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David Zaslav, movie mogul at last. Zaslav’s vision board, which includes him sitting behind Jack Warner’s old desk and living in Robert Evans’ former home, is complete.

On Monday, we finally got the news we were waiting for: Warner Bros. Discovery, formed just three years earlier via the merger of Zaslav’s Discovery, Inc. and AT&T’s WarnerMedia, is being split back up. Zaslav keeps the goods: HBO, HBO Max and the Warner Bros. studios (including TV and DC). His righthand man, Wbd CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, gets the leftovers — the cable channels, basically. Oh yeah, and Gunnar also gets the “majority” of Wbd’s $37 billion debt load. That makes Wiedenfels the Mark Lazarus in this Versant copycat situation — if Versant was buried in debt.

Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it better — for Zaslav. (Ironic considering his unfavorable positioning during the writers guild strike.)

Zaslav, a former attorney, started...

After a two-year stint managing CNN’s business during a leadership and strategy transition, David Leavy is heading back to his longtime home at parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

The executive had joined as chief operating officer of the cable news network during the short-lived Chris Licht-led era then stepped in to co-lead the brand days later after Licht was fired in June 2023.

“David arrived at CNN in tumultuous times and did a brilliant job stabilizing the company at a difficult moment,” read a note from CNN president Mark Thompson to staff on Wednesday. “During the transition he led CNN jointly with Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling and played a central part helping me into my role as chairman and CEO before, as COO, leading multiple organizations and teams across revenue, promotion, operations and data.”

Leavy, who had spent two decades at Discovery prior to parachuting in...

David Leavy is departing his position as chief operating officer of CNN Worldwide and will return to parent Warner Bros. Discovery.

Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN, wrote that Leavy “has decided to return to a role at Warner Bros. Discovery in the weeks ahead.”

Leavy has served as COO for the past two years, having previously served as chief corporate affairs officer for Wbd.

His move from Wbd was announced in June, 2023, just before Chris Licht’s tenure leading CNN came to an end. In the interim, Leavy and Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling led the network, before Thompson’s hire.

“David fell in love with CNN from the moment he walked in and has supported and championed our journalism and our great brand ever since,” Thompson wrote in a memo to staffers. “He’s always been a voice for change and confidence in the future.

David Leavy, a longtime key lieutenant of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, is leaving his current chief operating officer role at CNN and returning to the network’s parent, according to two people familiar with the matter.

“David arrived at CNN in tumultuous times and did a brilliant job stabilizing the company at a difficult moment. During the transition he led CNN jointly with Amy Entelis, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling and played a central part helping me into my role as chairman and CEO before, as COO, leading multiple organizations and teams across revenue, promotion, operations and data,” said Mark Thompson, CNN’s chairman and CEO, in a memo to staff Wednesday. “David fell in love with CNN from the moment he walked in and has supported and championed our journalism and our great brand ever since. He’s always been a voice for change and confidence in the future.

CNN on Thursday announced major layoffs and a new strategic plan, in a post-election maneuver meant to help transform the cable channel during a challenging time for the media business.

CEO Mark Thompson announced the news to staff Thursday morning, adding that CNN would cut about 6 percent of jobs, or about 200 people. He adds that the company is actively recruiting for hundreds of new roles, with about 100 expected to be filled in the next few months, thanks to a $70 million investment from parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

“The changes we’re announcing today are part of an ongoing response by this great news organization to profound and irreversible shifts in the way audiences in America and around the world consume news,” Thompson wrote.

Among the changes are a new streaming service, as CNN plans “to develop a new way for digital subscribers at home and abroad to stream news programming...

Depending on who you ask, CNN anchor Jim Acosta is getting a chance to speak to a much broader audience with an assignment at a new and non-traditional time slot, or he’s being removed entirely from the usual daily discussion around the news.

Executives at CNN have asked Acosta to take a new role, anchoring a show that would air from midnight to 2 a.m. on the eastern coast of the U.S., according to two people familiar with the matter. Even so, the show has been pitched a chance to deliver live breaking news to audiences on the West coast and overseas at times when viewers in those regions are still active and craving information.

The offer was issued this week, according to these people, and Acosta, who gained a broader profile at CNN with his coverage of the White House during the first administration of President Donald Trump,...

If there’s one pair that viewers have come to love for New Year’s Eve shenanigans, it’s Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. And yes, the two will be reuniting to ring in 2025.

