Max Foster had a busy first week as the host of CNN International’s new European primetime show What We Know.
The veteran journalist covered two important global events during that period: the Conclave that resulted in the election of Pope Louis XIV, and the heightening tensions between India and Pakistan.
Airing at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET) and anchored out of CNN’s London bureau, What We Know provides a roundup of the day’s top stories and debate-sparking questions, as well as in-broadcast social media integration.
Foster has been with CNN International since 2005 and previously anchored its flagship show, CNN Newsroom at 3 p.m. Prior to that, he co-anchored the morning edition of the program with Christina Macfarlane.
In the latest edition of TVNewser’s 5 Questions series, Foster explains why What We Know is different from CNN International’s other offerings and reveals which celebrity he shares a birth month with.
1. What’s the origin of the show’s name?
Audiences have never been so overloaded with information and content, and I think it’s fair to say that is only going to get more intense. With this show, we are very focused on pace and stripping out anything the audience doesn’t need to know. That concept lends itself to the title of What We Know, which also happens to be a common phrase I’ve used in my TikToks! That doesn’t mean we’re skipping important details; it’s more that we’re giving you the key points in a smart, easily digestible way.
2. What will be the big differentiator between your show and CNN International’s other programs?
I wanted to create a show that complemented CNN International’s existing European primetime lineup, which is a pretty formidable with a varied selection of anchors, shows, and styles. Of course, we have Christiane Amanpour, who is renowned for her big-name interviews; Isa Soares, who brings astute analysis and digs deeper into the stories behind the headlines; and Richard Quest, who quite literally means business.
What We Know is designed to be an everything-you-need-to-know bulletin, delving into the big talking points of the day. We start with what we know on the lead stories, and then we bring in an expert or analyst who can help address what we don’t know, which allows us to be transparent with the audience on a story or situation that is still developing. One of the things I’ve loved about working for CNN is its spirit of innovation, which is a real thing, and harks back to Ted Turner. What We Know captures that by experimenting with new ways to engage viewers through video and digital more broadly.
If you’ve followed my career, you’ll know that I’ve always had a bit of a taste for experimenting on various social platforms to find the most effective ways of keeping people’s attention and telling stories in new ways—and this show is very much informed by everything I’ve learnt from that. With this show, we have the space to experiment on CNN’s digital platforms in addition to taking viewer questions from a TikTok live and incorporating them into my interviews, or whatever feels right. I want to go wherever the conversation is taking place and take that conversation back into the studio with me.