CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could fill the coveted primetime slot vacated by Chris Cuomo, according to a new report, the latest in a series of changes signed into law by CEO Chris Licht to make the network less partisan.
The move would see the 31-year-old former White House correspondent leave her big gig as co-host of the network’s ‘This Morning’ hour, now without Don Lemon, for the hallowed 9pm show.
The top spot has long been vacant, following Cuomo’s high-profile ban in December 2021. Ratings have languished ever since, despite a series of glitzy interviews and a revolving door of talent and hosts.
The mastermind behind these various changes has reportedly been Licht, who was hired three months after Cuomo was ousted and immediately faced the task of straightening out, and reinventing: the hectic news operation.
Most recently, the network fired one of its most outspoken and polarizing hosts, Lemon, removing him from his former role. ‘Reimagined’ morning show from 10pm to 12am That left behind co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Collins, now the talk of the town after her town hall with Donald Trump aired on the new station.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins could fill 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 prime spot has long been vacant, following Cuomo’s high-profile rejection in December 2021. Ratings have since languished, despite a series of glitzy interviews and a revolving door of talent and hosts.
CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com about the possible move, which was first reported on Wednesday by Puck News.
Simultaneously, Collins, who has become CNN’s ‘it girl’ since joining as its White House correspondent in 2017, prepared to question Trump for the first time since he was convicted of sexual abuse at trial. civil in New York presented by E. Jean. Carroll.
Many expressed dismay at the event, questioning why a historically 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 steer clear of the opinionated reporting seen during Trump’s tenure, has begun to pinpoint Collins as the next savior in the chain, and the one to succeed Cuomo after so many months, the outlet reported.
The online publication, speaking with people familiar with the matter, wrote that the promotion could be announced as early as next week and would be considerably more lucrative than Collins’ current position at network television.
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, achieved by a decidedly more centrist approach to news.
This was on full display Wednesday in New Hampshire when he grilled Trump on issues like possible rigging in the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection, all while refraining from taking a stand, as some of his predecessors might have. .
“I think when you look at that result and when you look at what happened during that election, unless you’re a very stupid person, you see that a lot of the people in this audience and probably a couple that don’t, but most people understand what what happened. That was a rigged election,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, Collins stood his ground, despite the president repeating that claim multiple times during the event.
Collins has emerged as CNN’s “hot girl” since joining as its White House correspondent in 2017 and provided an aggressive line of questioning Wednesday in New Hampsire for a network town hall with former President Trump.
The slot has been vacant since the December 2021 ouster of Chris Cuomo, who headlined the hour to great success for three years before being forced to resign for helping his brother Andrew Cuomo navigate a damning sex scandal.
The event comes as new CNN chief Chris Licht, who has repeatedly vowed to steer clear of the dogged reporting seen during Trump’s tenure, has begun tipping Collins as the network’s next savior — and the one to come. to Cuomo after so many months.
“The election was not rigged, Mr. President. You can’t keep saying that all night,’ Collins told him.
Continuing his full-court pressure, Collins added: ‘It’s been almost two and a half years. Can you see that you did lose the 2020 election?
Trump, however, remained characteristically stubborn, saying there was evidence of ballot stuffing and that people voted multiple times. No proof of this has ever been given and multiple recounts and lawsuits confirmed Biden’s victory.
A voter in the audience asked Trump if he would drop the voter fraud claims.
“Yes, unless you see voter fraud,” he said.
“We’re going to win it back and put our country right,” he added as the audience applauded.
Cuomo, after managing the time for three years, has since started a new job as an anchor for the nonpartisan NewsNation network, but its slot remains in limbo, staffed by a series of rotating hosts, as showrunners struggle to revive their dwindling audience.
At its peak, the show managed 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.
Viewing hours have been further reduced since then, putting in jeopardy Licht’s reported plans for a more sensible political commentator to become the ‘new face’ of the network.
