Question of the weekend…
If you ran CNN what would you do to stabilize the 8pm hour and deal with the threat Countdown with Keith Olbermann now presents?
March 3, 2007
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Simple. Change your direction! Get off the left wing host thing. Hire a conservative host. Most any would blow the Hour of SPin off the charts as Nancy and sometimes reruns of DEAL OR NO DEAL do!
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
Paula Zahn is now a left wing host? Jeez you people are insane.
Comment by Steve — March 3, 2007 @ 4:08 pm
AC to the rescue!!
Comment by phil — March 3, 2007 @ 4:14 pm
I don’t think ideology is the problem for Paula Zahn at CNN. She lacks charisma; I think she had the same problem when she hosted CBS’s morning show in the 90’s. O’Reilly, Olbermann, and Grace (love or hate them) grab and keep your attention. Other than another Anderson Cooper hour or moving LKL up an hour, I can’t think of anyone CNN has that could generate greater interest or buzz.
Comment by Scott — March 3, 2007 @ 4:18 pm
Paul… totally disagree with you. Looking at the shows that are currently on… You have KO which captures the left wingers… O’Reilly which grabs a lot of the right wingers.
With that in mind (and for the moment let’s ignore the HLN and CNBC) I think the solution is clear. CNN needs to present a straight hard news program, with NO bias… just facts. People now have to chose to lean left or right… and a strong centrist program, that still has the debate and fire of the other shows, could grab the moderate audience.
Comment by ImNotBlue — March 3, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
Swap Larry King and Paula Zahn. (Larry King to 8pm and Paula Zahn to 9pm) Repeat Larry King at midnight for the west coast. King is different than either O’Reilly or Olberman. I think he’d challenge both of them.
Comment by Grampa D — March 3, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
Wow… Grampa D has one hell of a good point…
Comment by Don — March 3, 2007 @ 4:56 pm
I say just put CNNI on at 8pm. Its painfully obvious by watching all the “new angles” PZ’s show has taken over these miserable years that CNN has absolutely NO CLUE how to make this woman interesting. They could have just kept the same style/format she had on her FNC Show (The Edge) and it would of been much better. But, its way too late for PZ to pull that trick out of her empty bag.
Comment by Terance — March 3, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Being boring. Was not that the rap against Charlie
Gibson.We all know how that turned out. Do a news
program that can bring news you can not get anywhere
else. Use the full resources of CNN for national news,
international news, cnn.com and put a lot of the
CNN reporters on the program to take the emphasis
off of PZ.Make it more about the news and less about
the personality.And please get rid of the talking
heads and use CNN talent with the reporters telling
you about the big stories they are covering for the
day.
Comment by futrue tv mogul — March 3, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
I was going to suggest break Anderson Cooper’s block up - He dies in the second hour every night anyway - but I’m liking Terance’s idea better. CNNI - I’d probably watch it a night or two a week.
Comment by daubermaus — March 3, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
I was going to suggest what Grandpa D suggested. Move both Larry King and AC up one hour. With O’Reilly and LKL on at the same hour, poor Olbermann won’t stand a chance. It’ll give CNN a fighting chance against Fox. O’Reilly would have a real ratings threat for the first time in years. Imagine the headlines if LKL could pull off a victory once or twice a week?
Comment by The Voice of Reason — March 3, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Agree with Grandpa D. Larry King is the only program CNN has that can reasonably compete with FOX and MSNBC. Combine that with the fact that the typical Larry King viewer has just finished watching Matlock and Wheel of Fortune. If Larry’s on at 8 they can watch him and be in bed by 9.
Comment by The MediaBlog — March 3, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
Move LK to 8pm ET, Cooper to 9pm ET, and PZ to 10pm or 11pm ET.
Comment by erljr — March 3, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
I like what Grampa D said. Unfortunately no one right now could even come close to beating O Reilly. If CNN really wants to beat Olby, then move Nancy to CNN. But I don’t think anyone’s really worried about KO anyway as he’s usually in THIRD or FOURTH place and sometimes FIFTH. Yes, I know he does make it (BARELY …adn I mean BARELY!) in SECOND but that’s rare! O Reilly’s 11PM rerun even clobbers him!
