CNN premiered CNN Election Center last night at 8pmET, an hour-long weekday show featuring election coverage and news from the campaign trail. The program will feature a rotating roster of hosts from New York and John Roberts from the campaign trail. Last night, Anderson Cooper anchored from the new Election Center.
The Associated Press’ David Bauder quotes CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein: “There is no question that this political campaign is bewitching viewers,” said Klein. “We’re having so much fun covering it that we wanted to do more of it on the air.”
There are questions as to where the 8pmET program will leave two CNN anchors: Rick Sanchez, who had been hosting Out in the Open in that time slot, and Campbell Brown, who is still expected to take over the time slot when she returns from maternity leave. Neither name was mentioned in the original press release by CNN.
Although Klein told the AP that he didn’t know when Brown’s show would begin, a CNN spokesperson tells TVNewser that the election center program will run through Super Tuesday, and Campbell’s new show will begin in the first quarter of ’08. Super Tuesday is February 5.
As far as Sanchez, the CNN spokesperson tells TVNewser, “Rick is a valued member and an important part of the CNN team. He will do special reporting for the CNN Election Center broadcast and will continue reporting for other CNN programs.”