CNN 2003-07

O'Brien & Hemmer, 2003

Soledad O'Brien moved from NBC to CNN in July 2003 to join Bill Hemmer as co-anchor of CNN's American Morning.


American Morning aired from 7-10 a.m. (ET) and was broadcast live from the street-side Time Life Studio in Manhattan. The show featured guests and CNN correspondents from around the world.

Soledad signed a 4 year contract and continued in the position until 2007.

"I am honored and thrilled to join CNN and to work alongside journalists considered to be among the very finest in the business. I have had wonderful experiences at NBC News, and I am looking forward to the new opportunities that CNN offers as one of the most admired and trusted names in journalism."

O'Brien, then 36, moved from being on-air for three hours a week to three hours a day.

Soledad with Miles O'Brien, 2005
When co-host Bill Hemmer moved to Fox News in June 2005, O'Brien shared hosting duties with Miles O'Brien (no relation).

In 2005, she covered the Hurricane Katrina aftermath in New Orleans, where she famously interviewed then head of FEMA Michael Brown. O'Brien has continued a connection to New Orleans, returning for other stories a number of times.

She reported on location for several other major stories including the tsunami in Phuket, Thailand.

Soledad was named to the "50 Most Beautiful" Issue of People en Espanol in May 2004.

Soledad took her maternity leave from CNN in July 2004 and was off the air until mid-October. Heidi Collins filled in on air.

Soledad and her husband Brad added twin boys to their family when Charlie and Jackson were born on August 30, 2004. They joined sisters Cecilia (born March 2002) and Sofia (October 2000).

In April 2007, Soledad left her morning job to move into CNN's documentary division. American Morning was repackaged and both O'Brien's were replaced but continued at CNN.