.jpeg)
CNN CEO Chris Licht has announced the hiring of CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley to host a new weekly primetime program called King Charles. The show is set to begin airing on CNN later this year and will continue into 2024.
King and Barkley made the announcement on TNT, which is also owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, and revealed that their hour-long series would cover social and cultural topics of the day, with a focus on promoting good conversation without tearing other people down. Barkley emphasized that the program would not have a political bias and would not be clickbait.
Licht has been leading a programming reset at CNN since joining the company a year ago. He has launched a new morning show and revamped the dayside news hours with a more dynamic format. In primetime, CNN has experimented with various formats, from panel discussions to longform interviews.
However, King Charles will be a very different type of show for CNN, as it is designed to appeal to viewers with discretionary time who may not typically watch news programming. Licht has said that he wants to take big swings and "try different things" in order to compete for viewers who are choosing between different networks and genres.
The show is a major move for CNN, which is seeking to broaden its appeal beyond the news junkie audience. It is expected to deliver "culturally relevant programming and unique perspectives," according to Licht. More information about the show's focus is expected to be released in the coming months.
