"Tabloid-Style 'Larry King Live' Is Losing Viewers and Credibility"

[DeepModem Mom]

WSJ, "The Small Screen," by Joe Flint
Tabloid-Style 'Larry King Live' Is Losing Viewers and Credibility
March 15, 2006

It has become increasingly clear that Larry King's best days at CNN are behind him.

Never known as a particularly deep interviewer, Mr. King at one time managed to land important politicians and newsmakers, giving his program some journalistic value. Today, though, the veteran host seems more interested in celebrities and crime, diminishing not only his own reputation and influence, but that of CNN as well.

And it shows in the ratings. The veteran host has seen his audience decline substantially in recent years as viewers gravitate toward more aggressive programs such as Fox News's "Hannity & Colmes." Fewer than one million people tune in each weeknight, on average, for "Larry King Live," according to Nielsen Media Research, down from 1.5 million three years ago. That's far behind "Hannity & Colmes," which leads cable news networks in the 9-10 p.m. hour with almost 1.6 million viewers.

And the viewers who remain part of the 72-year-old Mr. King's audience tend to be older (65, on average), and less wealthy (with a median income of $40,000), numbers that hold little appeal for advertisers intent on reaching younger, more-affluent consumers.

Mr. King's celebrity-oriented show also feels awkward sandwiched between Paula Zahn and Anderson Cooper's newsier programs. While neither of those shows is likely to invoke memories of Edward R. Murrow's "See It Now," both look like PBS documentaries next to Mr. King's hourlong softball fest. "His topics don't fit the rest of CNN," says Andrew Tyndall, an independent television news analyst. "He breaks up the entire flow of the evening."...


http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB114227406585896793-uGIZfOaGW4ACJJTOItCH9Sh2MIY_20060322.html?mod=blogs

[xultar]

1. Another fucking DUH! article. I swear the media is late to everything.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. I noticed this the most during the last selection. He used to play

a major role in the political process with all the candidates showing up. And now something big would happen and he would have Ann Margaret on? Wonder why he changed. He used to be a must-see for politicians. Did he lose interest? or did they make him change to compete with the rest of the trash on tv?

[xultar]

7. I wonder if CNN told him to let the big dogs do the political news.

[RufusEarl]

6. Tammi Faye Baker

are what ever her name is, was on King last night. Sorry folks but that woman wasn't Worthy of attention back in the 80's. And with all the problems we're having here at home and abroad, Why numb the mines of the american people with this dribble?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. Omg - I have to disagree. I love her. She is "christian" but the

real kind. If you had seen her on VH1 - she is a kind, gentle, and non-judgemental person.


granted, there is more important news, sure, but still, she is great.

[CoffeeCat]

2. True dat...

About once every three weeks, King has a worthwhile guest.

The rest of the time, he's busy with the latest serial killer story, lost blonde girl or other such pop-culture nonsense.

By far, the worst--the psychics to whom he totally panders. I mean, really.

He's become the "King of Fluff."

[oc2002]

3. good.

I hate that gassbag.

[napi21]

4. Yeah! Does this mean they're cancelling his show?

I sure hope so! I used to watch him when he had Ross Perot, Howard Dean, even the Pub candidates, but the BS he has now...I haven't watched in a very long time!

[KharmaTrain]

8. This Is Real Sad

In the 70's, I first heard Larry King's late night radio show from Washington. It was sharp and fun...Larry was a great interviewer and wasn't afraid to call someone a "whacko" when they started spewing some right wing rhetoric. I had the pleasure of meeting him one day and picking his brains...he was a wealth of information about how to interview and the mindset he had in doing them...something very different in those days.

Seems since Larry went Hollywood in the mid 90's, he's become a crazy, old uncle type. He's playing bridge and hanging with Rickles and the country club set all day, then shleps himself to the studio...totally disconected with the rest of the world. It shows and it's sad to see.

Several years ago I started calling the show "Larry King Dead"...since it seemed that everyone on the show was either dying, had died or faced some life-threatening crisis. But he's still better than that creature on MSNBC...Crosby...and Insannity and Strawman. That's usually the hour I check out what the local PBS station is showing.

Cheers...

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Thanks for your up-close-and-personal view! nt

[Little Star]

10. Cancel His Butt! But,....

He's not the only one that needs to be canceled. It gets harder every day to find out anything about what is going on in this country and around the world. I wish one channel had on the dead blond stuff and the rest would carry real news. The networks are to lazy and cheap to do current affairs and such, pieces of shit! The only way I know anything is by surfing the net, every day here at DU, other political blogs and print paper's web sites.

[SuperWonk]

12. The truth,

is that King does not deserve this treatment.
Why is no one from CNN supporting him? Like him or not, he is a pillar of the industry.