A potential career shift looms for CNN's rising star, Kaitlan Collins, as network executives consider repositioning her in a strategic move to reshape political coverage.
According to Daily Mail, CNN is in discussions to appoint Collins as its chief White House correspondent, leveraging her previous experience covering both the Trump and Biden administrations.
The proposed transition comes as part of CNN's broader initiative to revamp its political coverage approach, particularly in anticipation of Donald Trump's second presidency. The network aims to capitalize on Collins' established connections from her tenure as a White House reporter during Trump's first term, including her notable work with the Daily Caller and subsequent coverage at CNN.
CNN's CEO, Mark Thompson, is spearheading these changes as part of his mission to differentiate the network's coverage from its previous stance.
The network has experienced significant viewership challenges, with ratings dropping more than 20 percent over the past year. A particularly stark example occurred post-election when daily viewership plummeted from 6 million to 596,000 viewers.
The potential move would require Collins to relocate her primetime show from New York to Washington, D.C. This transition would place her under the supervision of newly appointed DC bureau chief David Chalian, who brings extensive experience from his previous role at Yahoo! News and his tenure as CNN's political director.
The network's consideration of Collins for this position stems from her memorable encounters with Trump, including a controversial 2018 incident where she was barred from a press conference after questioning the president about Vladimir Putin. Their tensions culminated in a widely discussed town hall event where Trump labeled Collins "a nasty woman."
Collins' current position at CNN comes with a $3 million salary, placing her in the company of high-profile anchors like Jake Tapper and Wolf Blitzer, who earn $3 million and $7 million respectively. This compensation level reflects her rapid ascent within the network's hierarchy.
The network's programming strategy has shown mixed results, with Collins' show "The Source" competing against established programs like "Anderson Cooper 360°" and "CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip." The latter occasionally outperforms Collins' show despite occupying a later time slot.
Fox News continues to dominate cable news ratings, maintaining a substantial lead over both CNN and MSNBC. During recent election coverage, Fox News attracted 10.3 million viewers, while CNN struggled to maintain consistent viewership numbers.
If implemented, this move would represent CNN's attempt to recreate the successful coverage model from Trump's first term, when presidential coverage consistently generated strong ratings. However, the network faces the challenge of maintaining editorial balance while covering an administration with which Collins has a complex history.
The potential appointment aligns with Thompson's vision to move away from the network's previous approach to Trump coverage, which was characterized by consistent criticism under former president Jeff Zucker's leadership. This strategic shift comes after the brief and tumultuous tenure of Chris Licht, who was dismissed following a controversial town hall hosted by Collins.
These developments reflect CNN's ongoing efforts to adapt its coverage strategy while maintaining journalistic integrity and improving ratings performance. The decision regarding Collins' role remains under discussion as the network continues to evaluate its options for strengthening its political coverage team.
