News leaked that changes are coming to CNN's brass because of CNN's abysmal ratings. The NY Post. speculated that Jim Walton is on his way out and Jeff Zucker is being considered as his replacement.
"Several news business high-ups say one name being floated internally to come in and revive CNN ratings is Jeff Zucker, the former NBCUniversal boss. Zucker is friendly with both Bewkes and corporate adviser, Gary Ginsberg. The Zucker prospect has rattled some in the executive ranks. No outreach has occurred around that idea."
The Post also says "CNN insiders are also carping about the hiring of chef Anthony Bourdain to record a weekend show as editorial staff are being downsized. “People were like, ‘whaaaat?’ They’re eliminating reporters and replacing them with a food guy?”
So there's your fodder for conversation this week. Let us know what you think.
It is crazy for CNN management to think viewers
ReplyDeletewill magically start watching CNN again. Why do
they think viewers turned off CNN in the first
place ? Hint : don't like CNN shows. Imitating Fox
News is not a plan. 360 is suppose to be 360 not
a copycat of O'Reilly. Also, who wants to watch
the worst political team on television. I don't
want to hear about carping reporters. Why don't
you do your job and break some news ? ABC, NBC
CBS and MSNBC do ti all of the time. There are
plenty of recent grads who write, shoot and edit
their own material. They will be more than happy
to take your place. Guarantee they won't repeat
word for words from blogs or try to legitimize
GOP claims as facts. Viewers are not stupid. We
know when something just does not sound right.
Erin Burnett, Piers Morgan, tea partiers, birthers
Beitbart, giving pundits their own shows show
how low CNN has become. No journalistic mores,
standards, values of credibility. Don"t trust CNN.
They use right wing blogs for facts. Nothing they
say is true it is made up. 360 keeps going from
bad to worst. Guess they are dumb enough to
fall for posters punking them by saying they will
watch if CNN hire conservatives to attack Obama.
Psych, they have no intentions of watching CNN.
CNN is so scared of right wing media. Limbaugh
can make CNN do anything just by criticizing
the network. The same things go for bloggers
and pundits on the CNN payroll. Ever bother
checking some of the things these people write.
CNN has sold it's journalistic soul. CNN has no
backbone so the network stands for nothing.
The Koch brothers are paying people to post on
blogs so they can control the conversation. CNN
is a pretty easy target. They are dumb enough
to think that these people actually watch CNN.
There are networks who hire people to separate
the real from a post that been on several websites.
Twitter is pretty easy.
Really ticked off former CNN viewer.
I personally just wish that all these changes at CNN will take place immediately rather than later, which could be at the end of the year or beginning of next year. Management needs to work faster, coming up with a plan, advertise the changes throughout the Summer, and have everything new begin in the Fall.
ReplyDeleteThe dream management team at CNN would be
ReplyDeleteRome Hartman, he was at BBC America and is
currently working on Rock Center.
Chris Licht at the CBS Morning Show. It is kinda
young and has some good TV news ideas.
Laura Ling. Yes, she is Lisa's sister. At Current TV,
she was in charge of Vanguard. Maybe she can
get the team together for CNN. Current is running
ads for the new season of Vanguard.
Finally, David Neuman, Max Lugavere and Jason
Silva. What Current TV originally set out to do
was revolutionary. CNN has to find the right
formula for old/new journalism.CNN has got to
modernize, work on content and story-telling.
These 3 could really help CNN out with multi
platform journalism. CNN is not ahead on any
stories and has to play catch up too many times.
Sometimes as late as a week.
CNN also needs a news team that searches daily
for fresh content. You have to hire people who
know how to dig and find interesting content
for all CNN shows.If you are working or going
to school you can't consume all of the news that
is out there. People have lives they don't eat,
breath or sleep politics 24/7. You can bet right
now there are some kids working on a website
or social media platform that will direct people
to real solid journalism and reporting that you
can find on a daily basis but will never see on
cable news. That includes video and sound that
CNN does not find necessary. Anyone will tell
you that video content is essential. Mashable
and Business Insider are really good at this.
