John King replaces Lou Dobbs at CNN
Filed under: People, Media, Time Warner
Lou Dobbs's replacement may not draw the same kind of ratings as his predecessor, but he won't cause the same kind of headaches, either.The network announced Thursday that John King will be getting a new show at 7:00 p.m., following the sudden departure of Dobbs, a long-time fixture whose increasingly strident politics have made him an awkward presence on a channel that strives for a middle-of-the-road image.
A former White House correspondent with impeccable straight-news credentials, King now hosts the Sunday morning show State of the Union, which will remain on the air for the time being. His new show will also focus on politics -- although presumably not on the sort of angry immigrant-bashing and conspiracy-mongering that reportedly caused CNN president Jon Klein to order Dobbs to tone down his rhetoric or find a new perch.
The smart money now has Dobbs moving in under Rupert Murdoch's roof as an anchor at Fox Business and a commentator on Fox News. Fox is rapidly becoming the destination of choice for news personalities whose views make them outliers at other organizations. Glenn Beck joined Fox from CNN's sister channel, HLN; libertarian John Stossel was a refugee from ABC News, and Don Imus struck a simulcast deal with Fox Business after being exiled from MSNBC.
Here's the announcement of King's new show from CNN (which, it should be noted, is part of Time Warner, corporate parent of AOL and DailyFinance).
For Release: Nov. 12, 2009
John King to Helm New Daily Political Program on CNN
CNN anchor and chief national correspondent John King will take the helm of a new weeknight political program to air on CNN at 7 p.m. [Eastern], beginning early next year, it was announced today by Jonathan Klein, president of CNN/U.S.
As one of the nation's leading political reporters, King will host a definitive political hour that goes well beyond the surface of the day's top stories to provide in-depth analysis and context to key political movements in Washington and across the nation. As King does on his Sunday program, State of the Union, he will sit down with a wide range of the day's top newsmakers, key political reporters and analysts, and elected officials.
"The program will reflect what CNN is all about: straight facts from our anchors and the widest range of opinions from across the political spectrum," said Klein. "John has enthralled CNN viewers with his vast political knowledge, and he has spent the past year reporting from beyond the Beltway on pressing policy issues and the real people they impact. Every night, he'll share his passion and his insights about what is really going on in Washington and across America."
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity, at this busy and consequential time, to have a platform to discuss and explore the big issues of our time," said King. "There is a lot of noise and conflict in our political discourse, which is fun to cover, but I'm convinced from my travels that people also thirst for more details as well as insight and context. I'm looking forward to combining those conversations with top newsmakers, smart reporting and expert analysis."
King joins the weekday roster of CNN journalists that include Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and Larry King. He will continue to anchor State of the Union until early next year.
King joined the network in 1997 after a 12-year career at the Associated Press, and launched the network's successful Sunday program State of the Union earlier this year. Since the launch of State of the Union in January, King has delivered numerous news-making interviews, including those with President Barack Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Gen. George Casey, Secretary Robert Gates, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Admiral Mike Mullen, Gen. Colin Powell, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and key members of Congress and state officials. Moreover, in the 45 weeks on the air, King has visited 45 states with his Sunday program, looking beyond the beltway at the pain of the recession, the health care debate and other national challenges.
King was an integral part of CNN's innovative "America Votes 2008" coverage of the presidential campaign, which earned a Peabody award. During the campaign, he traveled to important early election states to cover and interview major candidates, breaking news about campaign developments and pioneering the use of the CNN "Magic Wall." While at CNN, he also served as the network's senior White House correspondent. The 2008 campaign marked the sixth presidential election King has covered. In addition, he has reported extensively across the United States and the world, including the first Gulf War, the war in Iraq and the Southeast Asia tsunami.
CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world's most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 25)
11-12-2009 @ 11:28AM
WHO CARES said...
A BROWN NOSE KISS ASS REPLACEMENT. CNN SUCKS ANYWAY. SEND THE WOLF PACKING TOO HE SUCKS.
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11-12-2009 @ 12:17PM
John said...
Finally, a professional will be sitting in that chair, not a street corner preacher.
11-12-2009 @ 1:07PM
cruisedoc said...
Wolf? Come on, he seems to be a straight shooter without bias. Now, John King's bias is so obvious it's actually at times comical. He tries to hide it, to no avail, and his upper lip snarles in contempt when he interviews anyone who leans right of center. It's funny, we were watching him interview John Boehner, and my 16 yr. old son laughed and commented on the all too obvious bias. CNN seems to be playing to a left base that doesn't really exist in numbers. They have been committing bias suicide, especially over the past two years, and their dismal ratings show it. You just can't play to the fringe left 20% in a center-right country, and expect success. The right has Hannity, the left has Oberman, and CNN should make a big move to the center....the real center, and start representing main stream America. John King, unfortunately, is a move in the opposite direction. Our country wants our politicians vetted, questioned, and scrutinized....it is an essential part of our checks & balance. Dr. E.G.
11-12-2009 @ 3:15PM
Gerald Tinnon said...