For the last six years, the duo has hosted “CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live,” most often going viral for drunken moments on air as the night goes on. In 2022, then-cnn head Chris Licht announced that on-air personnel wouldn’t be allowed to drink during the network’s programming, with the logic being that on-camera drinking damaged the credibility of reporters in the eyes of viewers.

Cooper and Cohen were technically exempt from that mandate, but opted not to drink anyway, in solidarity with their fellow on-air talent. Instead, they took mystery shots of non-alcoholic beverages throughout the night, ranging from pickle juice to buttermilk.

So, what will this year bring? We’ve got the details for you below.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen are officially returning to ring in 2025 on CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live.”

This will mark the dynamic duo’s eighth consecutive year as co-hosts of the network’s Nye coverage, where they’ll broadcast live from Times Square in New York City starting at 8 p.m. Et. In addition to airing on CNN, “New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” will also stream live on Max and live TV streamers such as DirecTV.

Stream 'New Year's Eve Live' On Directv

The night’s guests will include 50 Cent live from his Las Vegas residency, Sting, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, Diplo and Lil Jon. Mickey Guyton will sing “Imagine” live from Times Square and Patti Labelle, Whitney Cummings, Amy Sedaris, Sasheer Zamata, Ziwe and Adam Devine will also make an appearance.

Back in October, Cohen hinted to Variety that he...

Variety earned 14 first-place wins Sunday night at the 17th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including trophies for print journalist of the year, film critic, investigative reporting and news photo.

Chris Willman, chief music critic and senior writer, packed a punch with four wins including print journalist of the year. Tatiana Siegel, executive editor of film and media, won two top investigative categories. The ceremony was held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and presented by the Los Angeles Press Club.

“We are so proud of the work produced across Variety every day. These big wins reinforce that we have the largest and strongest team of entertainment business journalists in the world,” said Cynthia Littleton and Ramin Setoodeh, co-Editors in Chief of Variety.

Here’s a rundown of Variety‘s wins:

Chris Willman’s singular voice and prolific output earned him the print journalist of the year honor.

CNN is giving primetime anchor Kaitlan Collins an expanded role at the cable news channel.

Collins will become CNN’s chief White House correspondent, a critical role that will see her lead coverage of the incoming Trump administration. The journalist will continue to anchor the 9 p.m. hour on CNN, though she will relocate from New York to Washington, D.C.

“Kaitlan Collins is the perfect person to lead coverage of the new Trump White House, even as she continues to anchor her key primetime show The Source,” said CNN chairman and CEO Mark Thompson in a statement. “Kaitlan is a political journalist of real depth and tenacity who already boasts an amazing record of scoops and exclusive interviews. I’m excited to see what new heights she scales as she combines this key new posting with her duties as a major CNN anchor.”

Collins was tapped to lead the 9 p.

Chris Licht has had nothing but time since leaving CNN nearly a year and a half ago.

The veteran news and media executive said Tuesday that he has been doing some consulting, taking meetings (about 275, to be precise), teaching a class at Syracuse University on the future of media, spending time with his family and trying to get his pilot’s license. But he also sounds like he is ready to get back into the media business, though in what form remains to be seen.

“Whatever I do next, I don’t want it to be something that isn’t building and forward looking, but no one really knows where things are headed,” Licht said at the Yahoo Finance Invest conference in New York Tuesday. “There’s a lot of people working on satiating what is a massive desire to consume content, whether it’s in entertainment or news, and...

The Hollywood Reporter earned 53 nominations for the 17th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, including best website and two noms for journalist of the year.

Seth Abramovitch was nominated for print journalist of the year, Mesfin Fekadu for online journalist of the year, Lovia Gyarkye for best film critic and Daniel Fienberg for best television critic. David Rooney was nominated for best theater and performing arts critic, and Fekadu was again nominated for best music critic.

In the celebrity investigation category, Gary Baum was nominated for his June 2024 story “Get Me Bryan Freedman!” which followed the entertainment power lawyer in his work with clients such as Megyn Kelly, Bethenny Frankel, Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon. THR‘s story “Will Ferrell on Navigating His Best Friend’s Transition in ‘Will & Harper'” was also nominated in the same category, with reporting from Seija Rankin, Jason Rovou, Stephanie Fischette and editors-in-chief...

Ken Jautz, a 36-year veteran of CNN who has been part of its leadership team, will depart at the end of the year.

CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson said in a memo to staffers that Jautz “has decided he is ready for a new chapter.”

Jautz has most recently served as executive vice president, operations. He also was a member of “the quad,” one of four interim leaders of the network after the exit of Chris Licht and the arrival of Thompson months later.

