CNN plans to fill the 10 PM slot next week with a replay of Jake Tapper’s afternoon program “The Lead,” TVNewser hears.
Tapper’s show currently airs at 4 PM ET, and does not get a replay. Placing it at 10 PM will give it significantly more reach than it currently sees at 4, when many potential viewers are still stuck at work.
“AC360” will air at 11 PM following “The Lead” Monday through Thursday, with an Anderson Cooper special report airing Friday evening at 10 PM. “AC360” is expected to return to 10 PM the week after next.
CNN has been experimenting with new programming in the 10 PM timeslot recently. It tested a panel show “(Get To) The Point” at 10 PM earlier this month, and is said to be considering other test programs on the schedule over the coming months. If a new show were to find a permanent spot at 10 PM, the replay of “AC360″ would likely shift to 11, putting it in more direct competition with fellow 8 PM shows”The O’Reilly Factor” and “All In.”