Fox News and CNN announced substantial changes to their lineups Monday, as cable news channels look to capitalize on continued viewer interest in politics two months after the presidential election.
Fox said it is expanding its opinion programming into the 7 p.m. hour with “Fox News Primetime,” a show that will feature a rotating group of opinion hosts. It will replace “The Story,” a news program anchored by Martha MacCallum.
CNN is adding another hour for anchor Jake Tapper, the 5 p.m. block currently occupied by “The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer,” while senior political correspondent Abby Phillip will host a Sunday program.
Cable news channels, which enjoyed record ratings in the aftermath of the 2020 election, are jockeying for advantage as the story shifts to the turbulent exit of Donald Trump from the White House and the beginning of President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.
Fox News was No. 1 in every major category for 2020 as a whole, but rivals ate into its lead during the postelection period. CNN has taken the lead in total-day viewership, averaging 1.56 million viewers from Nov. 4 to Jan. 6, according to Nielsen, while Fox News has drawn an average total-day audience of 1.44 million viewers during the postelection period.
