Both Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow offered their best to outgoing legendary anchor Larry King on Dec. 16, his final broadcast night. But how does the outgoing CNN anchor feel about them?
On CNN’s Sunday broadcast of “Reliable Sources,” host Howard Kurtz asked King about his competitors, which he was third to in the ratings at the tail-end of his career. King admitted they were good at what they did, but said he didn’t particularly care for it.
“They got better ratings,” King said. “However, I don’t regret anything and I’m happy with what I did. I let it stand on its own, stand for itself. And I’m not objecting to what they do. They’re more what I guess what television is about today.”
King has long said his style involved doing as little talking as possible during interviews – a very different construct from the Hannity and Maddow programs.
“It’s just that my problem with it is – with those kinds of programs, and they’re both very good at what they do – is my own concept, Howie – is mine, I never learned anything when I was talking,” he continued.
But the crushing blow from King came when he said Hannity and Maddow are preachers don’t learn anything from their guests.
“So what they are – are preachers,” he continued. “They’re preachers of their opinion. They’re telling you what they know. They’re not learning. There’s no learning experience from either of those programs. They’re just telling you what they know. I want to learn, I want to learn.”
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