American Morning changes?
FTVLive says both Soledad O’Brien and Miles O’Brien will be taken off the program at some point. Regardless of whether CNN wants to get that drastic or not, the network can’t be pleased with American Morning occasionally getting beaten by Imus.
UPDATE: TMZ.com says it confirms the story…
Sources say the move will be effective in two to three weeks. We’re told both O’Briens will remain at CNN.
UPDATE 2: TV Week’s Michelle Greppi has more…
Sources said Tuesday that Ms. O’Brien, who was co-anchoring weekend editions of NBC’s “Today” when CNN signed her in 2003, just signed a new deal that calls for a new assignment.
It was not immediately known what’s next for Mr. O’Brien, a 15-year CNN veteran who had moved from Atlanta to New York when he was assigned to “American Morning” in June 2005.
CNN declined to comment. An official announcement could come as early as Wednesday morning.
I have stopped in at American Morning a few times recently. And I promise that Soledad could make a news alert about the sudden end of the world boring!!
Moving her on to some other place sounds like a plan!
Comment by cella — April 3, 2007 @ 10:13 am
I read a rumor that Kiran Chetry is suppose to be phased into AM with a prominent role.No idea if there is any truth to this or just wishful thinking by her fans as read it at one of her fan sites
Comment by myview — April 3, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Hallelujah!!!!!! But, I’ll believe it when I see a presser.
Comment by Terance — April 3, 2007 @ 10:40 am
Wonder if this is a trial balloon being sent up by CNN to see what the reaction would be to replacing “the O’Briens”…
Comment by malone — April 3, 2007 @ 11:15 am
And have Jon Klein admit a programming and/or personality decision that he made was a mistake? NEVER!
Comment by Cooperite — April 3, 2007 @ 11:28 am
myview - Kiran Chetry has multiple fansites? not to say I doubt you or anything, I’m just… surprised. She seems like a bit of a nonentity to me. Nothing against the girl, you understand.
Comment by Arthur — April 3, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Arthur, sorry I sort of goofed there. Was originally going to type “one of the FNC fansites” but then remembered it was at KC’s Yahoo fansite so changed it.I really should proof read. No idea if she has multiple sites or not.
Comment by myview — April 3, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
Actually, she does have multiple fansites. I checked her Yahoo site once out of curiosity and was surprised to see it had over 3,000 members at that time. She seems really popular among those “newsbabe” enthusiasts.
Comment by spiffo — April 3, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
It was in this group, http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/KiranChetry/
I run the group, but can’t vouch for the veracity of the rumor posted by a group member.
There are other fansites, but I can gaurantee my group is the only one that has had recent contact with Kiran and that has her weekly schedule.
Right now CNN has been keeping Kiran busy and has her scheduled to fill in on “American Morning’ Wed- Fri this week. Unless Soledad changes her vacation plans, again.
Comment by malone — April 3, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
Change on American Morning can’t come soon enough. Those two wet blankets would make a snail race seem exciting. Kiran Chetry or Betty Nguyen would be great.
Comment by spiffo — April 3, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Anybody but Betty. I can’t watch weekend mornings because of her. Her giggle at the end of practcally every sentence drives me crazy.
Comment by Susan — April 3, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
I think Betty’s great! She’s sweet and has a great sense of humor. When Soledad smiles, which is rare, it looks to be pasted on.
Comment by spiffo — April 3, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
malone, I was also a fan of her husband, Chris. Do you know whether he’s got another job yet, and if so, where?
BTW, I always thought a morning husband and wife team of Chris and Kiran would have worked well, but network people seem to think otherwise.
Comment by Missy — April 3, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
TMZ is confirming it and saying the changes will have in a few weeks
Comment by Anon — April 3, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
TMZ says it is a done deal. O’Brien’s both out.
John Roberts and Kiran in - in three weeks or so.
I also wondered what happened to Kiran’s husband.
Comment by cella — April 3, 2007 @ 7:22 pm
AM’s numbers have been going down ever since Jon Klein moved Jack Cafferty, added Miles and Bill Hemmer left in disgust. The funny thing is that he is now replacing Miles with John Roberts who is just an older version of Bill Hemmer. It’s like musical chairs…someone needs to fire Klein for how he has messed up things.
Comment by newsfan — April 3, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
“someone needs to fire Klein for how he has messed up things.”
yeah, up in every day part. Whadda mess. hey, newsfan, you look familiar - you go by ‘Mole’ on CNN Reporter? ‘cause if so, I’ve heard it said you might have been fired by Klein, oooh, round about November ‘05….
Comment by Arthur — April 3, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
Kiran Chetry might be a good fit on AM. Wasn’t impressed with her anchoring on AC360 or PZN. I like John Roberts but have mixed feelings about him being part of the AM team.
