CNN is doubling down on combining comedy and news with the launch of a new companion podcast to “have news for you,” TheWrap learned Thursday.
The new podcast, aptly named “Have I Got News for Your Ears,” will be hosted by comedian Michael Ian Black, one of the stars of CNN’s Saturday night comedy quiz show. (Black’s co-stars on the show are Amber Ruffin and Roy Wood Jr.)
“I Have News for Your Ears” will launch on Thursday, with subsequent episodes released every Wednesday. The podcast, similar to the TV show, aims to offer a “smart, edgy take on the news,” according to CNN.
Black joins the show’s creator and executive producer, Jimmy Mulville, in the first episode. As the season progresses, he’ll be joined by a rotating collection of guests, whom Black will test with his knowledge of the current zeitgeist and PROD to get behind-the-scenes insight into the TV show.
The podcast is produced by Hat Trick Productions for CNN Podcasts; Mulville joins Jim Biederman and Richard Wilson as EPS on both shows. “Have I Got News for Your Ears” will be available on Spotify, YouTube, and the @hignfyus YouTube account.
CNN’s latest podcast comes as the news channel looks beyond TV to attract viewers and listeners. The channel has several other podcasts, including “All That Exists with Anderson Cooper” and “The Task with Audie Cornish,” and its YouTube viewership has jumped 42% this year compared to the same point in 2024.
The release of “I Got News for Your Ears” comes after the TV show was recently renewed for a third season, which is set to premiere on Saturday, September 6 at 9 p.m. ET.
“Have I Got News for You” has been a key cog in CNN’s revamped, more comedy-focused lineup since its September 2024 debut. The show follows “Real Time With Bill Maher,” which airs at 8 p.m. ET on Saturdays, one night after HBO. This combination appears to be working for CNN, with its Saturday night viewership up more than 40% year-over-year since May.
“CNN audiences have shown a resounding interest in our topical entertainment programming on Saturday nights,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of CNN talent and creative development for CNN Worldwide. “This podcast is an opportunity to expand the ways audiences engage with the ‘Have I Got News For You’ brand across platforms, with all the bite and hilarity they expect from the show.”
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