I think you are underestimating the cachet specific anchors have with their viewership, especially the over 50 crowd which constitutes most of CNN's viewership.

I think you are underestimating the cachet specific anchors have with their viewership, especially the over 50 crowd which constitutes most of CNN's viewership. Yes, you could find a competent and attractive person to fill the slot, but that would absolutely cause a nosedive in ratings. These places are not stupid. They would not continue to pay the absolute gob-premium sums of money to keep their top performing anchors if it was not showing up in the ratings, of course the talent matters very much.