Thompson wrote, “It is difficult to capture the impact Ken has had on our brand. He covered many of the international stories that helped put CNN on the map, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. During the First Gulf War, he was instrumental in enabling CNN to become the first network to broadcast live coverage from a warzone.

People who want to see what Brian Stelter has planned for CNN’s “Reliable Sources” media newsletter won’t have to wait as long as they might think.

Starting Monday, “Rs” will publish each weekday morning, Monday through Friday, and the next edition — the first to be issued since Stelter returned to CNN last week after a two-year absence — could post as soon as 30 minutes after the article you are reading right now sees the light of day.

The A.M. posting and the new five-days-a-week schedule -– “Reliable Sources” had most recently been published evenings Monday through Thursday — are “experimental, in beta mode,” says Stelter, during a brief conversation Sunday evening, while he worked on the newsletter and prepared his kids to get ready for bed. “I also think there’s a space to be a little more forward looking to the day ahead,” he adds, noting that the...

Longtime journalist Brian Stelter is returning to CNN two years after the cable news network canceled his show. Stelter previously hosted CNN’s Reliable Sources from 2013 to 2022 before the network axed the show amid a company-wide shake-up led by then CEO Chris Licht. Despite being let go, Reliable Sources continued in newsletter form, authored by critic Oliver Darcy. However, Darcy announced his departure from CNN in August. “Hello again, it’s Brian Stelter — yes, really,” Stelter wrote in Tuesday’s (September 3) edition of the Reliable Sources newsletter, where he confirmed his return to the network. “I am thrilled to share that I am returning as the lead author of CNN’s Reliable Sources newsletter, the digest I founded in 2015.” Stelter said his return to the company isn’t going to be “a Back to the Future remake,” noting, “The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed...

Brian Stelter is returning to CNN as chief media analyst and author of its Reliable Sources newsletter.

Stelter departed CNN in 2022, several months after Chris Licht became CEO and cancelled his Sunday show, Reliable Sources.

“I’m returning to CNN in a brand new role as Chief Media Analyst, which means I’ll be appearing on air, developing digital content, and helming this newsletter,” Stelter wrote in a message to email subscribers. “It will be different, because I am different.”

He added, “I always scoffed at people who said “getting fired was the best thing that’s ever happened to me” — until, well, it happened to me. After 20+ years as a news junkie, I changed my habits and tuned out for a bit. I also changed my vantage point, moving from Manhattan to a horse farm near one of Donald Trump’s golf clubs. I experienced the news more like an everyday consumer,...

Brian Stelter is returning to CNN as chief media analyst and the author of the “Reliable Sources” newsletter, two years after being let go from the network.

Stelter founded the media newsletter in 2015 and intends to “reimagine” the digest’s content, which will officially relaunch on Sept. 9 after a brief hiatus.

Serving as CNN’s chief media analyst, a newly created role, Stelter will appear in on air programming and help develop digital content for the network, alongside his newsletter duties.

Stelter reintroduced himself to “Reliable Sources” readers in an email announcing his return.

“This is not going to be a ‘Back to the Future’ remake,” Stelter wrote. “The media industry has matured, CNN has evolved, and I have changed a lot since I signed off two years ago.”

“It will be different, because I am different,” he added.

Stelter exited the network in August 2022, shortly after Warner Bros. and Discovery merged,...

Brian Stelter is back at CNN.

In an email to subscribers of CNN’s “Reliable Sources” media newsletter, Stelter said he will be returning as the lead author of the publication he founded in 2015. He said he will relaunch the newsletter on Sept. 9. In addition, Stelter will make on-air appearances on CNN as a commentator and create “digital content.”

Under CNN’s previous leadership regime, the news network parted ways with Stelter after cancelling the TV show (also called “Reliable Sources”) in 2022. Stelter returns to pick up the mantle of “Reliable Sources” newsletter after the exit last month of Oliver Darcy, who had come aboard to work on the newsletter and was assigned to keep the newsletter moving. Darcy has launched a newsletter called “Status,” covering media, entertainment and the tech industry.

“But this is not going to be a ‘Back to the Future’ remake,” Stelter wrote in the email Tuesday.

Two years after his show Reliable Sources was canceled by CNN, Brian Stelter is rejoining the media network.

“I’m returning to CNN in a brand new role as Chief Media Analyst,” the reporter announced in an edition of the network’s Reliable Sources newsletter on Tuesday. “I’ll be appearing on air, developing digital content, and helming this newsletter.” Stelter noted that his newsletter start date will be Sept. 9.

