Starting Point

In the wake of "American Morning," the decade-long a.m. news block whose ratings fizzled, CNN created two programs -- "Early Start" with Ashleigh Banfield and Zoraida Sambolin, followed by "Starting Point," which features the return to morning duty of Soledad O'Brien (who, ironically, co-anchored "American Morning" for four years). "Starting Point," as expected for a breakfast-time news show, keeps tabs on the day's big headlines and newsmakers but also delves into overlooked story angles and seeks to challenge conventional viewpoints. It also welcomes the opportunity to give voice to people who aren't often heard, the "real folks," as O'Brien says. … MORE