Tag Archives: Zoraida Sambolin

O’Brien’s “Starting Point” Launching Next Week

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Starting next week, you’ll have the chance to wake up with Soledad O’Brien.

Starting Point, the 45-year-old half-Cuban journalist’s brand new morning show on CNN, will launch on Monday, January 2. It will air weekdays from 7:00-9:00 am.

Soledad O'Brien

CNN had previously confirmed rumors that the network was planning to revamp its morning lineup, with O’Brien and Ashleigh Banfield at the top of the list of anchors predicted to be a part of the new early morning schedule.

Meanwhile, Zoraida Sambolin will co-host Early Start with Banfield. The show will run right before O’Brien’s Starting point from 5:00-7:00 am.

Sambolin is a former early morning news anchor from Chicago, while Banfield is a former ABC News co-anchor.

The news comes as CNN is hoping to break through the morning show clutter dominated by the Today show, Good Morning America as well as Fox & Friends and Morning Joe.

O’Brien Returning to Morning TV?

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It looks like you could be waking up to Soledad O’Brien in the morning…

CNN is looking to unveil a new morning lineup, according to the New York Times, which could result in the 45-year-old half-Cuban journalist’s return to morning television. The cable network’s plans would mean the end of its current American Morning program, which has performed poorly in the ratings.

The new morning schedule, which could be revealed as early as this week, would see O’Brien, one of CNN’s former morning presenters and the current host of the network’s “In America” documentary unit, anchor from 7:00 am to 9:00 am on weekdays.

Former ABC News correspondent Ashleigh Banfield, would co-anchor with another presenter from 5:00 am to 7:00 am. One possible sidekick:

According to the Times, one co-anchor possibility is Zoraida Sambolin. She’s a Latina journalist who formerly anchored the early morning newscast at Chicago’s NBC station before announcing her move to CNN.

CNN declined to comment on possible changes, the Times said.

American Morning has consistently struggled in the ratings against NBC’s Today show and ABC’s Good Morning America, as well as Fox & Friends and Morning Joe on CNN’s cable news competitors. The morning lineup has also underperformed against Morning Express With Robin Meade on CNN own sister channel HLN.