Since its return to its live news roots a couple years ago, HLN has touted its focus on domestic news stories without a 24/7 focus on politics.
Unfortunately for the CNN Worldwide-owned cable channel, 24/7 politics seems to be working for cable news in 2018, and that decision to mix up the stories, while noble, seems to be having a negative impact on ratings.
With that in mind, HLN has decided to end production of its live news programs that are based in New York and Los Angeles, which include Across America with Carol Costello, Michaela Pereira, and Crime & Justice with Ashleigh Banfield.
Yes, that means the three aforementioned TV newsers will depart the network as soon as the new schedule goes into effect, Monday, Oct. 29.
CNN Worldwide will move its resources for HLN from live news programming to original, taped programming and documentaries, which seem to be working for the channel. Instead of beginning at 8 p.m. ET on weekdays, the taped, original programming on weekdays will start at 3 p.m. ET.
Robin Meade, however, won’t be going anywhere. The network’s Atlanta-based programs, including the Morning Express franchise will remain intact. Morning Express with Robin Meade will remain live from 6 – 10 a.m. ET, and then go live-to-tape from 10 a.m. until Noon ET.
Weekend Express with Lynn Smith airs Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 7 a.m. – Noon ET.
Morning Express will then lead into a three-hour live edition of On the Story, which will be led by a rotation of HLN hosts.
Banfield’s HLN show, originally named Prime Time Justice, launched two years ago today (Oct. 16, 2016). Banfield has been a fixture on U.S. network TV since 2000 anchoring on MSNBC, NBC News, CourtTV, ABC News and, as anchor of CNN’s now-defunct midday program Legal View.
Pereira, a former Los Angeles news anchor, announced in March 2016 she would leave CNN New Day and return to the West Coast. Her last day on CNN’s morning show was April 29, 2016, and her LA-based news program, Michaela, debuted on July 11, 2016.
Costello left CNN after 15 years as a dayside anchor to join HLN last year, and anchor Across America, which launched in August 2017.
When HLN ended S.E. Cupp‘s live news program, which had been struggling mightily in the 5 p.m. hour, the writing seemed to be on the wall.
(Excerpt) Read more in: TV Newser