CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker has unveiled a new lineup for CNN, which spells an end of an era for a primetime cable news staple. Instead of interview-based news programs, Zucker is betting on original series and films instead to fill the 9pm slot previously owned by Larry King and, until recently, Piers Morgan.
“We believe that genre is no longer viable. There are just too many outlets with not enough big gets for a pure talk show to thrive any longer," Zucker said Thursday. "And just because CNN has always done a talk show at 9, it doesn't mean that's what we should be doing there going forward."
In other news, Al Jazeera America, which launched 8 months ago and went on a hiring spree, announced layoffs reportedly involving dozens of staffers and a large number of staffers. The cuts touched the entire network, but the new network’s sports department and a social media show named “The Stream” were the hardest hit.
Larry talks to Bloomberg Industries’ media analyst Paul Sweeney for a check in on the cable TV news industry.
Guest:
Paul Sweeney, Bloomberg Industries Senior Media analyst