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
I was going to say one thing (can Paula, put in John Roberts, or maybe John Roberts and Kiran Chetry), but you all changed my mind. You’re right - Larry at eight. They should be leading off primetime with their big guns, and love him or hate him, he’s ALWAYS the CNN ratings champion of the evening.
He’d kill Keith, and I think he’d take a pretty big bite out of O’Reilley.
Not sure I’d move Paula to nine, tho’ - I’d move Anderson up an hour, if anything. Paula just belongs in the daytime hours. She’s just not a ‘nighttime’ kind of anchor. Don’t know why.
Comment by Arthur — March 3, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
First of all, he doesnt finish in fifth paul. Second, O’reilly’s rerun at 11 beats everybody on CNN, HLN, and MSNBC except Larry king.
Comment by Randy — March 3, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Randy
I hate to tell you but he HAS BEEN (and not all that long ago!) in FIFTH place. I can look up the RATINGS or you can! But the bottom line is that the Hour of Spin is NOT a ratings grabber not matter what is written in these left wing media biased articles!
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 7:09 pm
Sorry Paul - you can’t be fifth in a four-way race.
Comment by erljr — March 3, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Sorry, but it’s a five-way race. Where have you been. KO HAS been fifth quite a few times. You can look it up yourself.
Comment by Jim — March 3, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
Thanks Jim!! I’m not sure what ratings Randy is looking at but it is a FIVE way race. Comedian Olbermahn’s regular and most comfortable position is # 3. I will admit that he has hit # 2 here and there and DEFINITELY has been in the cellar a few times. EVen his SPECIAL COMMENT rants don’t usually help him above #3. His show IS a ratings disaster and no one can figure out why MSNBC renewed his contract other than they must be desperate!
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
“His show IS a ratings disaster and no one can figure out why MSNBC renewed his contract other than they must be desperate!”
Lord, I can’t believe I’m once again getting sucked in to this moronic debate but DUH, Paul.
KO’s ratings are the highest at MSNBC. You can say what you want about the others in the same timeslot, but the fact remains, if MSNBC were going to make some changes, they’d get rid over everyone else FIRST before they’d touch Olbermann. Not to call you stupid or anything, but networks really don’t fire/replace their top performer.
Comment by Arthur — March 3, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
I agree with Paul in #13, for now, no one can beat O’Reilly. I don’t think CNN will take my suggestion. :)
Paula Zahn does the best anyone could, and actually she does quite well in the demo.
Comment by Grampa D — March 3, 2007 @ 7:59 pm
While I’m not a fan of KO….what is with all the idiocy? He finished 2nd in both total viewers and the demo last month for the 8pm hour. Its time to come up with some new material… maybe even some that is factual.
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/original/feb07ranker.pdf
Comment by Terance — March 3, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
LOL Paul is really funny, obviously he hasn’t looked at the averages for January and febuary. Anyhow the moving Larry King up an hour is the best idea, though Larry gets low demo numbers sometime. The thing with moving Paula up to 9:00pm is that then JS might start beating her.
Best idea is to move Larry to 8:00pm, AC to 9:00pm and put Paula at 10:00pm (afterall she and Greta are kinda of the same mold, i.e. apolitical).
Comment by Sam — March 3, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
OK Sam, wanna go with AVERAGES, let’s take a recent week (Feb 19-23) since Man Tan Man was on everyday! Billo O averaged 2,391,000. Nancy G averaged 750,000 while the perennial # 3 - KO - averaged 671,000. If this is what they call their TOP PERFORMER, I’d bring back Phil D or maybe move Donny Deutch in or, better yet, replace this loser with MSNBC INVESTIGATES!!!
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
no i have a better idea for a better picture why dont we average the ratings for all of febuary or all of January. Besides KO gets higher ratings than MSNBC investigates and Donny Deutch, so i wouldn’t see the point of replacing a higer rated programme with a lower rated one, but from your postings i can tell that logics is not one of your strong points.