Don't have any problem with CNN having shows
like you see on Discovery, History, Nat Geo.
Animal Planet, Science, Nat Geo Wild, Travel
or BIo on the weekends. You learn a lot from
these shows. Planet Earth is amazing. There
are various forms of story-telling.
CNN has to produce original reporting and
content for the masses not ideologues. There
is no growth in left vs right. CNN needs to
launch a new style of revolutionary journalism
and original programming. Go for George
Strombo . Aisha Tyler, Conor Knighton and
others Contributors need to offer original
content and programming. Time to drop the
pundits as contributors. They can't give you
original content.
CNN,MSNBC & FNC are widely being panned for
how they handled the Wisconsin Primary. It was
cable news at it's worst. None are working in
the interest of viewers. We might as well not
be in the room.
Hiring Bourdain is brilliant and CNN needs NEW blood.
ReplyDeleteJeff Zucker was very close friends with Katie Couric.
That could mean trouble for our little Anderson.
Katie and Jeff are still friends according to the NYPost and I'm certain there is enough bad blood floating around.
Interesting.
Interesting, Reliable Sources will be discussing
ReplyDeletedeclining cable news ratings, CNN got hit the
hardest first. HLN needs to be used more to help
out CNN against MSNBC. Let's hope that Evening
Express means HLN will be trying to get more
news shows. Jane Mitchell, Nancy Grace and Dr
Drew is a disgrace as Ted Turner says. Cable news
is using an outdated business model. In prime time
HLN could have talent introduce features from CNN
affiliates and run stories from CNN's website and
CNN International.
TV Guide is reporting that even though CNN is still viable financially, the brand has taken the worst hit in decades as far as ratings go.
ReplyDeleteAdvertisers still seem to show faith in the now tarnished name, but for how long?
The answer is whenever the ratings strike hits the purse strings...then viewers will see solid change.
Until then, it will be bad business as usual.
I absolutely love a comment I read in a previous blog post saying that the primetime evening anchor line up should look like this:
ReplyDelete5PM-8PM: Wolf Blitzer
8PM: Anderson Cooper
9PM: Soledad O'Brien
10PM: Tom Foreman
11PM: Erin Burnett
I've noticed all this past week that Erin Burnett's 11PM ratings are much higher than her 7PM ratings, so I think it would be a great idea to have her LIVE at this time instead. CNN isn't going to get rid of her, so they might as well move her live timeslot. I agree that Piers Morgan should move to weekends considering CNN won't get rid of him too.
I agree that Soledad O'Brien is better in primetime but with a new show that is nothing like Starting Point. Tom Foreman would be GREAT to host a re-fresh return of NewsNight, and Wolf Blitzer is a great lead in for Anderson Cooper.
Anonymous 11:35pm --- I love this idea too! I also agree with anonymous 1:45pm. Have this new prime time line-up heavily advertised throughout the Summer and begin in the Fall. I would say the best time is after the conventions once CNN supposedly debuts new broadcasting sets.
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye on Evening Express. That show is
ReplyDeletebuilding an audience. So far it does not look like
they are taking any viewers away from the others.
Most viewers don't know about this show.. Sadly,
they averaged more viewers than Starting Point in
their premiere week. Could this be an experiment
show for CNN to try new things and figure out
what works and apply their findings to CNN. HLN
might see big benefits in being the alternative to
all of the other cable news shows on from 5-7 PM.
Yes, I think that lineup has some potential. I have always thought Piers should move to weekend. I guess they have decided to keep Burnett. It is true that she can get better numbers at 11pm than her original airing at 7pm. In the last couple weeks, her ratings have improved for both time slots. That being said, since her show has aired, she has received big ratings bumps on occasion at her 11pm show so that is not new. I think it means there is an untapped audience at that timeslot and CNN should really try harder to capture it. I need to revise an earlier comment - I said her recent ratings increase was more like a dead cat bounce - ultimately unsustainable. I could be wrong about that in the short term because they are making her the face of CNN economic coverage and that is a big issue in this election. She could very well capitalize on the economy being a popular media trend. Of course, I think that is the very problem but CNN will be happy enough with the ratings surge if people turn to Burnett for answers on the economy. Personally, I think her economic analysis is the equivalent of consulting a magic 8 ball but apparently old rich white guys disagree.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I might add to your lineup would be Ashleigh Banfield. She could replace Burnett or pair her with another anchor. I would like to see her in primetime.
