Why Don Lemon is Wrong About CNN’s Change in Presentation

Don Lemon made headlines recently when he criticized CNN’s decision to present Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper in a stripped-down, podcast-style format. His comments drew plenty of attention. They also missed the point, in my view.

To be fair, Lemon’s surface-level critique has some merit. He’s not wrong that television news has long thrived on a certain kind of theater. The glowing sets, the polished anchors, the dramatic music — it all signals authority. It signals importance. And for decades, that formula worked.

Here’s what Lemon actually said, and it’s worth reading in full:

“To me, it’s cringe,” Lemon said of the alterations. “Because the reason people watch CNN is for the credibility of Jake (Tapper), and Anderson (Cooper), and Erin (Burnett). And there is sort of this illusion — if you want to put it that way — about television news. It’s larger than life. The colors are brighter than in real life. It’s big fancy sets that glow. That’s what it is.”

“But ultimately, that’s eye candy. What people tune in for is the editorial. It is whatever the network is, the tone and tenor of their news, and for credibility. It’s not because someone is speaking into a podcast mic with their sleeves rolled up. And I would lean into it,” Lemon continued. “We’re (expletive) CNN! Yeah, we look great, but also we’re going to have a backbone. And we’re going to have some teeth into our editorial. We’re going to hold this administration accountable. And we’re not going to put on election deniers. We’re not going to put on people who come on just to lie.”

That sounds compelling. It really does. But there’s a massive flaw baked right into Lemon’s argument.

If viewers were tuning in simply because it’s CNN — or simply because Tapper, Cooper, or Burnett were anchoring — they’d already be watching. They’re not. Ratings have told that story loudly and repeatedly for years. So the argument that CNN should double down on its brand identity assumes that brand identity still carries weight with the average American viewer. That’s a shaky assumption at best.

Here’s the reality: trust in legacy media is at historic lows. Polls consistently show that a significant portion of the American public views traditional television news with deep skepticism. That distrust doesn’t disappear because a network has a nicer set or a more confident on-air posture. In fact, for many viewers, those very production flourishes now read as slick, corporate, and disconnected from real life.

The podcast generation didn’t accidentally start preferring lo-fi presentation. They gravitated toward it because it feels honest. It feels unfiltered. A host speaking directly into a mic with rolled-up sleeves signals accessibility — not weakness. That’s an important distinction Lemon seems to be glossing over entirely.

CNN isn’t abandoning its editorial credibility by experimenting with its presentation. It’s trying to lower the drawbridge. The network is essentially acknowledging that the shiny fortress it built may actually be keeping viewers out rather than drawing them in.

Does the experiment work perfectly? Maybe not. Experimentation rarely does on the first try. But the willingness to try something different — to admit that the old formula isn’t converting skeptical viewers — is actually the smart play here.

Lemon’s instinct to “lean in” to CNN’s brand sounds bold. In practice, though, it’s a strategy that’s already been tried and has consistently produced declining audiences. Shouting “We’re CNN!” louder doesn’t rebuild trust with people who’ve already walked away. It just echoes in an empty room.

Furthermore, Don Lemon himself no longer works at CNN. That’s not a cheap shot — it’s relevant context. The network’s current leadership isn’t obligated to defend a presentation style that existed during a period of significant audience erosion. They’re trying something new. That’s their job.

There’s nothing wrong with valuing CNN’s institutional credibility. Tapper and Cooper have genuinely earned their reputations. But credibility has to meet viewers where they are. Right now, many viewers are sitting in front of a laptop, watching someone talk directly into a camera without a glowing skyline behind them.

CNN’s experiment might fail. However, at least it’s an honest attempt to reconnect. Don Lemon’s critique, while well-intentioned, is ultimately a defense of a model that’s already lost.

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Garrett Searight

Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.