Robin Meade’s time as a news anchor on HLN ended after more than two decades on the air. Meade was a consistent presence on an inconsistent network that changed its programming with dizzying irregularity. Robin had the following message for her viewers:
“Thank you for letting us start your day all these years. Thank you for letting this kid from a middle of a cornfield do something beyond her wildest dreams. You’re my first thought in the morning and my final thought before I fall asleep.”
With that, the tenure of longest serving anchor at a national morning news program in the United States ended. However, Robin Meade is unlikely to leave the public limelight.
Robin Meade’s next move is unclear, but she has plenty of options to explore
At the time of writing, Robin Meade hasn’t announced her next move. Perhaps she wishes to take some time off following two decades of appearances on screen.
Meade told Country Music News that her favorite holiday destination was a cottage 100 miles away from Atlanta. She would drive up there with her husband, Tim Yeager, and enjoy serenity away from the city. Robin explained:
“The place is nothing fancy. The power goes out occasionally, but I love the simplicity of it. I joke it’s the ‘no makeup zone’ out there. It’s a great place to hit the ‘reset’ button when life gets too hectic.”
Meade has plenty of options to explore following her departure from HLN. With her experience, she would fit into any news program in the country. Robin could also give more time to her music career, which she considered a pastime while she worked full-time as an anchor.
Robin told Atlanta Business Chronicle that her manager, Charlie Brusco, had no qualms with her prioritizing anchoring over music. However, now that she’s left her anchoring job, she may use the extra time to explore music further.
“Much like in journalism, songwriting captures the loves, losses, drama and dreams of the human experience,” Robin talked to Country Music News about her passion for music. “It’s almost like I couldn’t help myself. My passion kept bringing me back to Nashville!”
Meade also has experience in beauty pageantry, having won the 1992 Miss Ohio crown and made the semi-finals at the 1993 Miss America pageant. She is also a New York Times Bestseller – her book Morning Sunshine! How to Radiate Confidence and Feel It Too chronicles her battle with panic attacks.
Therefore, Robin Meade could continue working in the media, pursue music full-time, roll back the years by getting into beauty pageantry, or publish another bestseller. We can’t wait to see where she ends up, and wish her the best of luck.
Meade opined that her news program had something for everyone
Morning Express With Robin Meade was the unfortunate victim of a decline in the number of people waking up with traditional TV. The show also suffered from airing on a network with little other live programming. As part of a restructuring process at CNN, CEO Chris Licht cut live programming from HLN.
Robin Meade’s exit from morning news has caused widespread sorrow from her fanbase. Meade’s emotions mirrored those of her audience. During her last address, she said:
“I’ve heard that you mourn something when it passes, either because you feel guilty for leaving something unresolved, or you mourn because you truly appreciate something for what it was.”
During a 2020 interview with Variety, Meade opined that her show was popular because it had something for everyone, regardless of their background, social status, or political affiliation:
“If you are watching from the cornfield in Ohio, there is something for you, and if you are watching from a high-rise in New York City, you will feel like the point of view is pretty inclusive here.”
Ken Jautz, an executive vice president at CNN, said the show was deliberately broad, covering events from different parts of the country rather than one or two political stories. Meade said she knew what her audience wanted.
“The old cereal test is still our filter,” she said. “If I’m going to make you spit out your cereal… maybe I don’t need all the details about how someone was stabbed 26 times.”
The viewership figures demonstrated that the strategy worked. “If they weren’t watching, we’d all be fired,” Meade said. “There are no illusions about that.” Unfortunately, people stopped watching – not just her show, but morning shows across all networks.
Meade can hold her head high, knowing her standards never dropped. She said: “I realized I’m not perfect. I don’t dress like everyone else. My hair is too long, but I like it. And I might laugh on air. But there’s just a level of acceptance that the viewers feel.”