“I Like Our Chances”: Chris Licht Stresses Relevance Over Ratings to Kick Off CNN’s New Morning Show

Investigating COVID’s Origins • Bernie’s Midterm Frustration • Ben Smith Pushes Back [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( “I Like Our Chances”: Chris Licht Stresses Relevance Over Ratings to Kick Off CNN’s New Morning Show “People don’t want to be beaten up as they wake up with their coffee,” Don Lemon [tells]( Joe Pompeo as the veteran prime-time host prepares for his new morning show duties beginning Tuesday. Though Lemon says he’s looking forward to the “nonconfrontational nature” of morning TV, he acknowledges the biggest story for the coming weeks remains the midterm elections—which Charlotte Klein [caught]( a trio of CNN anchors discussing earlier in the week at the 92nd St. Y. The midterms are also on the mind of Bernie Sanders, who [spoke to]( Abigail Tracy about how Democrats are letting Republicans win the messaging war on the economy. If you want to dig deep into the origins of COVID this weekend, check out Katherine Eban and Jeff Kao’s [reporting]( on the Wuhan lab in crisis, a joint investigation between Vanity Fair and ProPublica. You can also take some time to listen to Joe Hagan [questioning]( Ben Smith about the newly launched Semafor (and much more). Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you back on Monday. —Michael Calderone, editor [Image may contain: Human, Crowd, Person, Audience, and Speech]( [“I Like Our Chances”: Chris Licht Stresses Relevance Over Ratings to Kick Off CNN’s New Morning Show]( By [Joe Pompeo]( [Vanity Fair went on set with the CNN chief and anchors Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins, and Poppy Harlow. They’ve got a big hill to climb, and news of company belt-tightening is clouding the launch, but Lemon looks forward to the “nonconfrontational nature” of morning TV. “People don’t want to be beaten up as they wake up.”]( [Read more button](   [COVID-19 Origins: Investigating a “Complex and Grave Situation” Inside a Wuhan Lab]( By [Katherine Eban and Jeff Kao]( [The Wuhan Institute of Virology, the cutting-edge biotech facility at the center of swirling suspicions about the pandemic’s onset, was far more troubled than previously known, explosive documents unearthed by a Senate research team reveal. Following the trail of evidence, Vanity Fair and ProPublica provide the clearest picture yet of a laboratory institute in crisis.]( [Read more button](   [Bernie Sanders: Democrats Are Letting Republicans Win the Messaging War Over the Economy]( By [Abigail Tracy]( [The Vermont senator thinks Democrats should punch back on issues like Social Security, Medicare, unemployment benefits, and prescription drugs. “Why aren’t Democrats talking about it?” Sanders tells Vanity Fair ahead of an eight-state swing campaigning for Democratic candidates. “How do you win elections if you don’t talk about those issues?”]( [Read more button](   [“Everybody Wants to Be Part of a Tribe”: CNN Anchors Break Down the Midterms]( By [Charlotte Klein]( [At the 92nd St. Y, Audie Cornish, Abby Phillip, and John Berman addressed a host of questions, ranging from the economy to election lies to how they relax in today’s political climate.]( [Read more button](   [Image may contain: Tie, Accessories, Accessory, Electrical Device, Microphone, Human, Person, Suit, Coat, and Clothing]( [“I Think You’re Reading Too Much Into That”: Ben Smith Talks the Steele Dossier, James Bennet, and—Obviously—Semafor]( By [Emily Jane Fox and Joe Hagan]( [The former BuzzFeed editor and New York Times media columnist offers pushback on critiques of his new media offering.]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe](newsletter=vf) Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2022 Condé Nast