CNN says it's confident about its newest show, starring Kathleen Parker and Eliot Spitzer, but there's reason to think the network is already quietly lining up the fire trucks next to the runway in expectation of a flameout.
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is set to get his own syndicated daytime talk show, a program that will address "social issues, trends and events, pop culture and celebrity, human interest stories and populist news," whatever that means.
CNN is sick of being the punching bag of the cable news world. Explaining why the network replaced the head of CNN U.S., CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton cited what he described as unfair press coverage focusing on CNN's declining ratings, while ignoring its growing profitability.
CNN president Jonathan Klein has been hard at work this year remaking the network's primetime lineup, its most important programming block. But whether or not his effort proves successful, he won't be around to find out.
Usually conservative in its programming choices, CNN is going for broke as it remakes two-thirds of its prime-time schedule by, among other things, replacing a fixture -- Larry King -- and hiring a scandal-tinged newcomer -- Eliot Spitzer.
