CNN has announced its coverage plans for the 2010 midterm elections. As in previous elections, new technology will be a major part of the coverage, with returning favorites like the “magic wall” and “data wall’ being joined by the “CNN Election Matrix,” which will break down data in a visual way.

The network already revealed it will be adding more “virtual objects” to its coverage.

“We are taking capabilities of the Data Wall and quadrupling it in order to report the story in the clearest way we can,” said CNN senior VP and Washington bureau chief David Bohrman in a statement. “Viewers are ready for a rich meal of election items and with CNN’s technology on air and online, paired with the Best Political Team, we will serve an unparalleled election night experience.”

Wolf Blitzer will lead the network’s coverage, and will be joined by Anderson Cooper, Candy Crowley, John King and Soledad O’Brien. Other anchors, reporters and hosts that will be contributing to the program include Jessica Yellin, Dana Bash, Brianna Keilar, Ed Henry, Dan Lothian, Suzanne Malveaux and new 8 PM hosts Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker.

More information after the jump.

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CNN’s Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker talked with Nathalie Dupree, a write-in candidate for Senate in South Carolina. Nathalie Dupree, not to be confused with that other Dupre (with one “e”), is a chef who is taking on Sen. Jim DeMint. The name similarity was not lost on one TVNewser tipster last night:

Parker Spitzer has a guest with the last name of Dupree right now. Am I the only one who thinks this is hilarious?

Night two saw an improvement for CNN’s “Parker Spitzer.” The show averaged 513,000 Total Viewers and 125,000 A25-54 viewers, both up from yesterday. It also grew from its “John King, USA” lead-in by a substantial margin, up 23% in the demo and 24% in total viewers. Despite the bump, the program still finished fourth in its timeslot. Full cable ratings will be coming later this afternoon.

Since their 8 PM show on CNN was announced, hosts Kathleen Parker and Eliot Spitzer have insisted that the program will not be another “Crossfire.” That format, with a firebrand liberal facing off against a firebrand conservative, was sent to the garbage bin by the now former CNN president Jon Klein.

The new show, which Klein conceived, is meant to be more conversational, without the shouting. Parker compares it to a family dinner, with relatives of various political persuasions making their case before dessert.

Talking to the co-hosts, one understands the comparison. Spitzer and Parker are constantly cracking jokes, both of the traditional and self-deprecating variety, and the topic of conversation changes on a dime.

In an interview with TVNewser last week, the pair was asked what subjects they would discuss on the show. Politics, economics and sports all came up.

“We are waiting for a big athlete to enter politics and talk about economic policy,” Spitzer quipped, eliciting a laugh from Parker. From there, Spitzer turned the conversation to an anecdote about MLB hall of famer and U.S. Senator Jim Bunning:

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CNN’s new 8 PM show starring Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker may not debut on the network until October, but that isn’t stopping the channel from featuring the show’s stars on-air.

Last night Spitzer made his solo debut as a political analyst and member of the “Best Political Team on Television” for CNN, talking abut the midterm elections with John King.

Spitzer and his co-host Parker actually appeared together on the network for the first time late last week, where they talked about the Islamic center and mosque controversy in NYC with Anderson Cooper.

Video of that appearance is after the jump.

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CNN has made the worst-kept secret in TV news official: British television host Piers Morgan will be joining the network’s primetime lineup in January. He will be based in New York, but will also work from Los Angeles and London.

Morgan will be taking over at 9 PM, replacing broadcast legend Larry King, who announced his retirement earlier this year. King will leave his nightly show in December.

Morgan will also write a regular column for CNN.com.

“Piers has made his name posing tough questions to public figures, holding them accountable for their words and deeds,” said CNN/US president Jon Klein in a statement. “He is able to look at all aspects of the news with style and humor with an occasional good laugh in the process. He is a natural fit with Anderson Cooper, Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker in our prime time line up, and the ideal choice to update the storied tradition of newsmaker talk on CNN.”

In a statement, Morgan praised the network and King, saying that he “dreamed of one day filling the legendary suspenders of the man I consider to be the greatest TV interviewer of them all…”

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CNN has finally announced the name and premiere date for its new 8 PM program hosted by Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker.

The show will be called ‘Parker-Spitzer’ (or is that ‘Parker/Spitzer?’ or ‘Parker Spitzer?’), and will premiere Monday, October 4.

The duo announced the name of the program via a video posted to CNN.com:

Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria is leaving the magazine to join Time. The news was broken by Joe Pompeo of Business Insider, who added a little nugget about Zakaria’s role at CNN:

We hear that CNN plans to build a bigger franchise around Zakaria, who hosts the hour-long foreign affairs program “Fareed Zakaria GPS.” CNN also did not immediately return a call and email for comment.

At the moment CNN’s lineup is full, but there will be big changes coming this Fall with the new 8 PM show hosted by Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker and a new host taking over for Larry King. Still, Zakaria’s Sunday program has drawn much praise from the typically stodgy television critics since its debut in 2008.

What would Zakaria’s “expanded role” at CNN include? A new weekday show? if so, where would they put it? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Update: We have more on Zakaria’s new role at CNN, after the jump.

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