Paula Zahn's prime-time show struggles (Awwwww...Such a Shame...NOT! Alert)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | August 16, 2003 | Caroline Wilbert

[buzzyboop]

Five months after CNN canceled Connie Chung's 8 p.m. show, the network still is fiddling with the replacement -- and losing viewership.

Chung's show often was criticized for its tabloid feel, and last winter newly named CNN President Jim Walton shelved it in favor of a hard-news show featuring one of the network's best-known anchors, Paula Zahn.

Zahn has anchored the 8 p.m. hour most of the time since, although CNN officially will launch and rebadge the program Sept. 8, spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.

Initial ratings suggest more than a catchy name may be needed. Viewers seem to have preferred Chung's interviews with the likes of supermodel Niki Taylor to Zahn's more serious approach.

Viewership was down 21 percent in July and the first week of August, compared with the same period last year. Zahn drew an average of 599,000 viewers during that time, compared with Chung's 758,000.

CNN's ratings also are down at 7 p.m., when CNN replaced boisterous debate show "Crossfire" with a news hour hosted by Anderson Cooper, another attempt to sharpen the network's hard-news image.

In July and the first week of August, Cooper drew 467,000 viewers, vs. Crossfire's 586,000 during the same period last year.

Andrew Tyndall, who compiles The Tyndall Report about television news, said Chung had the advantage last summer of launching with much fanfare, while Zahn's show has not been heavily promoted yet.

"They pulled out all the promotional stops for Chung," Tyndall said.

Robinson said the network is satisfied with the ratings and expects them to grow over time.

CNN has been searching for the right prime-time formula for some time. It's a tough slot because many viewers have already seen straight news coverage, and CNN Headline News provides quick updates for those who haven't. The other strategy would be to veer toward a talk-show format, but rival Fox News appears to own that turf.

Fox powerhouse Bill O'Reilly is easily winning the 8 p.m. cable news contest, pulling in more than 2 million viewers with his talk-show format. That was up 10 percent in July and early August vs. the same period in 2002.

Zahn has been on vacation most of this week, though she returned Thursday night to help anchor the news during the blackout in the Northeast. On her regular show, she has focused in recent weeks on news of the day, as well as interviews and news packages.

Zahn, hired away from Fox News a couple of years ago, used to be CNN's morning anchor.

When the prime-time show was first announced, CNN said it would be called "American Evening With Paula Zahn" and would last two hours, from 7-9 p.m. Zahn took a hiatus from the air after the war in Iraq.

When she returned in June, the network shaved the show to one hour. In July, producer Jim Miller said the show would not be called "American Evening" after all. Miller also promised an ensemble cast, though the contributors have not been named yet.

Tyndall said viewers will forgive CNN for changing the show around this summer, as long as the format is set early next month.

[Inspectorette]

Can you imagine a promo for Brit Hume featuring a zipper...

OMG - I'm breaking out in hot flashes here ;-) I love Brit: he's definitely a hunk in a mature way, but somehow he doesn't strike me as beefcake.

[ChewedGum]

Initial ratings suggest more than a catchy name may be needed.

I think I have figured out the problem at CNN. Their catchy name department got promoted to management.

Gum

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the good news ping.

The NY Slimes and ABCNNBCBS continue to have problems with less readers and viewers. Rat Slime bags like PZ become expensive pieces of fluff.

One day the bean counters will say "Zahn, you have been Zeroed. You are out of here!"

[Tamzee]

Ahhhh, good way to explain it.... TUFTS!

I couldn't think of a good way to describe the locks just sticking out all over her head :-) I still think she could have pulled herself together a bit better, though. I used to do a great deal of traveling and public speaking... and ALWAYS had a butane curling iron, hairspray, toothbrush and basic make-up with me in case of flight glitches, lost luggage, or sudden weather. I would have assumed that basic styling tools, umbrellas, flashlights, etc would be part of the equipment that a CNN camera crew would either carry around or keep tucked away at the office so it would all be available.

Anyways, Paula just gave me a chuckle to make up a teeny bit for Hillary's vile accusations about Bush :-(

[Catspaw]

I still think she could have pulled herself together a bit better, though. I used to do a great deal of traveling and public speaking... and ALWAYS had a butane curling iron, hairspray, toothbrush and basic make-up with me in case of flight glitches, lost luggage, or sudden weather.

My great aunt, a globetrotter into her 90's, also added a change of clothes (knit material & rolled up tight) and undies, along with a wet wash cloth in a plastic bag--and later, wet wipes. I like to carry Shout wipes to get stuff off my clothes, because I *know* I'm going to spill something on myself.

I can understand that she had to come into the city & that, in & of itself was an ordeal, and it is easier for a guy to look good, but sheesh--a brush or comb & some heavy duty hair spray would've helped.

[cubreporter]

Agree with everything you said. Network is history as far as this household is concerned. No murder shows either. Every show has a different title but it's nothing but the same ole stuff on all of them...they just move from one half hour or hour to the next with different hosts but the same stories. I think the murder stories are terrible. Seems like its a circus. Sad to think a young pregant woman and her unborn child were murdered and then placed in the water to simply disintigrate. Makes me sick to my stomach. We're talking about 2 human beings. A mother and her unborn baby who were brutally murdered. Somebody's going to pay big time for that one of these days. I mean from the man upstairs because we sure aren't getting anwhere with it on this earth. Imagine. Women writing notes to Scott P. It's disgusting and stuff of the gutter.

No, I don't dislike Paula either. Just wish she would have stayed with FOX. Gosh, I don't think she gave them much of a fair shot. Anyway, she kinda closed her doors. She could have been good on FOX. Yes, check out the new hairdo. It's parted in the middle and the two sides on top are sorta waved and HIGHER up. It's just not the soft, casual, youthful, smooth look that so becomes her.

[river rat]

Viewers have left CNN for one reason, and one reason only. CNN LIES

Semper Fi

[xzins]

Zahn was OK, but certainly not a heavyweight.

But she viewed herself as one, and that came across in her persona. Hoity-toity.

Being a meat & potatoes kind of guy, I always pulled out of her Fox program and went surfing. I've never watched her CNN show.

[lainde]

Love it!

[Helms]

I understand that Martin Sheen drove the ambulance directly to the morgue as an autopsy had already been performed earlier in the day at CNN.

She is really rather boring. In fact she and the AM news crew seem to be flat lining compared to the moods at MSNBC and FOX.

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[HIDEK6]

No make-up, hair looked hideous; she looked like she just got done cleaning out her garage

There's something about the CNN culture that requires militant unattractiveness as a prerequisite for credibility.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you for the heads up!

[outfield]

Hi everyone, I'm new to Free Republic but I just wanted to chime in on this Zahn and CNN thing. Zahn is a terrible reporter, the only reason she has the job is because she is good looking and CNN is stupid enough to think that her looks would translate into viewers. She has no personality either.

I gave up on CNN a long time ago and am now a devoted Fox fan. Their coverage on everything is so much more complete.

[Alamo-Girl]

Welcome to Free Republic, outfield!!!

You'll find a lot of people here who agree with you on FoxNews. In fact, nutmeg has a "ping list" to let us know whenever a FoxNews story is on the forum. You might want her to add you to the list.