Q: Overseeing series development for CNN & CNN+, what have you learned makes a great CNN Original Series?
I was very fortunate to start my time at CNN right as we were launching the CNN Original Series brand, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, so I have had the privilege to work on almost every series that has come to the network. I’ve found that the best programs we develop for CNN – and now for our exciting streaming service CNN+ – are about a topic or person that you may have a general awareness about but don’t quite know the full story. We provide our viewers an opportunity to dive deep into these topics, and in some cases historical events, to contextualize the world we live in today.
Q: Can you tell us about a couple of your favorite new shows coming to CNN+?
Well, of course, it’s hard for me to choose – we love all our projects equally – but as everyone who knows me knows, I love a strong woman, so I am very excited about our upcoming CNN+ projects with Eva Longoria and Alison Roman.
When we first met Eva, she told us she was a huge fan of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy and in our conversations with her, we recognized that Mexico, much like Italy, has a celebrated culinary scene. We knew that Eva was the perfect person to expand the Searching for franchise and we look forward to seeing her travels on CNN+ later this year.
As for Alison, she is someone I’ve known and admired for a while – and for many, I think they can’t imagine getting through the pandemic without her recipes – so we are really excited for our audiences to get a front-row seat at her kitchen table and to get to know her signature wit in her upcoming series.
I’m a huge fan of HBO’s Succession so our upcoming CNN+ Original Series, The Murdochs: Empire of Influence, which explores the saga of Rupert Murdoch and his family’s powerful influence, gives a history and a context to something I have long been fascinated by.
Q: Now that many CNN’s Original Series are on CNN+, what are you most excited to watch again?
I have to plug The History of Comedy, executive produced by Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, Mark Herzog, and Christopher Cowen.
One of my all-time favorites is Soundtracks: Songs That Made History, executive produced by Dwayne Johnson, that highlights the music tied to iconic moments in history, from the March on Washington to the riots at Stonewall, to the moon landing to Hurricane Katrina.
I’m also so excited for audiences to have the chance to explore the full This is Life with Lisa Ling library, with seasons 1-8 available at launch.