Comment by Sam — March 3, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
On second thought, I think CNN needs a diffent show
before PZ. They need to find another hip newscast like
the oringal 360. Somehow I think TSR was a filler until
they come up with something new for that hour. LKL and
AC 360 need to stay were they are on the lineup. Maybe
TJ Holmes and Betty Nyugen and Richard Louie and others
from CNN.com. Put AJ Hammer in the mix for an entertainment segment. Also have John Roberts do a
nightly 10 minute segment out of Washington about
the politics of the day and Ricard Quest with an international segment. The only one with
a loyal audience at 8pm is BOR. Besides lets see how
PZ does for March. The first day of the month she tops
KO in the demo.For the first time in a long time she
did news for the first 25 minutes or so. I don’t
think CNN has to move just yet since no one is a
solid second just yet. All PZ needs is to stay
close.
Comment by futrue tv mogul — March 3, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
If this is what they call their TOP PERFORMER, I’d bring back Phil D or maybe move Donny Deutch in or, better yet, replace this loser with MSNBC INVESTIGATES!!!
Paul - if you can’t find an MSNBC show that OUTscores Olbermann, your point is not made and you’re just blowing smoke. Slowly, using simple words - MSNBC is not going to cancel their top rated show. Simple as that, and none of your song and dance about Nancy or Bill or anybody else is going to change that.
Comment by Arthur — March 3, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
I know he already has a shift or two on the schedule, but I would give 8 pm to John Roberts. He’s a seasoned reporter, and is a guy, which may work well for CNN, since Connie Chung and Paula Zahn didn’t draw in many eyeballs in that hour.
Moving Larry King to 8 is an awesome idea. Have him kickstart the night, then have John Roberts and Anderson Cooper come in. It’d be a smart line-up.
And as such, it’ll never happen. :)
Comment by Charles — March 3, 2007 @ 10:11 pm
Moving Larry King is a great idea but after being in that 9pm ET slot for 23 years, I doubt CNN would make such a change.
Comment by Ira — March 3, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
Maybe NBC should rethink whether they really want Keith Olbermann to be the new face of NBC news. Or even close to it.
Comment by Jim — March 3, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
Arthur
In a sense you’re right because MSNBC has a roster of low rating hosts BUT if I were Dan Abrams and wanted to compete in the 8PM ratings race, I’d sure as hell want to have a show on that does better than THIRD. If Olby is the best he can do then that’s basically saying they can’t compete. Hey, maybe you’re not like me but I am competitive and I would think that Abrams would be also. I’d want to find someone or something that could compete with Bill O and not just put something out there which would be like blowing smoke! This isn’t any song and dance although maybe a song and dance show might be the answer! MAybe do an AMERICAN IDOL type of thing.
Comment by Paul — March 3, 2007 @ 10:48 pm
If CNN moved LKL to 8pm, MSNBC could make off huge by moving Countdown back to 7pm.
Besides, Larry King will probably croak before 2011.
Comment by Andy Marquis — March 3, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
Paula’s progam is actually good when there’s breaking news going on. Paula needs to be oriented around the news of the day. Discussion, and the such. Bring on John Roberts, Kiran Chetry…get regular reporters on the air every night. Dont do politics. Feature some political stories…but dont make it completely about politics. Keep the tempo going. Nobody is going to beat BO. You’ve got to counter program with something BO won’t give viewers and that’s the NEWS!
Comment by Me — March 3, 2007 @ 11:26 pm
It is time for Paula Zahn to retire or go work for 60 minutes or some other specialty news program.
I think CNN International is a good idea. I don’t think going after niche viewing markets is consistent with CNN’s mission statement. Therfore, I doubt a conservative with paid stooges providing token opposition and feel good stories on Iraq will be the solution.
Comment by elmonica — March 3, 2007 @ 11:40 pm
CNN International is a nice idea – But what happens when there is a breaking news story relevant only to an American audience – In all likely hood, CNN will dump CNNI to cover the story – Inconsistent. I think the whole idea of an hour-long international orientated news program on CNN is a bad idea. The international news should be covered anyway (as opposed to being shifted off to a particular hour – but that’s another story).