Boy..are you out of touch. John King is hardly a butt kisser. It shows that you don't watch CNN and you'll never know the truth as long as you keep watching Fox. King is very objective, asks tough questions and really attempts to report instead of advocating. You folks are so biased that you wouldn't know the truth if it hit you in the face. A great hire....
11-12-2009 @ 5:01PM
John said...
Well done..you are spot on, want to thank you for your thoughts!
CNN sucks, wolf sucks too!! It is good sanctuary for all illegals!! No that LOU is gone it will kiss the assess of all Latinos and give them the open arm treatment!!
Obama sucks too!! Another who supports illegals!! No laws for him,,,, all poltical rubbish!!
11-12-2009 @ 7:14PM
Mike said...
You got that right.............
11-12-2009 @ 11:43AM
Barb Cranfield said...
Send Larry King, Wolf and Brown down the road....King has no place on this channel anymore.....just "because he doesn't know what he would do" without it!!!! He is a grumpy old man, if he ask's the "Right" questions to his guests....its because he has a "carbob copy" laying next to hime...... of everyone that he has interviewed in the past. He's a joke and everyone sucks up to each other to make it look like they are so special...in truth, they are the scum of the earth! Take FILTHY JOY WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!
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11-12-2009 @ 11:44AM
What?! said...
I wish John King good luck, but I hope he has a mind of his own other than the CNN executives.
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11-12-2009 @ 11:52AM
gary said...
I would like to get what you are smoking. CNN offers unbiased straight news? You have to be kidding. CNN is the most biased news organization ou there.
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11-12-2009 @ 4:06PM
kathryn said...
Well said!
11-12-2009 @ 3:49PM
RobertB said...
Yeah like FAUX news! They are Soooo great with their farce checking, I mean FACT checking. :)
11-12-2009 @ 3:53PM
Oscarina said...
Why are you singling out CNN? there isn't a news source anywhere that isn't influenced by corporate policy. It would be hard for anyone who embraces either political extreme to notice, but Fox, CNN, and MSNBC all cover the same exact stories, almost in the same order, and go to commercials at the same time. Doesn't that imply a common strategy across all the channels for maintaining maximum viewing audience across the political spectrum? Our media has been monopolized and the information available from sources that would have been deemed credible in the past have become nothing by sensationalistic editorialism, with assigned bias toward the goal of attracting a specific segment of the socoi-political environment. It's also guaranteed that the channel which you find ideologically attractive will be the "only" source of "truth".
11-12-2009 @ 5:03PM
Lazarus Long said...
gary said...
I would like to get what you are smoking. CNN offers unbiased straight news? You have to be kidding. CNN is the most biased news organization ou there.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You got that right! After all,it was founded by Red Ted Turner,Jane Fonda's former husband. They were even caught redhanded trying to "fix" a gun control poll when I was visiting their political boards 10 years or so ago. The poll wasn't going the way they wanted it,with around 80% of the respondents being against gun control,so they took the poll down for "technical reasons". When it came back up the next day a "No" vote would count as a "yes" vote. Some of us were taking screen shots of the poll before voting and had proof of this. When we posted it on their board,they took the whole poll and the board down.
Let's also not forget that it was CNN that produced and aired "Operation Tailwind",where they claimed that US soldiers were sent into Laos to commit mass murder of "innocent men,women,and children" at a village in Laos. The reality is there was no village,no women,and no children there. It was a NVA base camp.
They also reported that the prime purpose of the mission was to kill US POW's that were being held there.,
CNN was sued for this and lost every single law suit. They fired the producers and directors because of the law suits and tried to pretend they didn't know what was happening.
11-12-2009 @ 5:11PM
miles said...
No, FOX is the most biased "news" station out there. Each channel has SOME bias but FOX has a hateful, right-winged nut job approach to everything with just one bias...against everything sane and human. FOX is narrow-minded, ignorant, uninformed, and as contemptable as any group it has ever charged as same.
11-12-2009 @ 6:21PM
Paul said...
CNN is the MOST biased? Wow, another Fox News viewer chimes in with his idiotic opinion.
11-12-2009 @ 7:38PM
Sara said...
Now if MSNBC will just send Scarborough to Fox, everyone will be happy.
11-12-2009 @ 8:12PM
DJR said...
Ya got that wrong! Fox is the most biased - to the right.
11-18-2009 @ 7:38PM
harry said...
cnn leftwing loons and very biased... i think msnbc is even worse.....i don't care who they put in king or dobbs place. they are doomed to failure. fox rules the airways--they have more viewers than cnn, hln,cnbc,msnbc combined... america votes with their remotes and these left wing pathetic loons are having sissy fits.
11-12-2009 @ 11:58AM
jody said...
CNN just lost the only show that meant anything! I sure hope lou goes to fox.
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11-12-2009 @ 3:48PM
robertB said...
Yeah! I hope Lou goes to Faux news too! With Glen Dreck and Shame Hannity....Send in the clowns! Now if Fox could just get Hush Limberger they would REALLY STINK!