Starting August 8, CNN will become ANN, the Anderson News Network as their programming shakeup drops Eliot Spitzer, promotes Anderson Cooper and clears the way for former CNBC business babe Erin Burnett.
"The new line-up showcases anchors who are experienced reporters in covering stories that span the globe," said Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN U.S., in a statement. "We created a nightly schedule that brings together the best of CNN's journalism on a wide range of topics from politics and the economy to global and world events, as well the best newsmaker and celebrity interviews. This line-up ensures viewers access to the best of what CNN has to offer whenever they tune in at night."
The re-tooled schedule is something of an embarrassment for Spitzer, who'd seized his platform at CNN as a way to re-establish credibility following the prostitution scandal that cost him his job as New York's top politician back in 2008.
CNN brought the so-called "Love Guv" on board last summer in an attempt to bolster the network's third-place primetime ratings, but Spitzer failed to build up an audience, even after he ditched co-host Kathleen Parker and re-branded the nightly opinion hour as "In the Arena" with an expanded cast earlier this year. For instance, when Keith Olbermann's new show premiered on the little-watched Current TV several weeks ago, he managed to pull in more than double the viewers in the key 25- to 54-year-old demographic than tuned in to Spitzer during the same hour--even though the CNN's audience trumps Current's overall.
But there might be a place for him at CNN yet.
"We are in discussions with Eliot Spitzer about an alternative role," Jautz continued. "We thank him and the entire In the Arena team for creating a program that moved many political and economic issues into the national spotlight."
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Mediaite
Spitzer’s spot will be replaced by Anderson Cooper’s AC 360 at 8pm, and his re-air will now move to 10pm. Also, Erin Burnett’s new and yet-unnamed-program will move in to the 7pm slot, replacing John King USA, which will now air at 6pm. Piers Morgan Tonight holds steady at 9pm.
Spitzer’s show was the last vestige of the Jon Klein era, and the new management at CNN cannot be blamed for doing all that they could to revamp the show. In February they pushed out co-host Kathleen Parker and changed the name (and focus) of the show to Spitzer. But even that dramatic retooling could not raise the program out of its ratings doldrums, which eventually led to its demise.
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The good news is that this looks like a demotion for John King, who in my humble opinion, is neck and neck with Nancy Grace as the worst that CNN has to offer.