Laura Coates and Abby Phillip aren't 'mouthpieces.' CNN hopes they can revive the brand

During the last two years, the "C" in CNN easily could have stood for "chaotic" instead of "cable."

The all-news network has been staggered by a flurry of high-profile embarrassments: an executive scandal involving its former president Jeff Zucker; the firings of veteran anchors Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon, a widely criticized Donald Trump town hall and the turbulent reign of Chris Licht, who was booted from his job as chairman after 13 months. The network's reputation was severely damaged and its ratings sank.

Under the leadership of newly arrived chief executive Mark Thompson, CNN is aggressively moving to regain its footing and put its missteps in the rearview mirror, propelled by a revamped prime-time lineup that will spotlight two of the network's most seasoned journalists.

Abby Phillip, the network's former senior political correspondent and host of "Inside Politics Sunday," will anchor "CNN NewsNight With Abby Phillip." Laura Coates, who was senior legal analyst, will follow with "Laura Coates Live." Both nightly shows premiere Oct. 16.

Phillip and Coates say their respective shows will move beyond the headlines and be more analytical than the standard CNN newscast. They also praised the network for elevating two Black women into its prime-time slate.

"I'm so excited that Abby and I get a chance to pass the baton from one to the other," said Coates. "Having two Black women at the helm of prime-time coverage speaks volumes about CNN's commitment to representation. We are not mouthpieces. We are women who take seriously this enormous and generous platform we've been