NBC continues to staff up at the Brian Williams-led primetime newsmagazine. The latest addition is Jay Kernis, the former managing editor of CNN/U.S., who most recently served as senior producer on CNN’s “In the Arena.” Kernis will be a producer on the new program.
Kernis was a veteran of NPR, where he was senior VP of programming before leaving for CNN. He also spent 14 years as a producer at CBS News, where he produced segments for “60 Minutes,” which has long been the gold standard of primetime network newsmagazines.
In 2008 he joined CNN/U.S. as managing editor, telling TVNewser at the time that while he is a radio veteran, he is no stranger to the TV format:
“There are different ways of packaging or telling those stories. I’m a radio person, but I consider myself a visual person,” he said. “It’s what today’s media requires. The audience wants all kinds of great content, on whatever device they happen to have.”
Other high-profile additions to the NBC newsmag have included former “CBS Evening News” EP Rome Hartman, who will serve as EP on the new show, as well as correspondents Harry Smith and Kate Snow.