Why didn't CNN fire Glenn Beck years ago?
February 01, 2009 9:31 am ET by Eric Boehlert
We kept pointing out what a colossal ratings failure the right-wing talker was at CNN Headlines News. And here's the latest proof: Ever since Beck left for Fox News, CNNHN had been getting better ratings in Beck's old slot with a show hosted by a relative unknown, Jane Velez-Mitchell:
From the Huffington Post [emphasis added]
In its third full month on the air, "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell" posted HLN's largest 7PM audience since it launched its primetime block in February 2005. For January 2009, "Issues" averaged 531,000 total viewers and 221,000 Adults 25-54, a 50% increase in total viewers and a 46% increase in the demo over Beck's January 2008 ratings. Velez-Mitchell's January ratings also represent an 8% increase in total viewers and a 19% increase in the demo over Beck's last (and best) month on HLN.
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One of the reasons the all-news radio stations do well isthat they make the unspoken promise, "No zoo crew, no shock jocks, no right-wing rants. No interviews with hookers or prank phone calls. Nothing to make you reel your stuck at a fraternity beer blast."
But the order had gone out: more right-wing talkers. It didn't matter that it destroyed the network. It didn't matter that they were pushing with great violence half of America to the Net. Cementing a permanent Republican Majority was moere important than the profits from one division.
Worked real well, too.
Relative unknown?
You're calling a host whose former job was, apparently, correspondent on Nancy Grace's show a relative unknown?
More like a complete unknown.
Beck was a ratings vacuum for years in Headline News before making the switch to Fox News, where he finally started posting strong numbers.
This reminds me of a point made by someones else (I wish I coud remember who) about the folly of trying to imitate Fox News. Fox News is not just a place with a lot of Republican personalities; Fox News is itself a Republican personality. You can turn it on any time of day and get a steady stream of GOP talking points, regardless of whose mouth they're coming from.
Maybe this will show the other TV news channels that there's no point in being Fox News lite. But I'm guessing someone at CNN is now saying, "If only we had kept Beck for three months more..."