CNN is overhauling its programming line-up for CNN International (DStv 401) in South Africa as well as the rest of the African continent and the Middle East, that will kick in from 10 September when Christiane Amanpour's reformatted hour-long show makes its debut.
The latest CNN schedule shuffle however still has no dedicated African news programme during prime time for African viewers in the way that other global news channels like BBC World News (DStv 400 / StarSat 256 / Openview 112 / Cell C black 501) has the daily Focus on Africa at 19:30, or CGTN (DStv 409 / StarSat 266 ) has the daily Africa Live at 19:00, covering Africa during prime time.
CNN that has agreed to a simulcast of Christiane Amanpour's current affairs programme in the United States on the PBS channel, decided to use the programme's expansion to an hour long show in America and the addition of contributors, to rejig and rebuild the programming schedule of CNN International around it.
From 10 September when the half hour Amanpour changes its name to Amanpour & Company in the United States, the hour long show will now start on weekdays at 19:00 on CNN International - an hour earlier.
As TVwithThinus previously reported, Amanpour & Company will add the four journalists Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan as contributors, and will feature wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on the issues and trends impacting the world each day, from politics, business and technology to arts, science and sports".
This will be followed by Hala Gorani Tonight that from 10 September will move to an earlier timeslot of 20:00 instead of 21:00 on weekdays on CNN International.
Richard Quest's Quest Means Business is also moving an hour earlier from 10 September and will now run at 21:00 instead of 22:00 on weekdays, continuing with its often-irreverent analysis and interviews of the day's global and American business news.
The news channel from Turner Broadcasting that often abruptly interrupted scheduled shows on CNN International with The Lead with Jake Tapper is now giving the show a fixed timeslot on CNN International from 10 September and will be shown at 22:00.
The Lead with Jake Tapper will do commentary and analysis of the day's headlines from the United States, a show that doesn't really so much resonate with African viewers.
CNN Today, co-anchored by Amara Walker and Michael Holmes, is also moving an hour earlier and instead of midnight, will now start at 23:00 on CNN International from 10 September - still covering the day's global headlines from around the world.
State of America, the weekday talk show about Donald Trump's day that was recently dumped from the schedule and replaced by a nightly repeat of CNN Talk with Max Foster, will return as a weekly show on Fridays from 14 September, again anchored by the preppy Kate Bolduan, and now closing out the week at 23:00 on CNN International.
CNN International says CNN World Sport will break into programming with bulletins across the schedule".
The Africa-focused programming strands, Marketplace Africa, African Voices and Inside Africa remain on the schedule and will continue to be part of CNN International's schedule across the week, with news from across the African continent that will continue to feature in CNN International's main shows as and when it happens.
During the day on CNN International, CNN Talk with Max Foster will remain in its usual midday timeslot of 13:00.
In the afternoon on CNN International there will also be two changes. As previously reported, Bloomberg Television's Julia Chatterley is joining CNN International and her new business news show, First Move with Julia Chatterley, will now be seen at 15:00 in the afternoon.
Julia Chatterley will report from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and will cover the latest market moves in the United States and around the world.
Julia Chatterley will also appear in the recently introduced Quest Express with Richard Quest that remains in its 18:00 timeslot, but is apparently changing its programme title to The Express.
"With new shows and expanded programming, these changes will benefit our audiences enormously," says Mike McCarthy, the senior vice president and general manager of CNN International.
"Across business, current affairs, politics, culture and sport, CNN International viewers will get the complete picture, from around the world, in one place."
CNN International programme/timeslot changes from 10 September:
Now 10 September
15:00 CNN Money with Maggie Lake 15:00 First Move with Julia Chatterley
16:00 International Desk
17:00 Connect the World with Becky Anderson
18:00 Quest Express 18:00 The Express
19:00 Wolf 19:00 Amanpour
20:00 Amanpour / CNN Talk 20:00 Hala Gorani Tonight
21:00 Hala Gorani Tonight 21:00 Quest Means Business
22:00 Quest Means Business 22:00 The Lead with Jake Tapper
23:00 Amanpour (repeat) 23:00 CNN Today
