Paula Zahn isn’t known for her colorful analysis of America’s great films. And yet, on Monday night, she will appear on TCM with critic Eddie Muller, ready to hash over a series of noir delights such as “In Cold Blood” and “I Want To Live.”
Zahn may best be remembered for stints on CNN, CBS News and Fox News Channel and, more recently, a substantial decade-plus tenure on Investigation Discovery analyzing true crime stories. In a different era, she and Muller might not have occasion to meet.
In the current epoch, however, their fates are intertwined. Both personalities work for Warner Bros. Discovery, the media giant that has been forged out of TV portfolios previously owned by AT&T, Time Warner, Discovery Communications and Scripps Networks. Executives think TCM, a cable network with a rabid fanbase devoted to classic films, may just represent a sort of linchpin that helps push fans of different topics to programming they might not otherwise watch.