CNN Dumps Eliot Spitzer's "In the Arena"

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright July 6, 2011
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         Exposing chaos at Time Warner’s CNN, the cable news giant cancelled former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s year-old 8 p.m. talk show, "In the Arena."  Spitzer joined CNN last summer with columnist Kathleen Parker.  Spitzer’s media gig at CNN was an oblique attempt at rehabbing his career after a prostitute scandal forced him out of public office March 12, 2008.  Spitzer was tapped for the show by former CNN executive Jonathan Klein, shortly before he was axed by the network.  While Parker and Spitzer never jelled as a team, Klein correctly recognized Spitzer’s talent as broadcast journalist.  His poor ratings paralleled those of other CNN shows, unable to recover from losing former news anchor and reporter Bernard Shaw Nov. 10, 2000.  Bernard’s silky voice and charisma was replaced by whiny and raspy-voiced Wolf Blitzer, who continues to occupy the 4 - 6 p.m. time-slot.

            Spitzer’s departure doesn’t help CNN’s primetime lineup now relying on Anderson Cooper, host of “AC360” and British-born and accented Piers Morgan, the replacement for CNN headliner Larry King.  King finished his last show Dec. 16, 2010.  King was prematurely pushed into retirement by Klein’s replacement, Ken Jantz, believing the network needed more youth.  Since Shaw’s departure in 2000, CNN has not had a reliable anchor and signature personality.  Spitzer’s ouster leaves a credibility vacuum, the kind of voice an audience counts-on in times of crisis.  Jantz has tried unsuccessfully to promote CNN host John King into the anchor role.  King’s feisty reporter persona doesn’t translate well into primetime news anchor, the same problem CBS faced with former “Nightly New” anchor Katie Couric.  Neither King nor Cooper have the right stuff.

            CNN miscalculated getting rid of Spitzer, blaming his listless Nielsen ratings on the 52-year-old ex-politician.  Spitzer mediocre ratings followed an anemic CNN talent pool.  Getting rid of King was also a big mistake, losing the kind of continuity needed by major networks.  While there’s nothing wrong with Morgan’s journalistic skills, he lacks the familiarity with American celebrities and politicians needed to create King’s bond with the audience.  “We engaged serious people in conversations about national and global issues in a way that was informative and challenging,” said Spitzer in a written statement.  “I believe that we provided diverse and valuable perspectives during the show’s tenure,” attesting to how seriously Spitzer took his job.  Coming from the New York governor’s mansion, it was always difficult for Spitzer to criticize or go after  politicians and celebrities.   

            CNN’s latest moves, including moving Blitzer from 5–7 p.m. to 4-6 p.m, is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.  CNN desperately needs a credible anchor to replace Blitzer.  Blitzer’s hoarse voice does little to draw in audiences from the currently more popular FOXNews Channel.  Retiring King or dumping Spitzer weakens an already shaky lineup.  When Keith Olbermann was evicted Jan. 21, 2011 from MSNBC, CNN should have jumped on the opportunity, despite Keith’s liberal leanings.  Now on Al Gore’s Current TV, Olbermann made a successful transition continuing his  “Countdown.” show.  Olbermann had the right voice and intelligence to successfully steer CNN back to the top..  Relying today on Anderson Cooper doesn’t address the audiences’ need for a strong, credible anchor capable of putting CNN back on top of cable news rankings.

            While Spitzer still has some radioactivity from his prostitution scandal, he has enough intelligence and value for most some network or cables news channels.  Retiring King, firing Spitzer and letting Olbermann go to Current showed CNN preferred to play it safe.  “This lineup emphasizes our focus on quality journalism and on hosts who are proven reporters, as well as on shows that successfully combine original reporting with news analysis, civil debate and a wide range of inclusive and differing opinion,” said Jantz, missing the essence of broadcast journalism:  Charisma.  None of CNN anchors posses the kind of magnetism likely to attack a bigger audience share from FOX or any other network.  Boring reporters are no substitute for the influential personalities needed to run successful TV news networks.  With a limited talent pool, CNN should have jumped on Olbermann.  

              Recent changes at CNN are destined to continue eroding Nielsen ratings.  Picking on Spitzer ignored other systemic failures, how to retire Wolf Blitzer or what to do to better Spitzer’s talent.  Picking Morgan to replace King showed the network’s ignorance of what made King world’s best interviewer.  Piers doesn’t have the “Q” or warmth needed to get to that next level with high-profile guests or celebrities.  CNN’s current lineup lacks the pizzazz needed to take the network to the next level.  Before they fired Spitzer or retired King, the network should have done a better job of mining future talent.  Letting Olberman slip through the cracks displayed problems with CNN’s upper management.  Keith could have revitalized CNN’s banal lineup, making up for past mistakes, including picking Morgan over American Idol and nationally syndicated radio host Ryan Seacrest.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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