Stelter had exited CNN in August 2022 during the tumultuous tenure of former CEO Chris Licht, whose short run at the network lasted 13 months and included numerous on-air lineup changes and uneven programming swings. At the time, Reliable Sources had been a staple on TV since 1993.

Now under the leadership of former New York Times and BBC chief Mark Thompson, the cable news network has been shaking up its coverage again, including with a new organization structure and a rethink of...

CNN wants to take a deep dive into TV history with its newest original series.

The cable news channel has picked up a four-episode series called TV On the Edge, with each episode exploring a defining TV moment that shaped popular culture and which will showcase “the power of television, the legacy of these iconic events, and the impact they have had on our lives.”

The series will debut on Sunday, September 22 at 9 p.m., with future episodes also running in that time period.

Among the moments featured on the program are Vice President Dan Quayle’s attack on the sitcom Murphy Brown for its portrayal of single motherhood. The series will include interviews with star Candice Bergen, as well as showrunner Diane English, writer Korby Siamis, and director Barnet Kellman. Other episodes will feature appearances from journalists, comedians, politicians and culture critics discussing the moments.

Among those moments: Ellen DeGeneres...

Updated, with CNN comment: Oliver Darcy, who has been the top media reporter for CNN and author of its Reliable Sources newsletter, is departing the network and launching his own newsletter.

In an email sent out today, Darcy introduced Status, which will land in inboxes each evening.

“Drawing on a deep well of sourcing and industry expertise, Status delivers hard-hitting reporting and unflinching analysis on the Fourth Estate, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley,” Darcy wrote. “There will be no sugarcoating, no pulling punches, no sparing sensitive egos – just the unvarnished truth about the companies and individuals who shape our world.”

The newsletter will be a subscription offering but also seeking advertising support. “Status is proudly independent and relies on its readers’ for support,” the email read.

“In nearly a decade on the beat, seven years of which were for CNN, Darcy has built a reputation for consistently delivering consequential scoops and...

Layoffs will once again hit CNN as the cable news channel reorganizes in a push to expand its digital businesses.

CNN CEO Mark Thompson outlined his digital vision in a lengthy memo to staff Wednesday morning, announcing plans to build a flurry of digital products, including a subscription offering before the end of the year, plans to launch other paid offerings built around lifestyle journalism and a “strategic push into AI.”

In his note, Thompson said that about 100 roles will be cut, representing just shy of 3 percent of CNN’s workforce. He will host a town hall with staff later in the day to further elaborate on the plan.

“Wherever possible, we’ve closed open positions rather than target currently occupied roles,” Thompson wrote. “However, some of our colleagues will learn today that their jobs are being eliminated or are at risk.”

CNN last had significant layoffs in late 2022 under previous CEO Chris Licht.

CNN aims to return to the recipe that gave its viewers explorers of international cuisine such as Anthony Bourdain and Stanley Tucci.

After announcing in October of 2022 that the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed outlet would pull back on the efforts that made it a name in original documentary series and films — ostensibly to cut costs at a time when its corporate parent was grappling with significant debt — CNN wants to get back into the business of developing original non-fiction series and movies.

“I think we are very much in the rebuild phase,” Amy Entelis, executive vice president for talent and content, tells Variety during a recent interview.

Mark Thompson, named in August to oversee CNN following a tumultuous run under predecessor Chris Licht, has articulated a strategy of building out new areas and verticals that can help the company win more customers and viewers. Original series would seem to be one of them.

Dawn Porter’s documentary about R&b icon Luther Vandross, “Luther: Never Too Much,” has been acquired by CNN Films in partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), IndieWire can reveal exclusively.

The documentary film, which first premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, will debut in 2025 first on television on CNN and OWN before it lands on Max.

The acquisition is encouraging news for CNN Films, which back in 2022 under former boss Chris Licht scaled back on its original documentary films. The brand moved away from acquisitions or commissioning projects and opted instead for newsy, quick turnaround docs produced in-house.

But CNN Films also partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios on this fall’s release of “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” so the two acquisitions, both from this year’s Sundance, is a positive step forward for the documentary brand.

“Luther: Never Too Much” chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso,...

CNN is planning a return to the travel-food genre after pulling back from original series under former CEO Chris Licht.

The channel said Wednesday that it would be rebooting its Searching For franchise, with Eva Longoria set to host a new series, Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain. The new series will debut in 2025 on CNN, with Hyphenate Media Group producing the program.