As for Zucker, I hear his name popping up a lot lately - I think someone is just trying to generate publicity for himself. I agree with whoever said that CNN needs to think outside the box on this one. Besides, I bet Burnett is just ecstatic over a possible Zucker hire - he helped make her. For that alone he should be tossed on the trash heap of used up media execs.
CNN needs to find it's own identity. Going for
ReplyDeleteviewers from MSNBC or FNC will not work. The
mission of news is to inform not misinform. if
you see someone from the right or left on CNN
you know where it is going so why watch. Drop
the pundits and watch CNN rating go up. It is
tired and boring. People watch the news to learn
something. Viewers should be able to walk away
with something from every CNN show. The days
of anchors just sitting at the desk and reading
are long over. You have to create diverse news
shows. They can't look all alike or do the same
old stories over and over again. I can find tons
of legit news stories at the click of a mouse.
Why can't CNN do this ? Reporters have more
resources than ever and I am not talking about
political blogs.
I feel that Ashleigh Banfield would make a great lead in for Wolf Blutzer late in the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've mentioned in past comments that I really feel the only way for CNN to become successful again is to change the titles of all their shows without a persons name in the title, to get rid of pundits but keep some great contributors, eliminate cheesy segment titles, include more international news with the national news, and hire well-known people, and keep the well-known's in the lineup but move them around. Zoraida Sambolin is too boring and needs to go. Suzanne Malveaux is better as a political/white house correspondent, same with John King who is best to appear throughout the day with the Magic Wall. Piers Morgan will not be let go but move him to weekends.
ReplyDeleteAs a devoted CNN viewer, a news channel I love, it's always on at home and work. Yes, I know it may seem I have a lot of time on my hands. I really do feel the following schedule is the best way to go. I have even commented it to CNN.
5AM-9AM: CNN Morning News
Brooke Baldwin & John Berman
9AM-11AM: The News
Kyra Phillips
11AM-1PM: The News
Fredricka Whitfield
1PM-3PM: The News
Don Lemon
3PM-5PM: The News
Ashleigh Banfield
5PM-8PM: The Command Center
Wolf Blitzer
8PM: CNN360ยบ
Anderson Cooper
9PM: CNN Tonight
Soledad O'Brien (nothing like Starting Point)
10PM: NewsNight
Tom Foreman
11PM: OutFront
Erin Burnett
Weekends should see blocks of "The News" with Randi Kaye in the morning, Carol Costello in the afternoons, and Alina Cho in primetime. Rename State of the Union to something else, keeping Candy Crowley. GPS, Reliable Sources, The Next List, MD, Your Bottom Line, Your Money, CNN Presents, and CNN Interviews hosted by Piers Morgan are all great during weekends including the upcoming Bourdain show.
Just my View on the News, of how it should be :) This is the last time I talk about it because I know how repetitive comments can get old, just like the George Strombo / Aisha Tyler comments I always see lol.
PS: I absolutely love this blog! Keep up the great work!
You can't change the name of AC 360 because the
ReplyDeleteshow is referred to as 360. Changing names of a
show has not effect at all. Give viewers a break on
the weekends. A diverse group of shows with very
different styles will serve CNN better. You can't give
Wolf Blitzer 3 hrs with his ratings going down with
2. Soledad has been dragged down by Starting Point.
None of those will work for CNN . Asleigh Banfield is
on Early Start, which is equally as bad. CNN needs a
round of fresh news shows period.
@12:41PM:
ReplyDelete"You can't change the name of AC 360 because the
show is referred to as 360."
Huh??..
