New roles: More than two years after her return to CNN, Alex MacCallum is taking on additional duties as she was named the news network’s chief operating officer. In a memo to staffers obtained by TVNewser, CNN CEO Mark Thompson said MacCallum’s promotion comes as she has “already achieved an impressive set of critical accomplishments in record time.”
MacCallum was previously CNN’s executive vice president of digital products and services, tasked with spearheading CNN’s suite of digital products, which includes the launch of its All Access subscription product, the CNN Express FAST channel, and the network’s upcoming weather service.
In her new role, MacCallum, who fills the role vacated by David Leavy, will continue to oversee the network’s product and digital revenue/operations group, as well as non-editorial departments including group strategy, operations, mission-driven project work, and strategic partnerships and business development.
CNN also announced this week that Patrick Svitek is joining the network as a Washington, D.C.-based reporter. Joining from The Washington Post, Svitek will be part of CNN’s political team with his coverage focusing on the 2026 midterm races, major political trends, and the 2028 presidential contest.
CNN announced @patricksvitek is joining the network’s politics team as a reporter. Welcome to CNN!
MORE: https://t.co/x9GWHalDrR pic.twitter.com/PGIncmITvW
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) April 9, 2026
Also joining CNN is Carolina Peguero as CNN en Español news correspondent based in Miami. Peguero will cover South Florida, where economic and immigration policies under the Trump administration continue to shape the region. She was previously a news anchor at TelevisaUnivision, contributing to both linear and streaming programming of Noticias Univision 24/7 on the digital news platform, VIX.
New appointments: ABC News announced that Leslie Lopez will be the news outlet’s New York-based meteorologist, beginning Friday, April 10. Lopez, who joins from KABC-TV, ABC’s O&O affiliate in Los Angeles, will work closely with ABC News’ team of meteorologists, including Ginger Zee, Sam Champion, Lee Goldberg, Somara Theodore, and the ABC News Weather, Climate & Science Unit across the ABC News Group for all programs and platforms.
Leslie Lopez Named ABC News Meteorologist https://t.co/rYQrHpEDH3 pic.twitter.com/ZORpMxyII3
— ABC News PR (@ABCNewsPR) April 7, 2026
ABC News also named Jon Schlosberg the new executive producer of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Reporting to ABC News Washington bureau chief Rick Klein, Schlosberg will lead all aspects of the Sunday public affairs program, including providing management and editorial leadership. He will also oversee the program’s signature branded content and relevant special programming across the ABC network, Disney+, Hulu, and ABC News Live. Based in Washington, D.C., Schlosberg joins ABC News from the ABC O&O affiliate KGO-TV in San Francisco, where he was a producer. He begins his new assignment on May 6.
Jon Schlosberg Named Executive Producer of ABC News’ ‘This Week with George Stephanopoulos’ https://t.co/Gyjh7n8AJh pic.twitter.com/hLIBiIRqcj
— ABC News PR (@ABCNewsPR) April 9, 2026
Streaming oversight: Former ABC News New York bureau chief Joshua Hoyos is joining CBS News as the editorial director of its streaming channel CBS News 24/7. According to Business Insider, Hoyos will start with the network on Monday, April 13, and report to Robert Gifford, vp and managing editor of CBS News 24/7. Hoyos left ABC News in 2025, after it was revealed he was the subject of an HR investigation.
International assignment: CNBC announced that Justina Lee will be the business channel’s new Singapore-based reporter. Lee’s duties will include covering Asia-Pacific’s financial markets, reporting on stocks, bonds, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, and macroeconomics, and reacting to breaking news and advancing stories through analysis and original reporting. She was previously a breaking news earnings specialist at Bloomberg.
On-air contributors: Fox News announced that former NASA astronaut Captain Butch Wilmore has been named a contributor at the network. Wilmore will provide space-related analysis across all network platforms.
Meanwhile, MS NOW named former White House official and retired Admiral John Kirby as a national security analyst for the network. Kriby made his first appearance for the network on Tuesday’s edition of Morning Joe.
Just announced on @morningjoe-msnow.bsky.social: Former White House official and Ret. Admiral John Kirby joins
@ms.now as a National Security Analyst.
— MS NOW Public Relations (@msnowcomms.bsky.social) April 7, 2026 at 7:44 AM