Anderson Cooper's Rating Woes "Most Troubling" To CNN Staffers: Politico

Politico:

It's Cooper's ratings that are the most troubling, say staffers, given the resources and heavy promotion for his show, and persona. For years, Klein has talked up Cooper, once famously dubbing him "the anti-anchor" and, in the aftermath of Katrina, as "a reporter [who's] got that magical something.

But that magic may be wearing off.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[HelpusOUTAnderson]

If Anderson would FINALLY come out of the closet, his ratings would soar! DUH! Help us OUT Anderson! His lack of integrity astounds me.

[SiberianRat]

Or, he could just become a better journalist. I don't care if he comes out or not--I won't watch his mediocre reporting/commenting.

[BBCup]

His sexual orientation has nothing to do with his reporting.

[Cravenbean]

And after you out Anderson Cooper, are you going to drag Shepherd Smith out of the closet too? I agree anyone who chooses to admit their homosexuality deseves admiration for their courage. But forcing someone to do that is a act of cowardice.

[KRYSTY]

I think that the problem is that Cooper and the entire CNN overuses the "BREAKING NEWS" warning signs. I can't remember Anderson starting his show without the "BREAKING NEWS" warning flashing and most of the time the story is not even new. Also, I see CNN as FOX wanabe.

[Gmoney1]

you're kidding - who wants to be anything akin to FOX -

[StillIRise]

That "magic" started wearing off after President Obama won the nomination. At that point, Anderson Cooper lost all objectivity in his conduct as an anchor.

[Bitsko]

Maybe if he stoppled squinting like that, or wore sunglasses, he might turn it around.

[Wilson201]

The lack of follow up questions that would point out when a guest is misleading would be helpful. I am tired of seeing guests say whatever their position is and not having to defend it when a reasonable question is posed. He does not probe for information at all!

[jukesgrrl]

I live out west and I have a hard time knowing when programs are showing on the East Coast, so correct me if I'm wrong. But doesn't Cooper's show come on at the same time as Rachel Maddow's? THAT could be what's causing the viewer drain.

[TrueThis]

No. I'm centeral time so Rachel Maddows 9E/8C Anderson Cooper 360 comes on at 10E/9C

http://www.cnn.com/

[FreelanceWriter]

Doubtful since given MSNBC's latest ratings, less and less people are watching her (or KO) EITHER. For crying out loud, they're even trailing in the key younger demographics now...

[TrueThis]

I still watch them but Keith and Rachel love to throw their big stick around of lately that I'm getting to point I'm tired of them too but I wouldn't dare go to FoxNews.

[Zhonni]

You know why they are trailing? Direct TV offers FOX NEWS with their basic package but not MSNBC. I would sue if I were MSNBC.

FOX NEWS and MSNBC are competitors so having one on the basic (FOX) and having the other (MSNBC) on a premium list would effect viewership. Alas, the ratings gap. The poor who can't afford the premium package is more apt to watching a lot of TV.

[listentome]

I've said and maintained that CNN's biggest problem is that it takes too long to get the story on any news item. CNN's hosts announce a topic and then the viewer has to wait the entire show to get the story. I end up turning to MSNBC (never FOX) to get the story instantly. Also, I appreciate CNN trying to be fair and balanced but with FOX being totally on the right I want something a little more on the left. And lastly, CNN's hosts do not ask followup questions. They stick to the script no matter what the answer to the question is. I am usually left wondering WTF?

[peacegurl48]

I was impressed with him after Katrina but find him, and CNN, leaning more toward the right wing of
the MSM. Amanpour is in a class by herself...a real journalist; Zakaria is great too.
My final turnoff to CNN was John King and Cheney...sickening.

I'll take PBS and MSNBC.

[jukesgrrl]

I've noticed that Wolf Blitzer has much less to say now that he doesn't have Cliff Notes from Tony Snow.

[TrueThis]

It's always "As the world turns" when Anderson Cooper has David Gergen on his show as if everyone should stop whatever they're doing when he speaks. That 's Anderson biggest problem including taking these long and exclusive trips to Africa when those should be weekend specials. I try to catch Anderson every night but he comes off 60% too conservative to me but eventually I go back and watch the reruns from Countdown.

I think CNN should bring back Soledad and they definitely need to give Bogala his own show the man is hiliarious and politically smart.----look what he and his friends did to Rush. CNN better be careful because if MSNBC brings in another show like the ED's Show watch out because MSNBC and CNN has been sharing the ratings that's why FoxNews is always rated number one.

[october2009]

Get the man off air. He's extremely boring and uninformative...

They should get a Libertarian/independent thinker on his time slot.

[Ono4Hoopono]

It's unwatchable because his bias against Obama drips from everything he says. Sometimes it is like he intentionally misses the point, preferring instead to put forth some pre-washed narrative he's got going on in his head. That's not journalism. His brief and apparently temporary awakening to journalistic responsibility during Katrina ended there. I had great hopes for him after that but I realized my hopes were unfounded.

In general, if you polish the Faux News terd you get CNN.

[TrueThis]

Right on point....great comment.

[Anthrofreak]

CNN is just as bad as Faux in that they pretend to be neutral.MSNBC is coming from the left, but they don't pretend that they are not. However, they actually present news with their opinions. And MSBNC doesn't present lies and propaganda as news like Fox. MSNBC also challenges the left as much as the right. I thought Anderson's coverage of Katrina sucked. I can barely tolerate 5 minutes of his show. Who wears Prada to a hurricane zone? He is not a journalist. He should stick to hosting that Planet in Peril show. He did a good job on that actually.

[fasty]

It's not Cooper, it's the format. I love HIM, but I hate the bimbo he's with, and I hate that they try to add a little morning show levity in there and I hate the repetitive nature of it.

[VictoriaP]

he and his morning sidekick clearly have REALLY GREAT chemistry. there is way too much giggling, inside jokes and google eyes for just being co-anchors.

[Judah]

AC360 is so DC. He should just declare his hatred for Obama instead of trying to steer his guests to do so. Anderson has been weighed in the balance and found wanting of conviction. CNN is into sensationalising what is the drama news of the day and not into investigating real news. We have FauxNews for fake news and outrages. They do this much better than CNN Now if only we could get reporters to declare their party affiiations, we'd know that the left wing media is as mythical as the Bible stories.

[jukesgrrl]

I don't think Cooper hates Obama. His employer, however, is another story. He's just towing the CNN party line.

[williamg]

Somewhere, Aaron Brown is smiling.

[LibMass]

Aaron Brown got jobbed. Now there is a journalist. Still miss him on KING5 News (Seattle) Yes, its unfortunate that Aaron was let go for the likes of AC360.

[VictoriaP]

yes, aaron was a gem and should be in msm again. cooper never filled aaron's shoes.