“I am thrilled to be partnering once again with CNN to bring this culinary and cultural journey through Spain to life,” said Longoria in a statement. “I have always been captivated by the people, energy, and vibrant culture of Spain, and I am excited to explore my own ties to this region and share the hidden gems that have helped make it a personal favorite.”

It was Stanley Tucci who created the Searching For series with his Searching For Italy, despite winning Emmy Awards for three straight years,...

ABC News President Kim Godwin is departing the network, just three months after Debra OConnell was appointed to oversee ABC News operations and evaluate Goodwin’s performance.

Godwin stepped down on Sunday night, announcing her departure in an email to staffers which read, “I have decided to retire from broadcast journalism.”

“Anyone who’s passionate about what we do knows there’s no other business like it, so this was not an easy or quick decision,” Godwin continued. “But after considerable reflection, I’m certain it’s the right one for me as I look to the future and prioritize what’s most important for me and my family.”

“I leave with my head held high and wish the entire team continued success,” Godwin added in her memo to staff.

No successor has been named as Godwin’s replacement at this time. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Sunday.

Poppy Harlow and CNN are parting ways after the news outlet put the veteran correspondent through a whirlwind era as one of the co-anchors of an ill-conceived morning program that was ultimately scrapped.

CNN executives “have been wonderful and have given me the space to make this decision,” Harlow said in a memo to colleagues Friday. “I am very grateful to them.”

The decision to leave was Harlow’s, according to people familiar with the matter. CNN executives had come up with a handful of ideas for a new role following the network’s decision to cancel the A.M. program she had been anchoring, most recently with Phil Mattingly. Mattingly has since been named a national correspondent. Harlow felt she wanted to take a break and survey other options that might be available to her, according to one of the people familiar with the situation.

She could probably use some time off.

King Charles, CNN’s once-a-week talker featuring Gayle King and Charles Barkley, ended last week with no plans to extend the limited series.

The show averaged about a half-million viewers in its debut but trailed its rivals in its 10 p.m. Et time slot on Wednesdays. It was announced as a limited-run series to begin with, featuring two high-profile personalities in conversation about major events and cultural moments.

The show also was a signature feature of then-ceo Chris Licht’s plans to overhaul the network’s primetime lineup with big-name personalities hosting shows once or twice a week. Although that’s a bit unconventional for cable news, MSNBC has had success with Rachel Maddow’s show since it went to just Mondays in 2022, as she had signed a new contract for fewer days.

King Charles ultimately debuted after Licht had departed and a new CEO, Mark Thompson, had joined. He has made some programming changes,...

The reign of King Charles on CNN has officially ended.

The CNN limited series televised its final episode last week, with co-hosts Charles Barkley and Gayle King signing off with thanks for staff and compliments for each other.

“I will say this: I have loved working with you and something tells me Charles, this will not be the last time that we’re working together,” King said.

“Call me Gayle,” Barkley replied.

“We will see you the next time whenever we see you,” King told viewers. “Thanks so much for being with us for the past six months. We had a blast.”

A CNN spokesperson noted that the show was announced as a limited series, with a defined end date of spring 2024.

“King Charles has come to the end of its limited run as we announced when it launched last fall and was a great addition to CNN’s lineup,...

In the basement of a car dealership in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District last spring, The Messenger chairman and CEO Jimmy Finkelstein addressed a throng of New York’s media elite. Finkelstein was there to unveil his grand plans for a new website that he claimed would revolutionize the news, talking a big game in the process.

“When I was at The Hill, we did 125 million visits a month,” he told the gathering that featured media heavyweights Barry Diller, Kara Swisher, Chris Licht and Jen Psaki. “It was the second highest political site next to CNN. That’s with 70ish journalists and maybe 90 people in the editorial. Here, we are going to have hundreds of journalists. We are not just covering politics, we are covering sports, we are covering business, we are covering entertainment. So it’s hard to imagine why we couldn’t do it.”

Sitting in the crowd watching...

Updated: CNN is dropping the latest iteration of CNN This Morning as part of a shake-up of its morning lineup.

Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly have anchored the show since August, after several lineup changes since its debut in the fall of 2022. Kasie Hunt’s 5 a.m. Et show, known as Early Start, will expand an hour and take on the CNN This Morning title.

Changes will go into effect later this month.

CNN News Central, meanwhile, will move to 7 a.m. Et and run until 10 a.m. Et, with anchors John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner.

