Nick Cannon, host of Debmar-Mercury’s new daytime talker Nick Cannon, is making room in his busy schedule to co-host Fox’s Good Day morning-news programs in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Cannon’s appearances on the shows serves as a multi-promotional effort, incorporating the stations, the morning news programs and the talk show.
On Friday, Oct. 22, Cannon will co-host Good Day New York’s 9 a.m. hour with Rosanna Scotto, who typically hosts the hour solo. On Nov. 2, Cannon will co-host Good Day Philadelphia on Fox’s WTXF Philadelphia with Alex Holley and Mike Jerrick and then on Nov. 16, he’ll join Jeannette Reyes and Wisdom Martin on Fox’s WTTG Washington, D.C. In all cases, Cannon will be live on the Good Day sets.
“I know how important community is and I appreciate all the love that I’m getting locally,” Cannon said in an interview. “I just want to pay it back and show that I understand the importance of connecting with local viewers in a big way.”
Fox’s corporate team only came up with the idea a week ago, and it was quickly put into action through collaboration between Fox; WNYW New York; the talk show’s producers, including Cannon; and Debmar-Mercury.
“You can’t put everyone in that role, but Nick can handle it. He was all in -- he’s very enthusiastic about helping in any way he can,” Frank Cicha, executive VP of programming at Fox Television Stations, said. “You also have to have a lot of cooperation, but we and Debmar-Mercury are always trying to figure out the best way to do things for both of us.”
Nick Cannon debuted on Fox-owned stations in the nation’s largest markets as well as across the country in syndication on Monday, Sept. 27. The show had been sold to launch in fall 2020, but with the pandemic still ongoing, Debmar-Mercury made the decision to pull the show. For several months, Nick Cannon's fate was unclear but ultimately Debmar-Mercury and Fox were able to go forward and launch it this fall.
Cannon and Scotto shot the below promo for the appearance on stage at The Nick Cannon Show's set at 106 and Park in Harlem at noon on Monday. Fox-owned WNYW New York’s marketing team turned it around to air in the 5 p.m. news that evening.
“I think it’s really great as far as the synergy goes,” Dan Carlin, VP, programming, research and creative services at WNYW/WOR New York, said. “We always try to include our syndicated talent as part of the overall TV station. We want to make sure that the syndicated talent is part of the New York market, especially since Nick Cannon is filmed in Harlem.”
iHeartRadio also is posting about Cannon’s appearance across its social media channels as well as on its New York market homepages for radio stations Power, Q WOR and KTU. And Scotto herself dropped a post on Instagram to let viewers know to tune in.
While Cannon is starting with Good Day appearances in East Coast markets, his travel schedule means that it’s possible for him to visit affiliates in markets across the country, including his home base of Los Angeles.
“I’m all in,” he said. “I want to do every single one I can possibly do. I have my music career and stand-up career on the weekends, so I’m connecting with affiliates in those cities weekly. I like to be a man of the community in whatever community I’m in. It’s a great way to really connect. You have to stay in touch and in tune with your audience. What better way to do that than to literally pull up in their market.”
