CNN’s John King: In or Out?
Today we have two entirely conflicting accounts of the immediate fate of CNN’s John King, who began hosting John King’s USA at 7 p.m. ET in March, replacing Lou Dobbs.
According to the New York Post, King’s the next major name (and the second King) to be headed for the door. Meanwhile, Mediaite (why is that second “I” there, I ask you, why?) says not so fast.
The NYP’s Page Six quotes an “insider” (or someone who is very good at reading ratings charts) who says: “Since King replaced Lou Dobbs, he’s lost more than half his audience. If it were a fight, it would be stopped on a TKO because of the bleeding.”
The Post predicts that Wolf Blitzer will expand his newscast into the 7 p.m. hour, leading into a new show with disgraced former New York governor Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker at 8 p.m. None of that sounds like a good idea to me, but no one has asked me to program their news network lately. Blitzer did make his name on the Gulf War and that ended in 1991. I’m just saying.
Mediaite, however, cites a June 30 the Web site did with CNN head Jon Klein, who said he planned to practice patience with King’s new show.
Mediaite also makes the salient point that it would make sense to see how King’s show does come the mid-term elections (really, that is here already? I just finally got over my fatigue from the presidential campaign and it’s about to all start up again. Yesterday, I heard a story on NPR about Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney raising money for their PACs and I got a little nauseous). King is primarily a political reporter and if he can’t bring in viewers to hear him report on politics, then his time in primetime should be up.
Still, patience probably isn’t in long supply over at struggling CNN, where the ratings are at all-time lows.
Shaff commented:
Hire some more "fair and balanced" hosts with some personality; and watch your ratings go up. Come to think of that; there's already a cable news network doing that. CNN's problems start at the top; until they change the President, nothing is going to change signficantly. Hire a Roger Ailes type guy, and you're on your way to recovery CNN.
Shaff commented:
Hire some more "fair and balanced" hosts with some personality; and watch your ratings go up. Come to think of that; there's already a cable news network doing that. CNN's problems start at the top; until they change the President, nothing is going to change signficantly. Hire a Roger Ailes type guy, and you're on your way to recovery CNN.
mjoy61 commented:
CNN put their most dry and boring reporters (ie John King, Candye Crolley on Sunday morning) in prime time shows and low and behold their ratings were cut in half. Does anyone beleive that there is journalistic integrity when King interviews his wife Dana Bash on air? He should call the show John King's Nepotism. It's time for CNN to get away from opinions and editorialism and get back to hard and fast journalism that exposes truth when America needs it the most. We need reporters that are willing to roll up their sleeves and go toe to toe with evasive and corrupt politicians and executives. We don't need TV stars who never leave the studio and just comment on what they see on the monitor.
mjoy61 commented:
CNN put their most dry and boring reporters (ie John King, Candye Crolley on Sunday morning) in prime time shows and low and behold their ratings were cut in half. Does anyone beleive that there is journalistic integrity when King interviews his wife Dana Bash on air? He should call the show John King's Nepotism. It's time for CNN to get away from opinions and editorialism and get back to hard and fast journalism that exposes truth when America needs it the most. We need reporters that are willing to roll up their sleeves and go toe to toe with evasive and corrupt politicians and executives. We don't need TV stars who never leave the studio and just comment on what they see on the monitor.
Norah commented:
Yes, he may be out because I believe they're going to put that FOOL Rick Sanchez, who left Miami with great fanfare believing that he would be the next preeminent anchor of his time and instead winds up at CNN after bouncing around several shows and time slots.He now has a platform where he can make stupid comments that I don't think he even believes. But if CNN is going down it's because they have a multiple of FOOLS like this Rick Sanchez but hey I'm disgusted with him so maybe that's why his ratings may not be as shabby as he deserves. If you've gathered that I worked with the Fool in Miami you would be right.