Jim Acosta, who has anchored a weekend show, will anchor CNN Newsroom at 10 a.m. Et and Pamela Brown will anchor an 11 a.m. Et hour starting in the spring. Wolf Blitzer will anchor the hour until she returns from maternity leave. Brown’s show will be called The Bulletin with Pamela Brown.

CNN has told staff it is moving its much-hyped Chris Licht-era morning show, This Morning, from New York to its Atlanta headquarters, two people familiar with the matter have told The Hollywood Reporter.

The show’s 50-person team have been told they can reapply for jobs within the network, according to the people familiar. Phil Mattingly and Poppy Harlow will be moving to new roles, per sources.

CNN will move up its News Central show, hosted by John Berman, Sara Sidner and Kate Bolduan, to help fill the time slot. Early Start host Kasie Hunt will anchor from 5 a.m.-7 a.m. Et, News Central moves from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. and Jim Acosta signs on at 10 a.m. Et.

The network declined comment.

CNN’s new chief, Mark Thompson, sent a note to staffers, below:

Dear all,

I wanted to let the whole CNN family know...

CNN is turning some of the lights out on its efforts to produce morning news.

The network is revamping its entire A.M. schedule as the Warner Bros. Discovery-based cable news outlet continues to grapple with poor ratings.

Poppy Harlow and Phil Mattingly, who co-anchor “CNN This Morning,” will leave the line-up, while Kasie Hunt’s early-morning program will take on an extra hour. Her show, “Early Start,” will run from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., and will take on the “CNN This Morning” title. CNN will then move “CNN News Central,” anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner, to a 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot, with Jim Acosta and Pamela Brown taking over new hours at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The moves mean, as CNN CEO Mark Thompson said in a note to staffers Monday, that “we will no longer produce morning programming in...

E. Jean Carroll will have her first televised interview following the verdict in her latest Donald Trump trial with Rachel Maddow, MSNBC announced Friday.

The interview is set for Monday (Jan. 29) during the next episode of “The Rachel Maddow Show” at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific.

MSNBC Exclusive: @Maddow will sit down with E. Jean Carroll on #Trms for her first interview since former President Trump was ordered to pay more than $83M in damages for defaming her.

Tune in on Monday at 9pm Et on @MSNBC.

— MSNBC Public Relations (@Msnbcpr) January 27, 2024

On Friday, following a contentious trial in which the disgraced former president often acted with blatant contempt of court, Trump was order to pay Caroll $83.3 million in damages for defaming her. The judgement stemmed from comments Trump made in May, during the ill-advised CNN townhall in May, 2023, that ultimately got the network’s president Chris Licht fired.

CNN, meet Sin City.

As CNN appears poised to expand its original series offerings, the cable channel has set its next series: Vegas: The Story of Sin City.

The series will premiere Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m., and will explore “the past seventy years of America’s cultural maturation through the lens of this unique city, featuring the entertainment acts, the visionary entrepreneurs, the infamous mafia figures, and the colorful political history that put it on the map,” per CNN.

That will include interviews with Vegas icons like Wayne Newton and Paul Anka, as well as journalists, showgirls, and historians. The series is produced for CNN by Bungalow Media+ Entertainment.

“Vegas is another of our acclaimed CNN Original Series that brings new life and color to major stories and events in our collective history,” said Amy Entelis, executive VP of talent for CNN Originals, and creative development for CNN Worldwide.

CNN’s CEO Mark Thompson laid out a strategy for the news organization, focusing on integrating linear TV and digital news units, and boosting its presence and innovation on smart phones and other mobile devices.

In a memo to employees sent today (read it below), Thompson called his plans a “true multimedia strategy,” including the combination of the leadership of the international, domestic and digital news operations.

Virginia Moseley has been named to a new role as executive editor of CNN and Mike McCarthy, who had been general manager of CNN International, will be managing editor. “As far as possible we want single integrated teams to cover stories for all platforms,” he wrote.

Thompson also announced the hiring of Alex MacCallum as the new executive vice president of digital products and services, tasked with developing new digital products and “the subscription and other relationships with users that will make CNN once again indispensable to younger,...

Former CNN personality Don Lemon is returning to broadcasting via the website formerly known as Twitter.

Lemon announced Tuesday that he has partnered with X for a new streaming series, aptly titled The Don Lemon Show.

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“I’ve heard you… and today I am back, bigger, bolder, freer!” Lemon wrote on Elon Musk’s social media platform. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone,...

Don Lemon appears to have a sweet new deal with social-media giant X.

