Inside Politics + Crossfire = ?

Reports of Crossfire’s death may have been exaggerated last month, insiders tell TVNewser. CNN is developing a new political format that will re-energize Inside Politics and feature the Crossfire gang. “It won’t be just one debate segment during IP,” one anonymous staffer said. There has been confusion inside CNN about the future of the talk show, even among the on-air talent — leading observers to speculate that if Tucker Carlson hadn’t left the show last month, Klein wouldn’t have come out and predicted the end of the ‘fire. “After the election, this is a great time to improve the show,” another staffer said. Meanwhile, CNN is searching for a new conservative commentator…

  · In January, CNN’s ratings were up 13% from a year-ago, between 4 and 5pm. (CNN didn’t break out the 4:30pm Crossfire half-hour.)