The MVPD-distributed news-focused network born out of the former WGN America is entering 2024 with its sights on a new daytime lineup scheduled to begin on January 22, followed by the debut on January 27 of a weekend edition of its weekday wake-up offering.
The first changes involving Nexstar Media Group-owned NewsNation see its Monday-Friday Morning in America transition to a three-hour program with solo anchor Markie Martin. It will air from 6am-9am Eastern.
What does this mean for current co-host Adrienne Bankert? She’s poised to become NewsNation’s Special Projects Anchor and is working on a new series centered on faith in America. Debuting in February 2024, it bears the title “One Nation Under God.”
The breakfast-hour change means NewsNation Live with Marni Hughes will air from 9am-Noon Eastern, as NewsNation Now with Nichole Berlie expands to Noon-3pm Eastern.
Elizabeth Vargas Reports, with anchor Elizabeth Vargas, will move to an earlier timeslot and now air at 5pm Eastern. This is followed by The Hill, with moderator Blake Burman, at 6pm.
DOBA GETS WEEKEND WAKEUP ROLE
The other big announcement from NewsNation sees the debut of the weekend edition of Morning in America, with Hena Doba as host. The show will premiere on Saturday, January 27, and will take the 7am-10am Eastern time slot each Saturday and Sunday.
“We are excited to debut our new weekend morning show along with an enhanced daytime lineup to fill
out our 24 hour/7 day-a-week schedule in 2024,” said Michael Corn, NewsNation’s President of News.
“This programming is another big milestone for the network as we continue to build a best-in-class news
organization.”
Doba has served in various roles at Cheddar News for the past five years, and previously worked as an anchor and correspondent for CBS News, where she led The National Desk with Hena Daniels from 2015 to 2019. Prior to joining CBS, she anchored the 11pm newscast for WFSB-3 in Hartford. She’s also been a reporter at Gray Television’s dominant CBS affiliate in Savannah, Ga., WTOC-11.
Doba began her broadcasting career as a reporter at WWTI-50, an ABC affiliate serving Watertown, N.Y., and nearby Kingston, Ont., Canada.
Serving as the program’s Executive Producer is Dee Dee Thomas. Thomas served as executive producer of Weekend TODAY from 2011-2014 and most recently she served as Senior Executive Producer of Live Content & Talent Development at Yahoo Finance.