The former CNN anchor, who parted ways with the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed news outlet last year after he was moved to duties on its morning program, said Tuesday that he had launched a new media company and would be debuting a new program via X.

The new program, “The Don Lemon Show,” will allow him to be “bigger, bolder, freer,” Lemon said in a posting. The show “will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free speech in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.”

“Don’s new company...

Don Lemon is returning to the media landscape, with a new media company and show on X. Lemon announced the news on X (fka Twitter) Tuesday morning

“I’ve heard you …and I am back, bigger, bolder, freer!,” he wrote. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show. It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free space in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.”

The move comes nine months after Lemon was let go from CNN after a divisive several months and 17 years with the network as one of its most recognizable stars.

Lemon also...

CNN has named Kyung Lah as a senior investigative correspondent, joining the news network’s investigative team, while Ryan Young becomes a senior national correspondent, based in Atlanta.

Lah had covered the 2024 presidential campaign, including disinformation around the results of the 2020 presidential election and the state-level efforts to authorize the election results. Born in South Korea and raised in the U.S., Lah earned Walter Cronkite Awards for excellence in TV political journalism in 2023.

Earlier, she served as the Tokyo correspondent for CNN, covering the devastating 2011 earthquake in Japan and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima. Lah, now based in Los Angeles, also reported extensively across East Asia, interviewing political leaders in the region.

And she served as a national correspondent for CNN Newsource, based out of Washington, DC. Young, already based in Atlanta, is a veteran of law enforcement coverage across the U.S. Recently, he reported from Nashville as...

Athan Stephanopoulos is stepping down as EVP and Chief Digital Officer of CNN, as CEO Mark Thompson focuses on a new structure for the network.

Stephanopoulos joined the network in fall 2022 under then-ceo Chris Licht.

In a statement sent to employees, Stephanopoulos said: “In my discussions with Mark since his arrival, there was much we agreed on, in particular that innovative high quality digital news services would be increasingly important for CNN’s future success. But it also became clear that Mark had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter.”

Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

Thompson said that Stephanopoulos...

New CNN CEO Mark Thompson is contemplating a new structure and vision for CNN, and that will include a rethink of the news organization’s digital strategy.

To that end, Thompson told employees Wednesday morning that CNN executive VP and chief digital officer Athan Stephanopoulos will leave the company at the end of January.

“Since his arrival, Athan has been a strong and capable leader of our digital team and a collaborative colleague across the organization,” Thompson wrote. “I know that everyone who’s worked alongside him at CNN will want to join me in thanking him for everything he’s done for us and to wish him every success in his next chapter.”

Stephanopoulos joined CNN in Oct. 2022, filling a role that had been a priority for then-ceo Chris Licht. He was previously the president of the digital news brand NowThis.

“In my discussions with Mark since his arrival,...

Athan Stephanopoulos will leave his role as chief digital officer of CNN as the news outlet’s new chief starts to implement his strategic vision for the Warner Bros. Discovery property.

In a memo issued Wednesday, Stephanopoulos said that Mark Thompson, CNN”s new chief, “had his own vision of how he wanted digital operations to be organized. In order to give him the freest hand possible to structure and shape the organization moving forward, I felt that now was the best time for me to step back from my role and move on to a new chapter. I sincerely wish CNN and each of you great success in the path ahead.”

This marks the second turnover of digital executives at CNN since Warner Bros. Discovery took over management of the operation as part of its purchase of WarnerMedia assets from AT&T in August of 2022. In June of 2022, CNN parted...

Martha Stewart didn’t talk to CNN for a new original documentary series the news outlet has produced about her. But she’s still the star of the show.

“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” is a four-part series produced by CNN Studios, a division devoted to longer-form and enterprise programming in the wake of a strategic decision made in 2022 to scale back big ambitions to compete in the documentary arena. Under previous leader Jeff Zucker, CNN extended its aegis to the world of film festivals and documentary series led by notables such as Anthony Bourdain, Lisa Ling and W. Kamau Bell.

A good chunk of that work was scrapped after Warner Bros. Discovery, a big player in the world of cost-conscious reality programming, took over CNN, and installed a leader, Chris Licht, who had a mandate to pare operations. Months later, CNN would win an Oscar for a documentary...

Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper rang in 2024 with some boozing on live television — bringing back alcohol consumption to CNN after staying sober for last year’s New Year’s Eve broadcast.

“It’s the top of the hour and we’ve been here for seven years doing this, and for most of those years at the top of the hour we typically have a toast,” Cohen said early on in the broadcast, turning to Cooper. “I’m hearing from a lot of people…does Daddy get his juice?”

“Can Daddy get his juice responsibly?” Cooper asked, before Cohen pulled out a bottle of tequila and shot glasses, and both imbibed to start the show.

Back in November 2022, then-ceo Chris Licht announced that CNN would be dialing down alcohol consumption for its New Year’s telecast. Regular host Cohen was quick to claim that that rule, in fact, did not apply to him as a host,...

Every year, The Streamable looks deep into our crystal ball to predict the future. We correctly predicted CNN+ would crash and burn. And we called the dip in Disney+ subscriptions and the Paramount+ price hike and inclusion of Showtime.

In 2023, the tides turned in the streaming wars. While the past 4 years have seen rapid expansion of streaming services, this year saw consolidation as the prime strategy. Where will 2024 take us? Let’s find out.

1. The Rsn Landscape Completely Unravels

This year saw an interesting number of defections from the Rsn (regional sports network) model. Teams like the Chicago Cubs, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Vegas Golden Knights launched their own streaming apps. In the case of the NBA teams, those games are now available free with an antenna.

Ratings for live games on an over-the-air broadcast outlet are often two to three times larger than what they pull on a regional sports network.

Class Superlatives Prom Queen And King Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce

The most talked-about entertainer of the year and the Super Bowl-winning podcaster combined their forces — and audiences — to forge the kind of four-quadrant cultural phenomenon the industry hasn’t seen in ages. Well, except for …

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Combined global box office gross: $2.4 billion

Worst Homecoming Performance Bob Iger

He rode back into town last year like a high-eq white knight to rescue the Magic Kingdom from his flailing handpicked successor, only to be cast as one of the principal villains of the strikes and architect of Disney’s “Dewokening.”

Most Unsettling Yearbook Photo Donald Trump Fulton County Sheriffs Office Mugshot Most Invincible Marvel Villain Audiences

Tepid reviews and lackluster box office for the latest entries in the franchise — particularly November’s The Marvels — are indications that superhero fatigue is finally setting in, a threat to the Marvel Universe more destructive than Thanos.

Exactly one year after CNN canceled his popular travel food series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, the actor will hit the Autostrade once more, this time for National Geographic.

The Disney-owned nonfiction content company has ordered a new 10-part docuseries called Tucci — The Heart of Italy. The series bears a striking similarity to his late CNN series, following Tucci “as he unlocks the distinct flavors that define each region and discovers the rich versatility of Italy through those he meets along the journey.”

Tucci’s Salt Productions and BBC Studios’ Factual Productions are producing the series for National Geographic, with production set to begin next month.

“National Geographic is all about adventure and exploration, and I am honored to take viewers once again to explore Italy through the lens of food,” said Tucci in a statement. “In Italy’s many distinct regions there is always something new to discover and...

At least one auld acquaintance won’t be present for CNN’s annual coverage of the nation’s New Year’s Eve festivities.

Sara Sidner and Cari Champion will take over the Warner Bros. Discovery network’s wee-hours broadcast on New Year’s Eve, holding forth from Austin, Texas, during a slot that for years served as a showcase for raucous antics from Don Lemon. Lemon and CNN parted ways earlier this year after management tried to move him from a prominent primetime show to the network’s morning program.

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will return as hosts of CNN’s main coverage of the evening. The broadcast will feature performances by Enrique Iglesias, Maroon 5, Jonas Brothers, Flo Rida, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker and Rod Stewart and live interviews with Patti Labelle, Jeremy Renner, Neil Patrick Harris, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers.

Will alcohol be served? Imbibing has been...

CNN’s debut of King Charles, the new show featuring Gayle King and Charles Barkley, premiered to 510,000 viewers, according to Nielsen fast national early numbers.

The show’s total viewing audience was well behind rivals: Fox News’ Gutfeld! topped the time slot with 1.97 million viewers, and MSNBC averaged 1.62 million with The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.

The CNN show, however, did edge out MSNBC in the 25-54 demo, averaging 139,000, compared to 132,000 for MSNBC’s The Last Word and 257,000 for Fox News’ Gutfeld!

King Charles is a once-a-week 10 p.m. Et show on Wednesday evening, and the first show guests included Steve Kerr. The show was part of then-cnn CEO Chris Licht’s strategy of programming primetime with star names. Licht was let go from the network in June, but CNN went forward with the King-Barkley show, which is a limited series that will run through early next year.

CNN Newsnight with Abby Phillip,...