Posted on 03/29/2006 5:42:01 PM PST by abb
Former Walt Disney Co. chairman Michael Eisner's new career as a talk-show host got off to a slow start on Tuesday night, as a disappointing 96,000 viewers tuned in to watch his debut on cable network CNBC.
"Conversations With Michael Eisner" had about 80% fewer viewers than the program that preceded it Tuesday, a repeat of NBC game show "Deal or No Deal," according to Nielsen Media Research. Mr. Eisner's audience was down 21% from the 121,000 viewers who tuned in on average to watch a re-airing of Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" in the same time slot. Mr. Eisner did outdo Tina Brown, whose now-canceled Sunday night chat show had an average of 62,000 viewers.
Mr. Eisner's program, which is slated to air six times a year, sports a stylish set designed by architect Frank Gehry. His first guests included Martha Stewart and Sony Corp. Chief Executive Howard Stringer. The next episode of the show is set for April 26; though the guest lineup hasn't been announced, Mr. Eisner did say he will be interviewing Regis Philbin, the host of the Disney-owned syndicated show "Regis & Kelly."
CNBC defended the show's performance, saying in a statement that "this is a program that is hosted by a former CEO for an audience of high-powered decision makers who aren't measured by Nielsen.
Dow Jones & Co., publisher of the print and online editions of The Wall Street Journal, provides news content to, and derives revenue from, CNBC in the U.S. CNBC is owned by General Electric Co.'s NBC Universal unit.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
What a headline. The 'big' should be 'any'!
96,000 viewers?? Donahue has some new competition.
If a television show was broadcast and no one watched it, was it ever really on the air?
NOTE TO EISNER: TRY LISTENING
By HOLLY M. SANDERS
March 29, 2006 -- Former Disney boss Michael Eisner conducts an interview much like he runs a company: He does the talking.
After the debut of his new CNBC talk show, "Conversations With Michael Eisner," it remained to be seen whether he can make the transition from boardroom to TV studio.
Eisner clearly liked being in front of the camera, and his guest list, which included domestic diva Martha Stewart and Sony chief Howard Stringer, shows he still has plenty of connections to the media and business elite.
But as interviewer, Eisner showed little willingness to push his guests for responses that go beyond a press release. And when he did, he had difficulty allowing them enough time to answer.
(snip)
The first segment with Stewart felt more like a meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society than anything resembling a hard-hitting interview.
At one point they both hit upon the fact that they're micromanagers - and proud of it. "People are always accusing me" of that, Eisner said.
When he asked Martha for the back story on her public spat with Donald Trump over their rival "Apprentice" shows, Eisner couldn't resist his Hollywood past to tell Stewart exactly what he thought went down behind closed doors.
The toughest part of the interview came when Eisner questioned whether a hard-driving type like Stewart really has the patience to plant.
"Type A's cannot do gardening," he proclaimed.
http://www.nypost.com/business/66133.htm
"96,000 viewers?? Donahue has some new competition."
96,000 viewers = people who fell asleep with the channel tuned to CNBC. You know no one really saw this!!!
Sounds like Chevy Chases late night show, or Larry Kings last days in talk radio, when you could hear echoes on the set.
Some people can't step down from the limelight and just go away. Eisner is obviously one of them.
The worst part for me is that they pre-empted Cramer at 8:00 - the only CNBC show I watch - for Eisner.
Ron Popiel gets better ratings.
Michael Eisner: Almost as popular as obscure game show reruns!
Now that I know that, I'll be sure to watch the next one.
Wouldn't it have been easier just to mail DVDs to people who wanted to see it? A Poquil pocket fisherman infomercial gets better ratings.
There are probably podcasts with a bigger audience. I pity the poor schmuck selling the advertising space for this turkey.
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