CNN Moves Veteran Anchor Amid Massive Shakeup

CNN has reportedly shifted veteran anchor Wolf Blitzer to a new morning slot as part of a major network shakeup, sources close to the situation told Oliver Darcy for his Status newsletter on Thursday (January 16).

Blitzer, 76, one of CNN’s longest-serving anchors, is set to co-host a new morning show alongside Pamela Brown. The move is part of a broader restructuring by CNN CEO Mark Thompson following a significant dip in ratings. Sources also say that former chief White House correspondent and current anchor Jim Acosta will be removed from his CNN Newsroom show as part of these changes.

Additionally, there are reports that Thompson may move Kasie Hunt, the current anchor of CNN This Morning, to an afternoon slot as part of the shakeup, according to Darcy’s sources. Blitzer recently signed a three-year contract extension in October, reportedly freezing his salary at around $3 million annually.

Although it hasn’t been confirmed whether Blitzer and Brown will host the new morning show under the Situation Room branding or something else, it is expected to increase Blitzer’s screen time by an additional hour per day, even though it moves him out of primetime.

The network overhaul is widely seen as part of Thompson’s push to focus on a new generation of on-air talent amid a ratings slump. CNN’s viewership has reportedly taken a hit since President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory, with ratings plummeting across key demographics. In 2024, CNN averaged just 92,000 viewers in the crucial 25-to-54 age group, marking a 1% decline from 2023’s low. Primetime viewership dropped 52%, with the network’s overall viewership falling by 45% year-over-year.