Larry King at 8 is an interesting idea – I wouldn’t do it. I’d create a nightly hour-long news bulletin. It would have one anchor, one sport anchor and weather person. It would cover national and international news and breaking news if it developed. There is no other news cast on at that time of night – It can be argued that FNC and MSNBC are only talking about the news at 8.
I’d also fix up the rest of the prime schedule as well:
6:00 – Lou Dobbs Tonight
7:00 – CNN Open Court (Nancy Grace)
7:30 – CNN Cross Fire
8:00 – CNN Newshour (or something more catchy)
9:00 – Larry King Live
10:00 – CNN 360
11:00 - CNN Newshour (repeat)
I’d move Anderson Cooper and Paula Zahn to American Morning. Now, the 8pm news cast will come from Atlanta. The host will provide half hour “Now In The News” updates from 6pm – 11pm and will break in to Lou Dobbs, the 7pm hour, Larry King and 10pm hour if a major breaking news story develops – This would make the news anchor even more visible to a prime time audience.
Also, I think the 7pm hour would work with those 2 shows running at half an hour each. They would offer the same as Greta and Hannity and Colmes (but at an earlier hour) hopefully setting up my prime time as well.
Comment by F101 — March 4, 2007 @ 12:35 am
I somewhat agree with F101. I would schedule the following.
5pm Paula Zahn Now maybe with a co-anchor
6pm Lou Dobbs Tonight
7pm NewsHour with John Roberts,commentary w/Jack Cafferty
8pm Larry King Live
9pm AC 360
11pm NewsNight Update with Kiran Chetry
I agree with the earlier comment that Paula Zahn belongs earlier in the day. And Wolf Blitzer is okay, but not 3 hours a day good. Give John Roberts a place to shine, I bet CBS it kicking itself for not making him anchor instead of Couric. And I love Jack Cafferty, I think he deserved a 30 minute slot of his own. And give Kiran the 11pm spot so we can see what type of anchor she can grow into being. And is anyone else thrilled to see Karen Mcginnis back at CNN??
Comment by Shawn — March 4, 2007 @ 12:51 am
I’m doubtful they would change the Larry King timeslot. Perhaps moving Nancy Grace over from Headline News to CNN would do the trick. PZ is now routinely 3rd or 4th and shows no sign of gaining any momentum.
No one’s going to come close to matching O’Reilly, but Grace would have a shot at beating KO.
Comment by bigred — March 4, 2007 @ 1:08 am
Can we have a weekend comment about the screeching babes that Fox News has recently hired? Puleeze…isn’t one the former wife/whatever of SanFran mayor who is in the news lately? The other night I thought I was watching the Playboy Channel with the boobs hanging out from two Fox babes’ sweaters? I guess it was an attempt to be ‘balanced’
Comment by John — March 4, 2007 @ 1:15 am
Paula Zhan has been mailing it in for months. Toss her on the mornings.
You’re not going to beat O’Reilly right now so either bring in Cafferty or Grace to take out Olby. But if it’s Grace. Who do you put in her spot at Headline? Mark Levin, or bring back Savage, or How about Randi Rhoades? Glenn Beck to Randi Rhoades! T.v. for the psycho set!
Cafferty would be my choice only because the first worst person Olby gives him. Lookout!
Talk about two skunks in a pissing match!!!!!!
Really, King at 8, A.C. at 9, who cares at 11 , sounds right.
Comment by puck — March 4, 2007 @ 2:47 am
They REALLY should give Jack Cafferty his own show. His special did really well, better than PZN normally does.
Comment by Marty — March 4, 2007 @ 7:35 am
If CNN moved Larry to 8:00 i’d watch instead of OReilly. Those tin-sounding babes at Fox get on my nerves…and OReilly seems to interview them more and more. I’d switch in a minute to see Larry in that slot
Comment by John — March 4, 2007 @ 10:17 am
Good idea #41 - Give Jack a show, Since Paula doesn’t really cater to the left and her ratings are pretty decent compared to Dobermann, which the media and left absolutely loves. A left-wing nut like Jack will probably topple Dobermann easily and you’ll see Dobermann naming him WPITW each week. CNN insiders, Are you reading this?
