By Benjamin Mullin

Fox News and CNN announced substantial changes to their lineups Monday, as cable news channels look to capitalize on continued viewer interest in politics two months after the presidential election.

Fox said it is expanding its opinion programming into the 7 p.m. hour with "Fox News Primetime," a show that will feature a rotating group of opinion hosts. It will replace "The Story," a news program anchored by Martha MacCallum.

CNN is adding another hour for anchor Jake Tapper, the 5 p.m. block currently occupied by "The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer," while senior political correspondent Abby Phillip will host a Sunday program.

Cable news channels, which enjoyed record ratings in the aftermath of the 2020 election, are jockeying for advantage as the story shifts to the turbulent exit of Donald Trump from the White House and the beginning of President-elect Joe Biden's administration.

Fox News was No. 1 in every major category for 2020 as a whole, but rivals ate into its lead during the postelection period. CNN has taken the lead in total-day viewership, averaging 1.56 million viewers from Nov. 4 to Jan. 6, according to Nielsen, while Fox News has drawn an average total-day audience of 1.44 million viewers during the postelection period.

CNN's "Erin Burnett OutFront" has gained ground on "The Story" during the postelection period, according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, pro-Trump channels like One America News and Newsmax are vying for the Fox News audience of conservative viewers. Fox News still draws more viewers than CNN or MSNBC in prime-time, when conservative opinion hosts like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham attract big audiences.

Fox News parent Fox Corp. and Wall Street Journal parent News Corp share common ownership.

CNN, a division of AT&T Inc., faces uncertainty in its leadership ranks. Network President Jeff Zucker told associates he was considering whether to remain at the network after his contract expires this year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The moves are part of a broader reshuffling at both Fox News and CNN. At Fox News, anchor Harris Faulkner will move to 11 a.m. with a show called "The Faulkner Focus." Journalists John Roberts and Sandra Smith will anchor a two-hour news program, "America Reports," beginning at 1 p.m. Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino will co-host "America's Newsroom," a two-hour program that begins at 9 a.m.

At CNN, chief political correspondent Dana Bash and Mr. Tapper will co-host "State of the Union," a weekend politics program that he currently anchors solo. CNN also said that Ms. Phillip will anchor an 8 a.m. show called "Inside Politics Sunday with Abby Phillip." Kaitlan Collins will be CNN's chief White House correspondent, replacing Jim Acosta, who will become the network's chief domestic correspondent and a weekend anchor.

Write to Benjamin Mullin at Benjamin.Mullin@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-11-21 1830ET