Yes, all those shows should be fresh news shows. I highly doubt CNN will get rid of everyone so you have to think more realistic. I don't think they are going to start from scratch. Wolf Blitzer is the star of CNN. He has done 3 hours in the past and even more for major events. His show would help 360 as being a good lead in. Every show should be slightly reformatted. Ashleigh Banfield is having a great following. She would be great outside Early Start. Outside Starting Point, Soledad really is great at what she does and has done a great job as a fill in for Anderson. Of course if she was moved to prime time, the show should not resemble her current morning show.
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:55pm, you have some great lineup ideas. I have a few tweeks but I think you are on a much better track than CNN is on now. In fact, I think this level of change in lineup like you suggest should be accompanied by an advertising campaign that touts a new CNN that is going to be all about the new YOU care about. @10:55, I think your best idea is to get rid of personal names in show titles. Yes, 12:41pm, that sounds like a small, insignificant change but when it is done as part of a brand overhaul, it makes more sense. Show your viewers that you are NOT like fox and msnbc that cnn invests in news, not personalities. NPR doesn't base all their show names on people! Anyway, here's my two cents on your lineup: First, I would switch Kyra and Fredricka because I think Kyra is better at the harder news and people tune in at lunch sometimes to know what is going on. Second, CNN is weak in business news reporting, at least domestically, so I would put Christine romans in the 3-5 block around market close time. Since Christine's weekend show is so early in the morning, I think CNN should drop it and give her a daytime block to cover business. Maybe pair her with Ali Velshi again if they will give him up from CNNI. I would cut one of Wolf Blitzer's hours and put in an international show - perhaps Hala Gorani. Now that I have freed up Ashleigh, I would per her on at night. I want the Banfield from a decade ago when she was a rising star at MSNBC - not the crime/court drama stuff. Banfield was a fearless field reporter. Put her on at 10pm instead of Foreman. I would pair Foreman with OBrien for the CNN Tonight hour. Cooper, Soledad, Foreman, Banfield would be a great primetime team. If I were to switch any out, I might consider Don Lemon instead of Tom Foreman - lemon can be arrogant but he is a good anchor.
ReplyDeleteWeekends should be a good time to experiment. I like that CNN is putting news magazine type shows on the weekend. Piers would also do better there because he would have to book so many guest for filler. He can save his time for bigger interviews. John King and Sanjay Gupta are great talents with much needed specialties so they should be featured across all CNN shows. CNN should pare down their number of "contributors" considerably. Use weekends to develop new talents before throwing them into primetime. Most importantly, CNN needs to take a good hard look at their content. Dump the kitchy branded segments and think longer form series. Go in-depth and for god sakes talk to someone outside NYC and DC. Give more time to the talented field reporters. Build a brand again that people can get excited about. And don't fear bump music - I always thought the music was silly but now that I have seen it employed smartly on Up w/Chris Hayes, MHP, and Now w/ Alex Wagner, I have become a believer.
Oh, one more thing - fire any anchor who hogs up the news ticker at the bottom of the screen with an ad for their own show and twitter handle. Either put some news in the ticker, or shut it off completely.
That's my two cents.
I want to thank the creators of this blog for allowing CNN viewers to come together and talk about certain things. Regardless of all the negative reactions to CNN lately this past year, I'm sure we all still hope for the best for CNN. We want it to improve and return to #1. I'm confident we will see positive comments by the end of this year. I'm optimistic about the upcoming changes at CNN.
ReplyDeleteThe Republican National Convention will be held from August 27-30 and the Democratic National Convention will be held from September 3-6. Many people will be tuning in for these events and CNN has this chance to attract more viewers. Hopefully by then, new changes will have taken place that will hopefully be advertised very well. Following these conventions, CNN will unveil two all new, state of the art studios in Washington DC which will serve home to DC based programming and will become the new CNN Election Center once both sets are combined towards Election Day 2012. CNN has this chance to not overdo anything. Hopefully no matrix or virtual convention or hologram, but just simply the Magic Wall with good anchors, corespondents but NO pundits. Looking forward to CNN this Fall! In the meantime, what we see now will likely last throughout the Summer. CNN will need to come up with a programming plan change soon so that it can be well advertised until then. I really like Anon 10:55pm's ideas.