Comment by Lurker — March 4, 2007 @ 10:40 am
I’d definitely check out Jack Cafferty at 8. He’s cranky but usually for good reason and I miss him on the weekend money show. Plus he’d be bored doing the same routine every night whereas KO has fallen into monotony. I guess if you’re a fairly new viewer to CD it’s refreshing stuff but after 3 years of attacking BOR it’s tiresome. Of course the same thing could happen to JC night after night but I’d give him a chance.
Good question, Spud.
Comment by Char — March 4, 2007 @ 11:35 am
“I’d definitely check out Jack Cafferty at 8″
I agree, the additional of a liberal commentator to balance out their nightly line-up should up the viewership.
Comment by Jim — March 4, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Jack Cafferty should see a good shrink!Just put on a good show and thay will witch but its always the same old, same old .It could be time for CNN to think out-side the box.
Comment by mike — March 4, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
At first I didn’t think it was a good idea for Cafferty to do a show at 8 but then after ready Lurker’s comment I’m all for it! It will be fun seeing two left nuts go at each other.
Comment by Paul — March 4, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
The more I think about Larry at eight, the better I like it. Paula isn’t competition, she’s ‘counterprogramming’ - that is, rather than trying to people to switch the channel to her, they’re trying to get people who are NOT watching at all to turn on.
Larry would be direct competition to O’Reilley - they have fairly identical demographics (ie… kinda codgerly). And when his guest was someone they wanted to see, O’Reilley viewers might switch over. I can’t picture them switching over for Paula.
Comment by Arthur — March 4, 2007 @ 3:02 pm
As the question emplies, it is about what CNN should do to counteract Keith Olbermann’s MSNBC show at 5PM Pacific Time. Perhaps CNN may be wise to move Larry King to 5PM Pacific Time.
Comment by Bob — March 4, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
For anyone who’s watched CNN for a number of years, has his show always been in the 9 p.m. ET hour?
Comment by Chris — March 4, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Some reality needs to kick in here. Anderson Cooper
will not be demoted to the morning show. He is very
much the face of CNN. Why do you think Katie Couric
made the jump from mornings? Prime time is more
valuable.Also, there is no way Nancy Grace’s program
will move to CNN from Headline News.Making changes
to LKL and AC 360 makes no sense.If it aint broke
dom’t fix it.Although I do agree that PZ would fare
much better if more reporters were involved rather
and the panels they use on the program.
It probably would not be a bad idea to revamp the show.
Comment by futrue tv mogul — March 4, 2007 @ 8:39 pm
It’s a sad state of affairs for CNN that this question is even being raised. I think that Larry could give Keith a run for his money — I’d much rather watch senile crazy than conspiracy theory crazy.
Comment by Caufield — March 5, 2007 @ 1:25 am
There is no chance of HLN giving up Nancy Grace (their #1 show) to CNN. I would compare that with FNC moving BO to FBC. And we ALL know that will NEVER happen!
Comment by Terance — March 5, 2007 @ 8:01 am
If CNN wants to boost the 8pm hour, all they have to do is replace tired old Paula with Kiran Chetry in one of her famous skirts, and I guarantee that time slot will be secure.
Comment by spiffo — March 5, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Hey futrue tv mogul - I think it’s spelled future BTW. Why do you think it would be a demotion to be moved to the mornings? Are the OBriens less talented because they work in the am? Why did Anderson say on Conan last week that he enjoyed working on Regis and Kelly a MORNING show?
And he is only the face of CNN because Klein loves him, no other reason. His 7 pm show fit him better and was so much easier to watch. You may want to take a step back from your fandom Dustin and look at CNN with a more critical eye.
Comment by Cooperite — March 5, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Why do you think Katie Couric
made the jump from mornings?
How about $15,000,000?
Comment by Ira — March 5, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
The idea the Larry King would draw viewers from KO, or vise versa, is ridiculous. Larry King likes senstionalistic (read ‘boring’ to me) interviews and rarely touches on politics. KO is just the opposite. Like either one, or hate either one, but they are not really competition for each other.
Comment by Mike — March 5, 2007 @ 2:24 pm