Jonathan Wald, former executive producer of NBC's Today and Nightly News, and former senior vice president of CNBC, has been named executive producer of CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight debuting in January 2011, it was announced today by CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz. Wald's appointment is effective immediately.Most recently Wald has been an advisor to AOL on cross-platform programming initiatives. From 2006-2009, Wald served as senior vice president of CNBC, responsible for all business news programming. During a period of unprecedented financial and economic crisis, CNBC expanded business coverage into primetime and weekends, resulting in the highest ratings and revenue in the network’s history. Wald was also responsible for multimedia development and the use of business news on cnbc.com as well as marketing and promotion of that content on all platforms.
Read the full press release after the jump.
Jonathan Wald Named Executive Producer of CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight
Jonathan Wald, former executive producer of NBC's Today and Nightly News, and former senior vice president of CNBC, has been named executive producer of CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight debuting in January 2011, it was announced today by CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz. Wald's appointment is effective immediately.
“Jonathan has spent more than 20 years as a top producer in broadcast and cable television news and has the unique ability to produce television that is smart and provocative,” said Jautz. “We are thrilled that he’ll be joining the CNN family.”
Most recently Wald has been an advisor to AOL on cross-platform programming initiatives. From 2006-2009, Wald served as senior vice president of CNBC, responsible for all business news programming. During a period of unprecedented financial and economic crisis, CNBC expanded business coverage into primetime and weekends, resulting in the highest ratings and revenue in the network’s history. Wald was also responsible for multimedia development and the use of business news on cnbc.com as well as marketing and promotion of that content on all platforms.
Said Wald, “CNN is an important news organization and a powerful worldwide brand. I am so excited to join this team. I can’t wait to get started and to collaborate with Piers on redefining the long-form interview program in primetime.”
Wald, a three-time Emmy Award winner, was the executive producer of Today where he led the program’s distinguished coverage during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the contested 2000 presidential election, and the first live morning show performance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Prior to Today, he was the executive producer of NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw where he was responsible for all aspects of the top-rated flagship broadcast.
“Jonathan is tough, funny, smart as hell, incredibly experienced, and wants to win,” said Morgan.
Wald began his career as a desk assistant at NBC News in 1983 while a freshman at Columbia University, then moved to WBZ-TV (Boston) where he produced every major broadcast including the 11 o'clock news. He returned to New York as a field producer for NBC's Brian Williams in 1993. Wald received a B.A. from Columbia and since 2001, serves on the adjunct faculty at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University. He is married and lives in New York City with his wife and two children.
Yet another reason why CNN will be the
ReplyDeletepermanent # 4 cable news channel. Yawn.
This is a huge step backward for CNN,
ReplyDeleteGotta give CNN credit though, they are
really consistent when it comes to bad
shows.Parker Spitzer & Piers Morgan
back to back. What is CNN thinking.
CNN is looking less and less like a news
channel everyday. Will all of the journalists
leave the building.
CNN don't do this. Some data is coming in on
ReplyDeletehow poorly CNN did with a huge breaking news
story on the bombs on cargo planes,When CNN
is not the destination for breaking news like this
you know it is a talent and credibility issue.CNN
made a huge mistake to let Kathleen Parker and
Eliot Spitzer handle breaking news. It matters who
is in the chair. Now here we go again. Would you
turn to Piers Morgan for breaking news. Absolutely
not. Na na na na, goodbye CNN.
CNN can not afford to put this show on before
ReplyDeleteit's signature show which is 360. First, they
bring back Crossfire and they replace Larry
King with a tabloid journalist who was fired
for publishing fake photos. Why does the
management team at CNN think sleaze,trash
and fabrication is in sync with CNN.CNN is
already severely weaken and now CNN is
basically going to destroy 360. The only thing
that CNN has going for it right now. Rachel's
ratings will blow up and even Joy Behar is
likely to benefit.CNN's prime time lineup
is all over the place it makes no sense,
I don't mean to be glib, but I could care less if this show has a producer and no director or two producers and seven directors. It will fail.
ReplyDeleteI say give the show to Kiran Chetry. According to Klein she was hired from Fox because she "lights up and screen," and according to todays NYPost is as "dumb as a rock." There, she's more than qualified according to CNN standards, and at least we don't all hate her, yet.
Ratings data for the month of October are
ReplyDeletenow coming in. It seems Parker Spitzer is
the worst launch for CNN in a decade. That
speaks volumes. Will CNN listen. The same
thing is going to happen with Piers Morgan.
People are so not watching.