CNN is bringing in Jeff Zucker to stop their plummeting ratings, which is a bit like hiring Stevie Wonder to redecorate your house. But it’s already paying dividends for lovers of schadenfreude.
New CNN chief Jeff Zucker is looking at Erin Burnett to revive the cabler’s moribund morning ratings, writes The Post’s Richard Johnson. Burnett, who burst onto the TV news field at CNBC, is now hosting the 7 to 8 p.m. hour on CNN. “Zucker thinks she’s a real talent,” a source said. “He’ll team her up with a guy, and they’ll go after the audience watching ‘Today’ and ‘Good Morning America.'”
If this is true, it means Zucker will be replacing a host who’s in third place every morning with a host who’s in third place every night. But then, all of CNN’s shows are in perpetual third place. Who else can they fall back on, Piers Morgan?
[pause for laughter]
Soledad is keeping her chin up, though. TV Newser:
Safe to say CNN’s Soledad O’Brien is excited about her new boss.
When she heard that Jeff Zucker — also her old boss — had been named president of CNN Worldwide, “I thought, ‘Yes!,’” O’Brien says. “He knows news. He knows winning. He knows morning TV.”
For her sake, let’s hope she’s wrong. Otherwise, she’ll soon be out of a job.