John Roberts Officially Leaving CNN's 'American Morning'

CNN officially announced Tuesday that John Roberts will leave its morning show, "American Morning," at the end of the year. The network also said that it will be revamping the show and that a series of interim anchors will take Roberts' place alongside Kiran Chetry for the time being. In addition, the show's executive producer has jumped to NBC News.

In a memo to staff, CNN president Ken Jautz said that the network is "discussing" an Atlanta-based role for Roberts. Jautz said Roberts had "told me about his desire to be based in Atlanta so as to be near his fiancé and his desire to be able to spend more time reporting in the field on major stories and on documentaries."

"American Morning" has struggled mightily in the ratings for years, lagging behind all of its rivals--including on its sister station, HLN. Jautz told CNN staff that a retooling of the show is already underway:

We have been making some format changes to the show to make it better suited to the morning and to better reflect the way people view news as they're getting going with their day. By that I mean I've asked for the show to be more upbeat and faster-paced and for us to look carefully at the kinds of stories we're covering during that daypart.

T.J. Holmes will be the first of a series of rotating anchors to try out as Roberts' permanent replacement.

Moreover, the show's executive producer, Jamie Kraft, has left CNN to become a producer at "NBC Nightly News."

Comments

[olitenup]

09:15 AM on 01/31/2011

CNN -US lost it's way several years ago. They do everything on the cheap now, and everything is so dumbed down. IE: Kardashian sisters, endless fascination with SP and daughter. I am totally surprised Anderson Cooper hasn't jumped ship yet.

Please media people get these inane people off my TV screen and off my "news" pages. They are NOT news items, they are embarrassments!

[Babzter]

08:09 AM on 01/31/2011

Helllllooooo Fox

[Hayjak]

09:38 AM on 01/19/2011

I'm glad he's gone, he was a putz.

[symbah]

05:16 PM on 12/20/2010

CNN USA is useless, but CNN International is excellent. They report on real news, and they realize that there is a world beyond the borders of the US.

[Babzter]

08:10 AM on 01/31/2011

CNNI is one of my favorite sources. It's like a different news organization altogether.

[larmarch5]

10:05 AM on 12/19/2010

Ha, I thought the main page headline was about the Chief Justice admitting he was gay.

[Palmz]

02:15 AM on 12/19/2010

Kiran Chetry....the worst.

I am sorry but she is hard to watch and don't seem credible on topics that peak my interest. At best she is a light weight regional reporter, not ready for prime.

[LittleMittens]

11:26 AM on 12/18/2010

The guy from MTV is leaving CNN?!

[bogey1]

11:31 AM on 01/18/2011

Much Music Canada

[myj66]

09:37 AM on 12/18/2010

I was watching Kiran Chetry's last broadcast on FoxNews & she got into it with one of her colleagues on live tv. but I can't find any video of it. she basically said "deuces".

[logic-a-go-go]

09:17 PM on 12/17/2010

Hopefully his dolt fiance left, too.

[Paul Wittenberger]

05:18 PM on 12/17/2010

Too bad it couldn't be "John Roberts Officially Out Of The Supreme Court!"

[Baylady43]

02:40 PM on 12/17/2010

TJ Holmes....PLEASE....NO!!!

[Babzter]

08:12 AM on 01/31/2011

They are nuts.

[sqeptiq]

09:12 PM on 12/16/2010

Nice enough guy but painfully boring. They surely won't get rid of Kiran Cherry, though. Having an überhot woman as a host is a staple of morning shows, and she fits the bill.

[savvy7]

06:29 PM on 12/16/2010

They ought to send Chetry with him. But hopefully they won't turn it into CBS with Meredith, Matt & Co. If you miss the first 30 minutes of that circus in the morning, you've missed any hope of hearing about world events. Half the time I can't figure whether I'm watching the Cooking channel, MTV, the Comedy channel,Gossip USA or one of the more bizarre cable networks when I turn on the "News". I wish CNN would try sticking to an all NEWS format for 3 months and let's see what the ratings show.

[marignymitch]

03:30 PM on 12/16/2010

I'm more fortunate than most, being blissfully asleep at the time of this broadcast. (Life is short; I don't waste time on CNN.)

[kirazmazzone]

03:27 PM on 12/16/2010

How about reporting what is really going on around the country and the rest of the world and stop trying to entertain us.

[avicenna]

01:22 AM on 12/17/2010

If you want news that tells you what's happening around the world as opposed to vapidity - you shouldn't be watching CNN. Try BBC, Al Jazeera English or even the CBC. Bon chance!

[OliverTwist]

07:15 AM on 12/18/2010

Your program change advice has been forwarded to the CIA for consideration.
;)

[bogey1]

11:33 AM on 01/18/2011

the boys and girls at Langley, Virginia hear and see everything