New CNN Morning Show to Launch Jan. 2

O'Brien Will Anchor First Days from Iowa Caucuses

Andrea Morabito (Broadcasting & Cable) -- Multichannel News, 12/28/2011 4:36:50 PM

CNN will debut its new morning show team of Soledad O'Brien, Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin on Jan. 2, the day before the Iowa Caucuses, a network spokesperson said Wednesday

O'Brien, who will host the 7-9 a.m. hours of the new show, will anchor from Des Moines on Jan. 2 and 3, with Banfield and Sambolin anchoring 5-7 a.m. from the CNN Election Center. The new anchors will continue anchoring their respective timeslots from Jan. 4 on, with a CNN spokesperson saying that "the show will continue to be developed over time."

The still-untitled program replaces American Morning and its interim hosts Ali Velshi, Christine Romans and Carol Costello (who remain with CNN in other roles) and is another piece of the lineup changes Ken Jautz has pushed through since becoming head of the channel in 2010.

Read more at B&C here.