Wonder what will happen to Soledad and Miles.Like both of them but just not together in this AM role.I miss the days of Kyra and Miles anchoring together. They were a great team.
Comment by myview — April 3, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
-to add to news fan, Klein does back track when it comes to talent and personel, and ends up burning bridges with still fairly good talent. I don’t think the o’briens are to blame in this situation, and i think they are victims of Klein’s poor judgement. American morning is a hard news program, it’s going to be boring., and I also second the move of cafferty to be in poor choice. Cafferty could’ve clearly also contributed to the sit. room as well. Amercian morning is so boring as program, and have had so many of it’s good facets taken away from it, it has been reduced to a newsroom-like show. While the O’briens aren’t stand up comedians, they are both good journalists, in my opinon, who now got screwed over by Klein’s changes. The program needs to be fixed, Roberts and kiran, are good as well, but it’s not going fix the program. Not when you have opinon to compete with from Imus and fox and friends. I hope that both O’briens are picked up by other networks who will value them.
Comment by Scott — April 3, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
Terance & myview: I believe now we can place the Kiran Chetry move in proper perspective:
CNN quietly offered Chetry the Morning Show; then she went back to FNC in an attmept to match the deal (fire Carlson). When Fox declined, Chetry was gone.
So similar to Rita Cosby, a competing network is giving a Fox second stringer a starting position on their team. Let’s hope Kiran is more successful than Cosby.
Comment by Ira — April 3, 2007 @ 8:02 pm
To myview: Agreed on Kyra and Miles. “Live From” was great when they anchored it together. They really actually seemed to enjoy working in the same space. If we’re really lucky, they’ll put him back in that slot with her.
Comment by Coreyback — April 3, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
So far Kiran Chetry hasn’t impressed me.Didn’t care for her on FNC and as I said in earlier post was not impressed with her anchoring during prime time. Guess time will tell. I find John Roberts to be a skilled, serious journalist where as Kiran seems more “fluff”.Maybe the two will balance each other out. Hope they don’t give up on the hard news and just become another typical morning show. But maybe that is what the viewers want?
Comment by myview — April 3, 2007 @ 8:17 pm
Have to agree with Arthur. Even though AM has been a disaster, what Klien has been doing is definately working in other ares. Big time, infact. The Situation Room has been beating out Fox’s Cavuto and Gibson. Been a long time since that has happened.
What Klien is doing, is working.
Comment by Anon — April 3, 2007 @ 8:57 pm
I agree regarding Kyra and Miles. They were great together.
Comment by cella — April 3, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
Can not get the O’Briens out of there fast enough. It has not been a right since Hemmer left and Solodad hasn’t been right since she came back from having her last baby. She is wrapped way too tight. Miles…dry as dust.
Comment by Mary — April 16, 2007 @ 1:46 am
I really appreciated Soledad and Miles;they did a great job and delivered the news quite well - I was disappointed with the change and got on this website to see what was happening. The new hosts will be fine, I suspect, but I will miss Soledad and Miles! Why change a good thing?
Comment by Elizabeth — April 16, 2007 @ 10:44 pm
Running off Bill Hemmer was a HUGE mistake. Now all of my friends and associates watch Fox.
Comment by Victoria Kennedy — April 17, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
I was wondering what happened to The O’Brien’s. I just loved them both. They are highly intelligent, funny, witty and I will miss them dearly. My morning’s will not be the same. Another lesson in life not being fair. Sometimes the more talented one is, the more one is a target.
Comment by Maria — April 18, 2007 @ 9:52 pm
I’m very sad to learn that Soledad and Miles are gone; mornings are not the same for me; thought they were great; I really miss Carol Costello; I see she’s in The Situation Room.
Comment by Rosemary Giardina — April 25, 2007 @ 10:28 am
I used to always watch AM when Soledad was on maternity leave and it was Heidi, Bill and Jack. It was great then. It was real news with a little fun thrown in so you could watch it with out falling asleep or worrying the world was going to end. Once Soledad was back and Miles joined in, I was out. I was too dry and too alarmist. I am looking forward to the changes. So far they seem pretty good.
Comment by morning gal — April 26, 2007 @ 8:30 am
I THINK SOLODAD HAD SOME TO DO WITH HEMMER AND CAFFERTY BEING GONE. MY TAKE ON HER WAS THAT SHE WANTED TO BE THE STAR
Comment by JACK — April 27, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
I thought both O’Brien’s where great. I couldn’t figure out if they where married, related or what. I heard them joke once about having six kids together. I like Kiran and glad she left that prejudice fox station. The rest can stay there because they would not fit anyplace else.
Comment by Richard — May 30, 2007 @ 12:45 am