Kasie Hunt Aims to Scramble CNN’s Morning With 6 A.M. Hour That Isn’t Politics-Only

As a seasoned movie critic with a penchant for political news and a soft spot for morning shows, I found myself utterly captivated by Kasie Hunt‘s journey at CNN. Much like how a good film unfolds, her career trajectory has been filled with twists and turns, each scene more intriguing than the last.

Kasie Hunt is recognized primarily for her political reporting, yet she aspires to be associated with stories about culture, sports, or even weather in the future. During unusual or shocking news events, the anchor of CNN’s early morning news admits that she wouldn’t hesitate to express unusual facial expressions on live television.

In the past few years, Cable’s morning news programs have flourished by heavily emphasizing politics. However, CNN and Hunt aim to challenge viewers’ perspectives by expanding the scope of their coverage. As Hunt stated in a recent interview, “We want to provide content for our audience even when politics is not the main focus.”

Viewers who watched CNN’s “CNN This Morning,” hosted by Hunt from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Monday, might have spotted some fresh changes during the broadcast, particularly at 6 o’clock. The new blue-and-yellow graphics used on screen resemble those seen on “Good Morning America” or “Today.” During the 6 a.m. hour, the program began with a three-person discussion group gathered around a round table piled high with current newspapers, to discuss recent developments in the presidential campaigns of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Time and again, CNN has made attempts to enhance its morning programming, yet success has eluded them more often than not. Over the years, they’ve found it challenging to outperform their early-morning rivals, specifically MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.” In an effort to challenge the popularity of NBC’s “Today,” CNN introduced a new team of anchors in 2013 – Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira – for their show, “New Day.” However, following President Trump’s election, this program was restructured into a more confrontational format aimed at holding politicians accountable for alleged falsehoods and misinformation. More recently, CNN attempted to launch a morning program with a wider scope led by Poppy Harlow, Kaitlan Collins, and Don Lemon. Unfortunately, this initiative failed to foster the on-screen chemistry essential for such a format.

Waking up at 6 a.m. offers a unique opportunity to reach an audience that is more engaged, alert, and receptive to critical information for the day. Although our show has roots in politics, we are not exclusively about politics. Instead, we aim to provide a comprehensive and balanced platform that delivers political news, hard news, international news, as well as other topics relevant to morning discussions, without bias or personal opinions.

Hunt is prepared to provide updates on the 2024 Presidential election, news from Ukraine, celebrity stories related to Taylor Swift, and advice about swimming in France’s River Seine. The show may also feature segments on topics that Hunt finds interesting, such as baseball and the Baltimore Orioles, along with popular videos that have gained traction online. Hunt plans to collaborate with Bleacher Report, a sports outlet owned by CNN parent Warner Bros. Discovery, and aims to include a regular weather segment in the program.

According to Hunt, if there’s a popular discussion going on, she intends to shift the focus from solo on-camera conversations to a lively roundtable discussion where guests can engage in meaningful dialogue with one another.

Additionally, she intends to create a close-knit group of recurring commentators for her show. You may have observed Michael Smerconish promoting his weekend program towards the end of the week, or insights from David Axelrod, Katie Beddingfield, Jonah Goldberg, or David Frum popping up regularly.

Executives from CNN have long desired the audience that tunes into “Morning Joe,” a show known for its frequent White House guests and political enthusiasts, which occasionally delves into topics beyond Washington. Hunt is familiar with this program; prior to joining CNN, she was part of the wider “Joe” family, hosting MSNBC’s “Way Too Early,” the precursor to Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist.

“Hunt expresses high regard for her competition and acknowledges Mika’s significant role in shaping her career. She credits Mika as a valuable mentor. Hunt hints at considering a new role as an executive producer. She views the show as enduring, emphasizing its importance, and sees it as a platform that persists as long as its creators wish. Her ambition is to put in effort and contribute effectively. She anticipates this new phase of the show with a different host.”

Instead of merely replicating the format of the Scarborough roundtable, CNN has the unique ability to transport viewers across the globe swiftly thanks to its extensive newsgathering resources. This means that Hunt is likely to have reporters positioned all over the world, even though she broadcasts in the early part of the day.

It appears that CNN is revisiting an older strategy. For over two decades, the network gained significant popularity with a morning show that covered both serious news and lighter topics, all while broadcasting from a location outside the usual New York City base for morning shows. “Morning Express,” hosted by Robin Meade on HLN, resonated well with audiences in the Midwest and South, and there were discussions about moving her to New York (Meade was not particularly keen on this idea). CNN abruptly ended the long-running program in 2022 as part of its initial cost-cutting measures under Warner Bros. Discovery, effectively undoing years of goodwill with many viewers across the country.

Arriving at CNN in 2021, following her successful tenure at NBC News, Hunt expresses the need for more than simply providing headlines to viewers. She spends considerable time considering the morning audience, acknowledging the unique way they incorporate her into their daily lives and routines. She values the trust placed in her, as viewers allow her into their personal spaces, noting that it’s not just background noise during work hours.

She too believes that viewers are seeking greater authenticity and personality from news anchors as technology increasingly takes over roles traditionally performed by humans. In other words, people want to feel like they’re connecting with a real person, not just a machine. This need for human connection will only grow in importance, not diminish. As a result, she feels the pressure to make an impact at the beginning of CNN’s day to stand out among her peers.

2024-08-12 13:47

Kasie Hunt Aims to Scramble CNN’s Morning With 6 A.M. Hour That Isn’t Politics-Only

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