John King To Replace Lou Dobbs On CNN At 7PM

John King will replace Lou Dobbs as the host of the 7PM hour on CNN, the network announced Thursday.

King will anchor a nightly political program beginning early next year, the network said.

"The program will reflect what CNN is all about: straight facts from our anchors and the widest range of opinions from across the political spectrum," CNN/US President Jon Klein said in a statement. "John has enthralled CNN viewers with his vast political knowledge, and he has spent the past year reporting from beyond the Beltway on pressing policy issues and the real people they impact. Every night, he'll share his passion and his insights about what is really going on in Washington and across America."

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity, at this busy and consequential time, to have a platform to discuss and explore the big issues of our time," King said. "There is a lot of noise and conflict in our political discourse, which is fun to cover, but I'm convinced from my travels that people also thirst for more details as well as insight and context. I'm looking forward to combining those conversations with top newsmakers, smart reporting and expert analysis."

Until King starts early next year, CNN will air "a newscast with rotating anchors" called "CNN Tonight" at 7PM, the NYT's Brian Stelter adds on Twitter.

More from the Associated Press:

[The move puts King] in direct competition with MSNBC's Chris Matthews, whose "Hardball" is also about politics. Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith, who does a more general interest newscast, dominates the cable news ratings in that hour....

[King] said Thursday that he wants his show to bring more depth to issues, to get beyond a phrase like "public option" to explain what it really means. There will be provocative discussions, and guests with many different opinions will be welcomed.

"I'm going to do what I think needs to be done," he said. "I think over time that viewers, if they compare and contrast, will be getting more meat" from his show than his competitors. Story continues below

The Washington-based show doesn't have a name yet. He wouldn't comment on Dobbs' exit: "I don't see any value today in looking into the rearview mirror," he said.

Comments

[bothsides]

wow can we PLEASE see people that are not white on TV just for an hour out of 24 ???

[lee4]

I stopped watching CNN and John King is one of the main reasons. He and his wife, Dana Bash, along with Candy Crowley, have turned CNN into Fox light. They have way too much air time.

[MakersMark]

John King and Dana Bash, I for one will not be watching. I give Candy Crowley props for losing the weight, but can't stand her reporting either. All are too slanted to the right to be taken seriously!

[lee4]

So true. The three of them had it in for Obama before the election, and it continues. I stopped watching CNN, so I haven't seen Crowley's weight loss. King's wife, Dana, is very hard on the eyes too.

[wwoody]

Put a mirror under his nose......­..Boring..­...Boring.

[wwoody]

Boring....­.Boring...­...please someone check his pulse.

[londongal]

John King is yer typical BORING male anchor! Couldn't they find anyone else?

[jemiltd]

Should have chosen Rick Sanchez or Don Lemon. Would have won that time slot easily.

[Alexandre Laudet]

I do love the magic wall so I will reserve an opinion until King actually takes over and tries his sea legs.
However I have to disagree on CNN being "about straight facts from our anchors and the widest range of opinions from across the political spectrum." Increasingly and more so since the past presidential campaign, CNN is adding anchors and 'analysts (not always clear on their credentials i must say) that are really pushing a radical, advocacy stance especially on race issues. Don lemon, Rick Sanchez (whose show I used to really like) in particular are no longer doing news, they are pushing an agenda. I have changed my TV watching habits as a result because their message is not interesting to me. I watch a newschannel to get news, not the anchor's opinion. Otherwise I'd rather watch Fox but before I do that I'd rather turn the TV off altogether.

[talkingdog]

Nearly all of television news channels have moved away from reporting meaningfull news information about the country and the world.
It's all about celebrity gossip, political gossip and the most sensational weird antics of twisted individuals.
I remember my mother's term for TV as the idiot box.

So true.

[Manx]

John King is one of the most conservative voices on CNN. During the 2008 presidential debates, John King declared John McCain the winner of every debate, despite the fact that polls showed a majority of Americans deemed Obama the winner. King seems impressed with his own utterances, unlike most viewers.

[springsm]

You have to listen to John King closely...he is very good at slamming Obama and this entire psuedo progressive movement. He will fit in quite nicely with Wolf and that Heidi person...they don't like progressive moments.

[JerryLevy]

The Alavi foundation, a worldwide Islamic charity group has just been accused by the department of justice of being a front for the Iranian government and of sending money to terrorist groups. FOX reported in detail five months ago on the Alavi foundation. CNN never reported it. You don't get the news from CNN and they were beaten by FOX again.

[rsaillant1]

Now, just sit back...listen and absorb;

The subject of this page is about John King and his repositioning at CNN.

It is not about the Alavi Foundation which, if you read news and not opinion,
had been under investigation by the US Justice Dept. What does this mean?

It means, simply put for all the obvious reasons, that while the Government
was investigating, collecting facts and preparing a case, Fox was conjecturing,
got that, CONJECTURING...a large word for GUESSING, SUPPOSING and
sometimes FABRICATING, a news story, while Alavi was still under investigation.

You have to decide, was Fox attempting to foil the investigation by exposing
the government's actions( a possibly criminal act-obstruction of justice) or
had Fox's crystal ball come back from the cleaners? Your choice.

[Gucci Mane]

It would have been more appropriate to replace Dobbs with a mexican man or woman. He deserves that much

[Degringolade]

"And by 'getting more meat,' I am of course referring to my freakishly large melon."

[From the Raft]

Couldn't they just play music during this slot? Maybe even have a crooner appear occasionally?

[michiganman2]

HAWT GAAAAABAGGEEE