CNN's Jeff Zucker raids ABC again as he eyes Chris Cuomo for CNN
By John ClarkeFrom The DailyMail Online:
From the CNN's new chief Jeff Zucker is raiding ABC again in his search for a new face to lead the network.
According to reports, Mr Zucker is eyeing ABC's Chris Cuomo, the network's legal correspondent and co-anchor of '20/20.'
Since taking over as president of the cable network in November, Mr Zucker has been trying to build up prime-time news lineup, expand coverage beyond politics and war, and increase Hollywood coverage.
Now he just needs some new blood.
CNN's new president needs new blood and is reportedly looking to hire ABC's Chris Cuomo
'Jeff’s still looking for an anchor he can basically make the centerpiece of the network,' a source tells the New York Post.
Cuomo, the brother of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, worked as a correspondent at Fox News before jumping to ABC, where he was the news anchor for 'Good Morning America' from 2006 to December 2009.
He currently co-anchors '20/20' with Elizabeth Vargas.
Mr Zucker has also reportedly been looking at Ann Curry, who is still under contract with NBC, to fill the 8pm time slot, currently held by Anderson Cooper.
According to the Post, Curry fits the bill.
'[Zucker] cannot allow the low ratings at CNN to continue,' a source told the Post. "So he can’t hire a nobody. Curry fits that CNN-smarty-pants-foreign-affairs type.'
He most recently poached ABC's White House correspondent Jake Tapper.
Mr Zucker, right, is reportedly looking for a new 'centerpiece' CNN. Mr Cuomo co-currently anchors '20/20'
The onetime NBC head is also aiming to boost Hollywood coverage and general interest stories, and might move CNN’s Erin Burnett to mornings to compete with 'Today' and “Good Morning America.'According to the New York Post, he’s also reached out to some top reporters in Hollywood, specifically at Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
"'Jeff’s still looking for an anchor he can basically make the centerpiece of the network,' a source tells the New York Post."
ReplyDeleteUm, has someone told Anderson Cooper about that? I also bet that upset Wolf Blitzer!
"'Jeff’s still looking for an anchor he can basically make the centerpiece of the network,' a source tells the New York Post." isn't that the same thing Jpn Klein did with Anderson? Pulling out one person and putting the focus on them, then to put it bluntly all h--- breaks loose.
ReplyDeleteI love Chris, but I want him to stay at ABC, where he can do great investigative work without having the pressure of being the "centerpiece of the network." There IS talent at CNN, but you have to know how to use, develop AND promote it.
Chris Cuomo is not a star and not the answer for CNN. More news and better story selection is what will help them. Also Anderson and Wolf are far superior to Chris.
ReplyDeleteThere has been many rumors swirling around since Zucker decided to join CNN. Unfortunately, all this talk about finding a new star (including the recruitment of Zucker himself) is always about one personality riding in on a white horse to save CNN. Have they ever thought that its not a star they need but a new news ethos? A driving mission and better execution of news delivery? They have snatched up plenty of trendy names and it still hasn't worked. Its about what they do with the people that is the problem.
ReplyDeleteDid the man learn anything from Leno and Conan ?
ReplyDeleteJust raiding other networks for talent does not work.
CNN has done this before and each time it failed.
It looks like Jeff Zucker is picking up where he left
off at NBC. We all know how badly that ended.
I would be more impressed if we were hearing
names like Conor Knighton, Strombo, Aisha Tyler,
Vanguard journalists, Max Lugaere, Jason Silva,
Toure , Tj Holmes, Betty Nguyen, Nicole Lipan
and others. Ann Curry, Chris Cuomo and Jake
Tapper are not going to work.
If CNN is dumb enough not to realize that
Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer give them
the little news cred they still have. The only
thing wrong with MSNBC is that when there is
a huge breaking news story they don't have
journalists to deliver serious news. Only CNN
would give such gifts to MSNBC. Tj is on
MSNBC today.
TJ Holmes, Betty Nguyen, Nicole Lapin - those are not names that bring news cred to mind.
ReplyDeleteOh, my!
ReplyDeleteSo the Jeff Zucker doesn't think Anderson's lower than low ratings will save CNN!
Well give that man a banana.
He's the first who didn't fall heads over heels for Cooper.
At least he realizes that Cooper only gets high ratings when he wears itsey bitsey tees!
@8:34 and @11:57 are correct.
ReplyDeleteMore news.
Better story selection.
No trendy 'star' names.
And getting rid of the horrible middle management - Khosravi, Jautz, Whitaker, Entelis, Green, Lee and Maddox.
Amen to that. Get rid of the horrible Parisa Khosravi.
ReplyDeleteCNN has so many more great journalists than MSNBC and Fox News combined, but they just don't know how to use them in the right way.
ReplyDeleteCNN is just like the GOP. They are in denial that
ReplyDeletethey have problems with women ,minorities and
their own viewers.
