First on TVNewser: It was a short-lived return for CNN’s “Crossfire” as the network has canceled the political debate show, TVNewser has learned.
Returning to the air in September, 2013 after an eight-year absence, the new version of “Crossfire” featured former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former White House staffers Van Jones and Stephanie Cutter, and former MSNBC host S.E. Cupp.
All four hosts will remain with the network as political commentators. Some of the staff has already been absorbed into other DC-based programs, while the remainder have been encouraged to apply for open positions in the bureau.
“Crossfire” went missing from the lineup during multiple breaking news cycles this year. Starting in early March, the program was yanked from the lineup as CNN produced near-nonstop coverage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The program was again taken off-air in mid-July before the downing of MH17 dominated the news cycle.
Last month, CNN told us the show would remain on hiatus “for awhile more,” and today, official word that the show will not be coming back. In its first iteration, “Crossfire” ran from 1982 until 2005.
“Crossfire” joins other half-hour specialty programs “Sanjay Gupta MD,” “CNN Money,” and “Unguarded” which were all canceled today.