
CNN did not immediately respond to a DailyMail.com request for comment about the impending move, first reported Wednesday by Puck News.
At the same time, Collins — who has popped up as CNN’s “it-girl” since taking over as their White House correspondent in 2017 — was preparing to question Trump for the first time since he was found liable for sexual assault in a New York civil trial. , initiated by E. Jean Carroll.
Many were shocked by the event and wondered why a historic progressive network would entertain the politician, after criticizing him for much of his presidency – and at such a sensitive time.
The event comes as Licht, who has repeatedly vowed to distance himself from the wayward reporting during Trump’s term, is beginning to tap Collins as the network’s next savior, and the one who will succeed Cuomo after so many months, reported the outlet.
The online publication, speaking to insiders familiar with the matter, wrote that the promotion could be announced as early as next week — and would be significantly more lucrative than Collins’ current position with the television network.
Once a White House correspondent for the conservative publication The Daily Caller, the 31-year-old current co-host of This Morning stands out from some of her contemporaries at CNN for her more centrist approach to news.
This was on full display in New Hampshire on Wednesday as she grilled Trump on topics such as the future fraud in the 2020 election and the January 6 riot, while refraining from taking a stand herself, as some of her predecessors may have done.
“I think when you look at that result and when you look at what happened during that election, unless you’re a really stupid person, you see what a lot of people in this audience and probably a few who don’t. , but most people understand what happened. That was a rigged election,” Trump said.
Collins, meanwhile, stood his ground despite the president repeating that claim several times during the event.
Collins has popped up as CNN’s “it-girl” since she took office as their White House correspondent in 2017 and ran an aggressive line of inquiry in New Hampire on Wednesday for a network townhouse featuring former President Trump
The time slot has been vacant since the December 2021 impeachment of Chris Cuomo, who ran the hour with great success for three years before being forced to resign for helping his brother Andrew Cuomo navigate a devastating sex scandal
The event comes as new CNN boss Chris Licht, who has repeatedly vowed to distance himself from the wayward reporting during Trump’s tenure, is beginning to tap Collins as the network’s next savior, and the one to take Cuomo after so many months to follow.
“The election was not rigged, Mr. President. You can’t keep saying that all night,” Collins told him.
Collins continued her full press, adding, “It’s been almost 2 1/2 years. Can you see that you lost the 2020 election?’
Trump, however, remained characteristically stubborn, saying there was evidence of ballots and people voting multiple times. Evidence of this was never provided and multiple recounts and lawsuits confirmed Biden’s victory.
A voter in the audience asked Trump if he would drop the claims of voter fraud.
“Yes, unless I see electoral fraud,” he said.
“Let’s just win it again and put our country in order,” he added as the audience applauded.
The 52-year-old Cuomo, who manned the hour for three years, has since embarked on a new job anchor for the nonpartisan network NewsNation, but its primetime slot remains in limbo, staffed by a series of rotating hosts – as showrunners scramble to find the solution to dwindling viewership.
At its peak, the show drew just 854,000 viewers – a distant third behind Fox News’ “Hannity,” with 2.6 million viewers, and MSNBC’s “Alex Wagner Tonight,” with 1.6 million viewers.
Viewer hours have plummeted even further since the network’s last ratings release — seemingly throwing a monkey wrench into Licht’s reported plans for a more no-nonsense political commentator, to become the network’s “new face.”