Planet In Peril Ratings Way Down

NEW YORK -- It's not just the "Planet in Peril." The ratings for CNN's two-hour environmental special last week were also in crisis.

The second installment of the series landed in third place in the adults 25-54 demographic and fourth place in viewers for its 9 p.m.-11 p.m. Thursday premiere, Nielsen Media Research said.

That is despite strong ratings for the original four-hour series "Planet in Peril," in October 2007, as well as reported pieces by Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Lisa Ling, plus a heavy round of marketing this time around.

"Planet in Peril" averaged 426,000 viewers in the demo to Fox News Channel's 595,000 and Headline News' 490,000. "Peril" was only able to best MSNBC's 380,000 in the demo. But it fell to fourth place with 1 million viewers to Fox News Channel's 2.7 million, MSNBC's 1.1 million and Headline News's 1 million.

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Comments

[loki]

I was looking forward to this special. But then I watched it and was pretty disappointed. It had its good parts, but whoever produced, directed and edited it should be put back on the night shift.

[Rhia]

I hope CNN would feature more a solution type of a program. Programs like Eco Solutions engage more viewers to watch.

[sonoffestus]

Time for................."America in Peril"

[SFreeborn]

We watched this program and found it to be highly engaging in a way that is often absent on the news stations. All of them should feel some pride in this project and their work on it. I hope CNN keeps it up. The timing of when they showed it might not have worked for some folks, that doesn't mean they won't be watching it in reruns.

[MESGAIN26]

i like this show alot

[thecanadian]

How about Cooper & CNN reporting about something closer to home! Haven't heard one word from CNN on U.S. rape & killing of the wildlife!
Defenders of Wildlife. http://www.defendersactionfund.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T85cOGc8L0&feature=related wolfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQobIUE1zTU wolfs
i

[RobertAndropolis]

A. Cooper is a tool who goes to exotic/war locales to bolster his self-importance.

[truthyguy]

The subject matter is important if not outright critical. The problem with the ratings is that no one bothered to tell CNN and Cooper that the story was about the planet and not about their reporting the story about the planet.

I heard an interview with Cooper and all he could talk about was how much dangerous it was, and how much risk he personally took, to film a portion of the special dealing with sharks.

Anderson, think about this: THE NEWS IS NOT THAT YOU ARE REPORTING IT!!!!

[jp5472]

Just like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler - it wasn't about them, it was about raising our awareness about these regions...and from "62 to '88 it worked. These hosts didn't become the show, their dedication to getting us the story eventually became a side note to it though, but not flagrantly "look at me, look at all I am doing".

Having to watch CNN at a 24/7 facility where I work, CNN has been promoting Cooper in every way possible since he hit the network...trying to get people to watch "the star" in anything he covers. Gupta is another one. With everything this man is involved with, when does he ever have time to practice medicine or stay on top of his ever changing field. Camera time has to absorb most of his awake time.

[RobertAndropolis]

...and showing his pathetic biceps in his overly tight charc-gray tee-shirts. (Puke).

[drec1500Madrid]

The thing is we already know all of this stuff, I tuned in for about 45 seconds, I've heard it all before. I was turned off by the reporters, on some sort of arrogant crusade. What I want to hear are solutions to these problems not the constant whining that we are doomed.

[jp5472]

That last statement of yours is the best - okay, these problems - identified. (for the 1000+ time) Check! Solutions? (crickets) So as I hear the same problems once again spouted in another show, I should assume I am wasting my time watching it as these shows never devout the time presenting solutions..in a nutshell, we are doomed.

[imsosure]

That blemish on AC's face doesn't help matters either, use the make up, you know you like it.

[neesy08]

I guess people can only handle so much bad news. After awhile, people shut down

[RogerRantjet]

I give CNN credit for at least *trying* to transcend the usual gobbledygook with some in-depth reporting.

My radar tells me that with all the recent changes in staff and programming that they're descending into a bit of a panic mode to hold on to some of what they've had for almost 30 years. The latest showed up today. Anyone else notice that the infamous and much-maligned "crawl" has been replaced with...what? Not sure what it is. Don't like it.

[dadw5boys]

MANY PEOPLE TURNED OFF CABLE T V !

[DeeW]

Wasn't this a rerun? I thought the planet was in peril a few months ago. Boring. Everything's in peril at CNN, ever notice that?

[TruthAndTheory]

I saw one the other day, that also had Lisa Ling in it.

It was too long, 2 hours. It's hard to get Americans to watch a lot of intelligent programming, what with Rock of Love Charm School on instead. And Americans don't like to think we are to blame for ANYTHING. This program tells it like it is.

It's not easy to hear that 100 million sharks are killed every year, for shark fin soup. They chop off the fins and tail while the shark is still alive, and throw the animal back in the water to sink to the bottom, and helplessly bleed to death. Check the soup section on the menu next time you go to a Chinese restaurant.

[Moka11]

If Anderson Cooper wasn't in it I might watch it. Just don't see the appeal.

If it was all Lucy Lui I'm there. Not just cuz of her looks but I just find her way of reporting so un-celebrity-like and connected.
To me, Cooper seems to be there for the self-exposure and self-promotion.
His "60 Minutes" Michael Phelps interview was the last time I will invest a minute to Cooper's "aw shucks me." reporting. He seems to have three cameras on him all the time and it's edited down to cutaways of him in the shot every time.

[Haditup2here]

It is Lisa Ling who is the reporter -- not Lucy Lui. Lucy Lui is an actress. However, you do have a point. Anderson Cooper did show his true colors during the Barack Obama campaign and he does seem to come off as not being genuine and only for self-promotion. :-)

[Moka11]

Ugh. I mix up their names all the time.
I will chose to cover my mistake by it almost proving my point that she seems to blend into the reports she does rather than become inclusive in it.

Some of the best journalism I have seen I can only remember the face or the voice and not the "Anderson Cooper reports from" promotion that we get inundated with.
Lisa Ling, Lisa Ling...now I will remember. She's just great.