CNNi Shakes Up Schedule

CNNi, DStv 401, announced today, September 26th that it will be making changes to the channel's schedule as it continues to refine its on air offering.

South Africa's own Robyn Curnow, the former South African-based correspondent for the network, now takes over the 4pm CAT iDesk slot, which is the one previously anchored by Michael Holmes. In addition to this, she now gets a half an hour at 6pm CAT as well. Since moving to Atlanta a few weeks ago, reviews of Curnow's anchoring skills have largely been positive so receiving a permanent slot on the channel's daily lineup does not come as a surprise to many.

A change that is surprising is the cancellation of the longrunning 7pm CAT iDesk program, that was previously anchored by Hala Gorani (who moved on to launch the World Right Now later at night) and then by Isha Sesay. This show is being dropped in favour of simulcasting a CNNUS program, Wolf, which is anchored from Washington DC by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and is said to be a US news bulletin with an international and political focus, though it is quite likely to just resemble a US news bulletin nonethless.

At midnight South African time viewers can now look forward to CNN Today, anchored by Michael Holmes, who comes from the 4pm iDesk, and Amara Walker, who joined CNN late last year as a weekend and fill in anchor. The show will be replacing CNN Newsroom live From Hong Kong, which had been a breakfast show aimed at the Asia-Pacific region anchored by Patricia Wu and Andrew Stevens (coincidentally also an Asian-American and British combination). That show was cancelled earlier this year after just 2 years on air as CNN now wants to have more shows done from their Atlanta headquarters.

The short news headlines done at the top and bottom of the hour will now all take on the CNN News Now branding, something the channel has been testing on weekends for the last few months.

All of this comes into effect this monday, September 29th 2014.

With the relaunch and moving of Connect the World with Becky Anderson and also the launch of The Business View with Nina dos Santos and The World Right Now with hala Gorani in addition to the above all happening this year, the changes at CNNi is not over yet.

Later this yer the channel plans to launch another breakfast-type show, this time for the Europe, Middle East & Africa region, though also done from Atlanta as the channel continues its NewsFirst initiative whereby they strive to increase the amount of live daily news seen on the channel