CNN puts John Berman in front of subscribers for Office Hours

CNN anchor John Berman is answering subscribers directly in Office Hours, a periodic live slot on CNN All Access.

The programme runs on CNN All Access, a paid streaming service where viewers pay for extra CNN content. During Office Hours, Berman talks with subscribers and answers questions about elections, politics and more, according to Variety.

Berman was set to host an edition alongside Kate Bolduan and Sara Sidner. Bolduan and Sidner are his co-hosts from CNN News Central, the weekday rolling news block where Berman guides viewers through breaking news.

Viewers will know Berman from across the CNN schedule. He has co-hosted a morning show and filled in for Anderson Cooper. He is also trained to operate the Magic Wall, CNN's big interactive touchscreen for election results on primary and election nights.

The format grew out of testing. CNN organised three or four early interactive sessions via Zoom before building Office Hours as a proper format. Ryan Kadro, senior vice president of content strategy at CNN, said participation in the first Office Hours with Berman was three times what the team had expected, according to Variety.

CNN has also tried other ways to bring the audience closer. The broadcaster has introduced an on-screen rail, a scrolling strip for text chats from correspondents, on some TV programmes.

For subscribers, this means a straight swap. Questions go in. Answers come back live from the people who usually deliver the headlines.