ABC News just announced big changes at the network. Jonathan Karl has been named Chief White House Correspondent and Martha Raddatz is the new Chief Global Affairs Correspondent.
Wait, isn’t Chief White House Correspondent Jake Tapper’s gig?
Indeed it is, and buried at the bottom of the release, we learn that Tapper is moving to CNN for an “anchor role:”
Jake is leaving ABC News for an opportunity at CNN. You’ll hear more about his new anchor role from his new network. For years, Jake has set the pace for the White House press corps.
CNN fills out the rest:
Accomplished Washington journalist Jake Tapper, who has served the last four years as ABC’s senior White House correspondent and is a best-selling author, joins CNN as anchor of a new weekday program and CNN’s chief Washington correspondent, it was announced today by Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/U.S.
This is a big loss for ABC News but a tremendous gain for CNN, a network in serious need of a major shake-up — and lucky for them, it looks as though they’re in the midst of one.
Tapper not only brings a wealth of experience and skill to the flailing network; he’s also the rare reporter and broadcaster universally respected by the Right and the Left.
But right now, CNN’s second biggest problem is its left-wing bias. The cable net’s primary turn-off is a gang of ridiculously unappealing anchors, including Soledad O’Brien, Carol Costello, Piers Morgan, Ashleigh Banfield, Wolf Blitzer, Don Lemon…
Tapper will also help in this arena.
Already my Twitter feed is filled with people stating, “Now I have a reason to watch CNN again.”
Thus far CNN’s new chief, Jeff Zucker, has made two major moves: hiring Tapper and dumping Jack Cafferty.
From where I sit, that makes Zucker 2-0.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC