CNN Adds 3 New Weekend Shows

As part of its ongoing retooling effort, Cable News Network this spring will launch three new weekend shows, premiere a program hosted by Jeff Greenfield and offer more "energetic and engaging" live weekday reports, officials said last week.

The trio of younger-skewing weekend programs includes: Take Five,
a talk show launching this month with such panelists as Salon.com's Jake Tapper, The New Republic's
Michelle Cottle and the New York Post's
Robert George; People in the News,
a weekly half-hour program produced in conjunction with People
magazine that debuts March 31; and CNN Presents,
an hour-long Sunday night documentary series anchored by Leon Harris.

"It's an effort to bring a diverse group of fresh voices to CNN," executive vice president and general manager Sid Bedingfield said.

Starting this spring, Greenfield will host a half-hour weekday show starting at 6 p.m. that will attempt to offer an unconventional perspective on one of the day's major stories.

"Jeff is what will make the show distinctive and not the usual suspects-type show, [with] his smarts and wit and incisive analysis," Bedingfield said.

As part of a restructuring of its daytime news programs, CNN will concentrate on live reports from an ensemble of network regulars. Last week, CNN Live @ Daybreak
replaced CNN Early Edition
at 7 a.m. and CNN Morning News
replaced CNN Live This Morning
with Leon Harris and Daryn Kagan at 9 a.m. "We have always had a commitment to live reports," Bedingfield said. "We hope it can be done in a lively, engaging, energetic way. We're tying to weave in good storytelling and a sense that the stories are moving."

CNN will also add a live, 1 a.m. newscast anchored by Catherine Callaway. That will give West Coast viewers a live primetime newscast.

CNN last week launched CNN News Site,
a one-hour newscast anchored by Joie Chen. Airing at 4 p.m. weekdays, it includes a strong interactive element, as viewers can weigh in with questions and suggestions via the Internet.