News is more about content, story selection, delivery,
conversational writing as though you are talking to
millions of potential viewers and not at them. There
is also the tone, the language that is being used. One
thing CNN definitely needs is creativity/innovation.
Be willing to take risks and not copy FNC or MSNBC
or hire people from other networks. Name anyone
that CNN has hired from another network that gave
them a hit. MSNBC hired from within. Familiarity
matters to viewers. 360 & TSR will remain shows
at CNN because CNN has to show it is still in the
news biz. At the same time they can't just have
their anchors reading the news from scripts. YV
is a visual medium. The key is to find ways to
make the news interesting and worth watching on
a daily basis. That means being unpredictable
and daring to be different. For CNN to get back
into the game. The have to fix the 4,5,6 & 7 PM
hours that leads into prime time. If you are not
going to watch more than 1 show in CNN's
prime time lineup, you are more likely to leave
the TV on MSNBC much earlier. Become the
worlds largest news content provider on multiple
platforms. No one is going to sit in front of a
TV for hours anymore. Transmedia programing
matters. Content for mobile, the web and TV
are very different. There is a ton of news and
content on a daily basis. You can't get it all but
CNN should be in teal time for 24 hrs. Every 15
minutes there is news and web content. Believe
or not there is just as much news on You Tube,
Twitter, Face Book, Vimeo way ahead of TV.
CNN has to do news and be news oriented. It
is not as simple as CNN just reading us the news
and everything will be okay. It is more about
creating shows that can connect with millions
of potential viewers. Become the 1st cable news
channel to not have pundits. Listen to Nate
Silver. The TV and news biz have to find ways
to stay relevant. You can't do that by just having
anchors siting on their butts reading scripts.
You need original reporting and content that
you can only get from CNN. Do you see actual
newsmakers on CNN anymore of filmmakers
authors, photographers and people who are
out there doing things.
We will learn a lot when we see who Jeff Zucker will
ReplyDeleteput in charge of CNN & HLN.
It's true that cable news has to change. CNN is doing
the right thing by bringing us Anthony Bourdain &
Morgan Spurlock. Looking forward to seeing these 2
shows, the promos have me curious.
Cable news overall is using an outdated business
model. What is wrong with hiring Strombo, Conor
Knighton, Allison Stewart, the Vanguard Jornios
from Current. Animators like Mark Fiore. Brett
Erich for political satire or even Aisha Tyler ?
Who says music matched perfectly with particular
news stories can't work ?
For the so-called fiscal cliff there is a legendary
rap song called The Message. The song has the
words " don't push me cause I'm close to the
edge". What is wrong with video vignettes being
constantly updated hourly on CNN ? What's wrong
with CNN producers, writers, reporters anchors
offering news tweets in place of the ancient crawl ?
Think about how we all consume news. It is not
just via television. Think mobile. 4G. Who has
a desktop these days. You have a laptop,tablet
or smartphone always with you. I only sit in front
of the television for sports, Game Of Thrones.
True Blood and Strike Back. Everything else is
on the DVR. I can record 5 shows at once. Right
now 360, THRMS, Last Word & The Cycle are the
only news shows. I would DVR Strombo and a
women's news show only with an ethnically
diverse group of female journalists. No pundits.
Tj Holmes, Betty Nguyen & Nicole Lipan are all
younger journalists who have been at CNN, CBS
& Bloomberg. So they would fit CNN.
Rachel Maddow was not a star when
ReplyDeleteMSNBC took a chance with her and she made herself one.
And there are other well qualified anchors at MSNBC, who support her time frame.
CNN refused to hire her back in 07
because they had Mr Wonderful Cooper and didn't think they needed the talents of Ms Maddow.
Just another stupid move by the station that knows not whattodo.
Sometimes the new guy on the block is the one to run with and I agree,
Chris Cuomo has been around the block a few times, and not only doesn't he have a following, but there's no spark of life to his personality.
So Jon Klein cloned himself in the image of Jeff Zucker. What do you know?
CNN is coming off as not too bright with their fiscal
ReplyDeletecliff coverage. There was an election and the voters
rejected the polices that CNN is permitting the right
to come on their network and act like President Obama
has to enact the polices of Mitt Romney. CNN does not
seem to be catching this and let them get away with
saying the same prepared lines as Romney said for
an entire election. For goodness sake someone was
just on CNN arguing for austerity. Sure that is going
so well for Europe. Of course, CNN let it go without
asking hard question. The deficit and the fiscal cliff
are not the same thing.
The gun loving GOP needs to apologize to Hillary and soon.
ReplyDeleteThey accused her of not wanting to testify this past month and that she had a "made of illness."
According to the NYT she has been admitted to a NYC hospital with an injury from her "faux concussion."
Maybe this is a signal for VP Biden to write "faux legislation" banning ALL guns and then he could just back step and say he meant semi-automatic weapons.
Only the Republicans would consider what happened on foreign soil worthier than 20 children under the age of 7.