CNN’s new 9pm hour host Kaitlan Collins brings fresh insight after Trump dispute

Kaitlan Collins is expected to take on a new role as anchor for CNN at 9PM, one of the most competitive hours on cable-news schedule. The move comes after a recent contentious town hall interview with former President Donald Trump, during which Collins fact-checked Trump’s conspiracy theories and untruths, only to be berated and talked over by the former POTUS. Despite this, Collins’ stature at CNN has grown in recent weeks, and she has been seen holding forth at 9PM, likely as a test of her screen presence and viewer reaction. CNN has long ceded a lot of ground to its more partisan rivals, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, but its viewership has dropped off noticeably in recent months. Therefore, this move appears to be an attempt to try a bevy of new formats and new on-air assignments to counter CNN‘s declining viewership.

The pressure on CNN‘s CEO Chris Licht, who took over about a year ago, is mounting to achieve a fresh insight in these increasingly cynical times. Collins’ promotion to a high-profile hosting role could be a step toward regaining lost ground. The recent insurrection of January 6th put a spotlight on the need for accuracy and accountability in the media, and Collins exemplified these qualities by holding her ground in the face of a belligerent former President. In a statement, CNN praised Collins for delivering tough, fair, and revealing questions, and following up with real-time fact-checking attempts.

However, promoting Collins to 9PM is not without risk, as it creates a potential void in the morning program, where Collins has been working as a co-anchor. The network has not yet announced who will fill the void should Collins shift to 9PM. CNN has seen previous failures with new on-air assignments and formats, and the network may need to search for a new morning co-host or shuffle some existing anchors to find a suitable replacement for Collins.

The move also comes at a time when CNN is dealing with issues related to co-host friction and style, as seen when the network ousted Don Lemon last month after his outspoken style caused friction with his co-hosts and issues behind the scenes. Therefore, the network needs to be particularly careful when selecting co-hosting candidates and finding the right mix of personalities.

CNN is taking on the challenge of regaining its lost market share in the midst of intense competition. It faces many obstacles, but if it can leverage Collins’ skills and talents as an anchor, and assess its on-air assignments and formats effectively, it may be able to overcome these obstacles and gain back the market’s trust, even in these increasingly cynical times.

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