Not The King Anymore

Ouch: “It has become increasingly clear that Larry King‘s best days at CNN are behind him,” today’s Wall Street Journal asserts.

“The veteran host has seen his audience decline substantially in recent years,” and “the viewers who remain part of the 72-year-old Mr. King’s audience tend to be older (65, on average), and less wealthy (with a median income of $40,000), numbers that hold little appeal for advertisers intent on reaching younger, more-affluent consumers.”

Joe Flint writes: “With three years left on his contract, Mr. King probably isn’t likely to go away anytime soon. Yes, his interviewing skills, which were never going to be confused with those of Ted Koppel, have slipped with his ratings. And CNN executives surely are aware of the show’s problems. But they also know that Mr. King still draws a bigger audience than any other show on the cable network, and that ratings in the time slot might be under pressure no matter who was in the host’s chair.” More…