Martha Stewart didn’t talk to CNN for a new original documentary series the news outlet has produced about her. But she’s still the star of the show.
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” is a four-part series produced by CNN Studios, a division devoted to longer-form and enterprise programming in the wake of a strategic decision made in 2022 to scale back big ambitions to compete in the documentary arena. Under previous leader Jeff Zucker, CNN extended its aegis to the world of film festivals and documentary series led by notables such as Anthony Bourdain, Lisa Ling and W. Kamau Bell.
A good chunk of that work was scrapped after Warner Bros. Discovery, a big player in the world of cost-conscious reality programming, took over CNN, and installed a leader, Chris Licht, who had a mandate to pare operations. Months later, CNN would win an Oscar for a documentary it produced about Russian dissident Alexei Navalny.
The debut of the new Martha Stewart series — slated to air January 28 at 9 p.m. and February 4 at 9 p.m. — indicates all was not lost.
Many CNN rivals have dipped into similar waters. Both NBC News and MSNBC have ramped up production of documentary films and series in recent years, launching such programs as a travelogue led by John Leguizamo or a movie about former White House photographer Pete Souza. Fox News has ramped up documentary programming — including some series led by Kevin Costner. Dennis Quaid and Dan Aykroyd — for its Fox Nation streaming hub.
Still, Mark Thompson, who was named CEO of CNN in August, has yet to articulate in public a plan for original series or documentary film production at CNN.
“At a time when women were finding the courage to leave their domestic roles to seek careers in male dominated fields, Martha built her empire in the home, redefining what it meant to be a feminist in the modern era,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide, in a statement. “Whether you love her or hate her, we are betting audiences will continue to be fascinated by ‘The Many Lives of Martha Stewart.’”
Stewart did not participate in the new series, but thanks to archival footage, interviews with former Stewart associates and colleagues, and numerous appearances by Martha Stewart on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” she tells parts of the story in her own words. The series follows her from her days as a young models and an early female stockbroker on Wall Street to her run as a popular Connecticut caterer who built a home-arts media empire, then had to serve time in prison after accusations of insider trading.
CNN says the series will also include interviews with Stewart’s “fellow inmates and closest confidantes.”
Celebrates restaurateurs and chefs including Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Claire Saffitz and Carla Hall also appear.
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart” is executive produced by Eric Johnson. Amy Entelis and Katie Hinman for CNN Studios. Senior producers for the series are Ashley Santoro, Emily Taguchi and Asaf Kastner. Kinga Janik is the director of production.
