CNN Management Change Foreseen in Ratings Death Spiral

[jon]

Time Warner mulling leadership change at CNN
By CLAIRE ATKINSON
NY POST
Last Updated: 10:08 AM, June 8, 2012
Posted: 11:42 PM, June 7, 2012

Time Warner brass is succession planning at CNN, but no one’s walking the plank just yet.

Senior management is putting together a short list of potential candidates to run CNN Worldwide to end the ratings death spiral at the flagship news channel, several sources confirm.

The once-mighty network, created in 1980 by Ted Turner, has been recording some of its lowest ratings in 20 years. Last month, CNN ranked 44th in prime time in the advertiser-coveted, 25-to-54-year-old demographic.

That lowly rank places CNN below even Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network and the Bio Channel — attracting just 114,000 viewers in the demographic. A lackluster primary season hasn’t helped the network rustle up its usual presidential election spike.

CNN has pulled in an average of just 633,000 primetime viewers in the year ending June 30 — about 20 percent fewer eyeballs than two presidential election cycles ago.

Such a rating meltdown demands action and TW higher- ups are brainstorming for ideas for new management candidates with an eye on potentially replacing Jim Walton, who runs CNN Worldwide, several sources said.

The 53-year old executive’s contract is said to end on Dec. 31. Nothing will happen before the Nov. 6 elections The Post has learned.

When asked if there’s a search on, one TW insider told The Post, “We’re always thinking about succession. Are there any changes right now? No.”

Officials declined comment.

The poor ratings come as Madison Avenue allocates its annual ad dollars.

CNN’s ad revenue growth over the last two years is roughly 12 percent — the smallest increase of any of its rivals, including younger sibling Headline News, which saw ad revenue grow 20 percent in the period.

“Its being looked at very hard by [Time Warner CEO] Jeff Bewkes,” said one source who is familiar with TW’s thinking, adding, [Turner’s] “Phil [Kent] has stuck by Walton through thick and thin. Until recently they had a good business story going for them, but they’re having to do a lot of make-goods.”

Other cable news outlets are doing make-goods, too.

At a recent media conference, Walton’s direct boss, Kent, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, said he was “very unhappy,” with the situation.

Kent backed the current primetime lineup, which only includes shows hosted by Anderson Cooper at 8 p.m. and Piers Morgan at 9 p.m. A Cooper re-run airs at 10 p.m.

“We haven’t put the best shows on the air,” said Kent, speaking of the line-up outside of prime time.

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.

In any case, Zucker is tied to Walt Disney Co. until at least early next year, as exec producer of “Katie.” Zucker did not return a call for comment.

Meanwhile, 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?”

[hagopian]

Anderson Cooper might survive - but Piers Morgan is done like dinner. Americans are kinda xenophobic and having a Brit take over from Larry was a dumb move.

I would (seriously) think Regis Philbin would be perfect for that show - I know he older - but - he is likeable and did a great job sitting in.

What a mess!!!

Note the plethora of new female faces? John King is another guy on the firing line.

Wolf Blitzer?

[pave]

Jack Cafferty needs more facetime. Teach Anderson how to string a couple of cogent sentences back-to-back. (Viewers can only stand so much "habada-babbity-boopity-bib Republican caucus.") I'm sure Mrs. Vanderbilt's little boy, Anderson, has the chops to practice, think and then speak. Lou Dobbs could also be brought back - slightly righty warts an' all. And if not him, then dig up Lou Rawls!
As to the plethora of Miss Utah runners-up making the screen - and my brain - fizzy: Nice teeth! Nice hair - so far as personal preferences go. Shut up! Come back after finishing the same school to which Anderson is being sent.

[Dave L]

Jack Cafferty needs more facetime.

I liked Jack when he did his original spot with CNN called "This is what I don't get". Now, too bad he's stuck with asking a silly question and forced to read even sillier viewer responses.

Ever noticed how awkward the banter is between him and Wolf Blitzer when he tosses back? I've seen Jack roll his eyes several times. Wolf is not good at speaking off-script, at all.

[hagopian]

CNN is so far underwater, they are only surviving by their global footprint. The fact that they are over doing the endless Election process, isn't helping.

Love Cafferty.

Anderson Cooper is over exposed, and really over his head.

Time for a reboot?

[Doug]

I was never happy with Jim Walton when he was brought in almost a decade ago. One thing I'd love to see them do: bring back Lynne Russell. Not sure if she's still in Canada with her husband or not, but if she's back in the U.S., she'd be awesome anchoring an all-news, business, current events-type show at 5 pm (or maybe even 6 pm and drop the late night/evening talk fest altogether!) (all times Pacific), dump John King at 4 pm and move Anderson there for only one hour with no rebroadcast opportunities/possibilities, bring in a high-profile 'talker' at 7 pm (with rebroadcasts at 10 pm and 1 am, maybe Nancy Grace which would allow HLN to be rebooted as a true news network and go back to Headline News?) and, like someone else said, bring Lou Dobbs back at 5 pm focusing on what he does best - business news (which would prevent him from spiraling into political rants) with CNN Money Tonight with Lou Dobbs (to use the CNN and Money tie-up and prevent Lou from becoming the show's 'star' and allow it to be transitioned to a new host when he ultimately retires or dies, whichever comes first, though likely the latter). Jack Cafferty could have regular segments on CNN Money Tonight with "The Cafferty File" and also on "The Situation Room".

The daytime line-up is mostly okay, though some host changes are due. John King move to daytime and anchor one of the 'CNN Newsroom' broadcasts (would be a step down for him, but would be good for his inflated ego!).

Cheers,
Doug

P.S. Slightly off-topic but when I wake up in the middle of the night, I've been impressed with MSNBC's all-news early morning line-up with both 'Morning Joe' (the tie-in with Starbucks is a stroke of genius plus likely generates some revenues!) and 'Way Too Early' with Willy Geist (very underrated talent, he can do business, news, sports and probably even the weather!) are awesome. Maybe CNN could poach him for a reboot of CNN's American Morning?