Earlier this week, Coates interviewed Republican Jim Jordan on her Sirius XM show — demonstrating the kind of both sides-of-the-aisle reporting that CNN has been seeking as its fresh hallmark. But Coates, who had filled in for Don Lemon when he was a late-night show host and had also successfully anchored the 9 p.m. hour for months after Chris Cuomo exited the network, no longer has her own show.
On paper, Coates would seem like the ideal figure to fill the network’s 11 p.m. slot, particularly as CNN already shared a press release about her appointment to the role in January. But in the past few weeks, Coates was told the network couldn’t staff a separate hour and that Alisyn Camerota, who anchors at 10 p.m., would be extended for a second hour, according to four people familiar with conversations, including three CNN employees.
[This was a temporary arrangement at CNN, so it’s not clear just how much “axing” is going on. Insider also reports that Coates will remain in rotation for guest-hosting slots on other shows, and presumably this one as well. — Ed]
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