ReplyDeleteCable news is in big trouble check out the Friday
ReplyDeleteratings on TV NEWSER. CNN has to find new and
innovative ways to bring us the news. CNN made
a big mistake by going ideologue. It you watch
CNN, you see the evidence of a right wing slant.
News, news news is the route for CNN. There is
no way to gain viewers with ideology for CNN.
FNC & MSNBC have already corned the market.
Content, story-telling, video, visual presentation,
delivery , conversational writing and delivery are
key.
Anon 4:38 well said. We all want CNN to get back
ReplyDeleteto being at the top of it's game. Been checking out
Evening Express today. What a cool show. Lots of
interesting content. Biggest surprise an informative
cable news show. Stunned that the show is on HLN.
The energy/chemistry with Ryan Smith, Isha Sesay
& Clark Howard is great and it works. Added the
show to the DVR. it will be interesting to see if
the trio can find a loyal audience.
Anon 10:55 - definitely good ideas.
ReplyDeleteI do not like Don Lemon though - I think he is not a very good anchor/reporter. I would love to watch news at 10:00 on Sat and Sun evenings, but he is unbearable.
360 is CNN's highest rated show at 10 PM so the
ReplyDeletenetwork will not change that time slot. The problem
hours for CNN are the 2 morning shows, 5,6 7 & 9
PM hours. Suzanne Malveaux wins her time slot as
does Kyra Phillips. Don Lemon can;t get ratings on
the weekends and Carol Costello is not bringing in
ratings either. You don't promote people who are
already having problems drawing viewers. There is
a list of the hour by hour ratings is cable news. CNN
can't promote people with low ratings. If they are
getting less than 100,000 in the demo you don't
promote them to prime time.. CNN has to find
good matchups not promote the same tired old
shows over and over again.
Business Insider makes CNN look completely
ReplyDeletestupid on the so-called Obama gaffe on the
private sector. Apparently,BI says it;s true what
President Obama said and they pointed out the
problems with Romeny's ad released today. So
none of the media morons bothered to check
out the data to see what is going on. They just
took the GOP talking points and read the script.
That is why nobody trusts CNN with politics. Out
Front should have caught this for sure. Isn't that
suppose to be Erin Burnett's strength ? Whatever
happened to research ? It is laughable that 360
always brings on Ari Fleischer to bash Obama
on the economy. Didn't the economic crisis
happen under his boss. Can you say big time
credibility issues ? Be smarter about the guests
you book for segments. Is anyone thinking at
CNN ? CNN is it's own worst enemy. They make
them looks stupid.
Prediction : in August CNN will announce that
ReplyDeleteEvening Express is coming to CNN.
It will be on from 6- 8 PM and given 6 months to
find viewers. John King will have a role on Sit Room.
CNN is trying to figure out a role for Erin Burnett.
HLN is being used to get the show into a groove
by August in time for the fall. That gives CNN until
2013 to find more shows. The move will only be
permanent if the dhow does well on CNN.
@10.38pm what are you basing your prediction on? EX has abysmal ratings and mostly newsless content. It has really nothing to do with what CNN has ever standed for. Not to mention politics will dominate the news from August and that means useless chit-chats about Miss America won't matter. It's ok to be a fan of a certain show, but let's get real, EX in its current format will never move to CNN in late afternoon.
ReplyDeleteThe reporter from the Daily Caller who was not born in the US, but in Ireland and who interrupted the POTUS, should have been escorted out of the Rose Garden by the Secret Service. He lacked pure decency.
ReplyDeleteThat is what they are there for and that is what should have been done, whether he agreed with the immigration policy that was presented or not.
President Obama was visably angry and for a reason.
Would this reporter have interrupted President Bush or any other President for that matter?
It is just this lack of respect that the Republicans feed into. It is because of that Party's lack of respect for this sitting President, that this permissive disrespectful attitude prevails, and it needs to stop.
It is bias, it is racially motivated and it is repugnant.
It permeates with a large percentage of right wing media.