How to fix CNN

[radioandtventhusiast]

For many years, CNN was one of the best news outlets. For the last few years, when Jeff Zucker took over, it's becoming more sensationalism for ratings. It started with the missing Malaysian flight, but now it's all about Trump 24/7. CNN still has a lot of decent journalists, but the network is quite a bit behind in the ratings compared to MSNBC. I think people are getting tired of the talking heads over on CNN. MSNBC, however, doesn't use this strategy and instead uses more actual journalism instead of pundits. Watching CNN from Desert Storm and 9/11 seems vastly different from the CNN of today. So the question is, How could CNN get better ratings, and how should the network be fixed?

[bmw]

While I disagree with your assertion that MSNBC has journalistic integrity (they're almost as bad as CNN, IMO), I absolutely agree that CNN's Gulf war coverage and even 9/11 coverage were vastly superior to anything they're putting on the air these days.

CNN will always be a distant 3rd in cable news ratings with Zucker at the helm. They need a significant house cleaning, from the top-down, to have any chance of improving. Problem is the CNN brand is already tarnished, possibly beyond repair.

[Deleted User 4520]

Needs to be actual unbiased reporting and no news magazines or talk shows with pundits. And not milking the politics thing 24/7. It's just Trump this, Trump that, or Pelosi this and Pelosi that...ick!

[fuzzpower]

CNN should focus on hard news. Leave the Trump bashing to MSNBC and the Trump praising to Fox News.

[JackAttack FM]

...how should the network be fixed?

Fix what?!?!

CNN has doubled its annual profits to $1.2 billion under Zucker.
This with the ratings down 8% YTY but, expected to rise with next year's election.
The network makes hundreds of millions off cable carriage fees. Its documentaries and Original Series' bring in ratings and have become lucrative shows to be sold to streaming services.

I'm not a big fan of what Zucker did to NBC primetime but, he's got a business model that's working for CNN.

[Deleted User 4520]

CNN needs to go back to 24/7 news instead of airing other programming like on Sunday nights and other times when they do those prison shows.

[radioandtventhusiast]

Here's what I want to see on CNN:
- Lots of on-the-scene reporting from both the U.S. and around the world;
- A news oriented talk show with a studio audience in the 4PM hour.
- A financial markets wrap-up show in the 5PM hour.
- A politics show in the 6PM hour.
- A good, honest newscast in the 7PM hour.
- Something rather entertaining in the 8PM hour. If I were CNN, I'd bend over BACKWARDS to hire either (i) Jon Stewart or (ii) John Oliver. I would also make overtures to Greg Gutfeld of Fox News.
- Bring an interview-focused show back to the 9PM hour. No more than two guests per show. Take viewer phone calls, just like Larry King used to do.
- Another good, honest newscast in the 10PM hour.
- 11PM: repeat the show from 8PM.
- Midnight: repeat the show from 9PM.

The air talent at CNN sucks. Don Lemon and Wolf Blitzer both bore me to tears. Fire Lemon and demote Blitzer. Anderson Cooper is boring when he anchors solo. Move him to mornings and pair him with a good female co-anchor.

If I were CNN, in terms of building a stable of credible on-camera journalists, the first person I'd try to lure over is Jeff Glor of CBS News.

The second person I'd try to lure over is Shepard Smith, formerly of FOX News.

I like a lot of these ideas. Do something different that other general news networks don't do.

I think I'd give the financial show to Erin Burnett, as she was popular with CNBC's audience when she was there, plus she knows a lot about the markets. I'd give her a good male co-anchor too. I don't know if CNN could hire away a CNBC or Bloomberg anchor.

Jon Stewart or John Oliver could definitely increase ratings over there. That would be fun to watch!

I think the studio audience show should have a Q&A session so audience members could ask whoever's hosting questions about the news of the day.

DEFINITELY agree that Jeff Glor would be great over at CNN. CBS screwed him over when his audience started to warm up to him. Norah O'Donnell's ratings are even worse now than Glor's ratings at the end. Shep would be a decent fit too.

[bmw]

I can't imagine Jon Stewart or John Oliver wanting to work at CNN. Stewart is no fan of cable news and Oliver I'm sure is content doing what he's doing for HBO. Plus, both of these comedians' humor would be a bit too risque for a mainstream cable news network. MAYBE a weekend program, but again, I doubt either would be interested. If CNN is looking for a younger face to bring onboard for this type of show, my vote would be for someone like Lee Camp from Redacted Tonight on RT.

Instant ratings boost? Bill O'Reilly. 8 PM. Their ratings in that time slot would at least double, instantly. He could give Tucker Carlson a run for his money.

On the entertainment side, I would try to get someone like Jay Leno to do a once-a-week Saturday night program with a half-hour monologue and a half-hour newsmaker or or politician guest interview.

I'll echo what others have said about Glor. CNN should have been pursuing him the moment he was let go from CBS. He could easily anchor a serious news program.

[audiophile]

TNT!

[matt1]

Since March of 2005 during late night, CNN Headline News was on 24 hours a day. I guess that the cable channel changed their mind that March of 2005!!

[Calvert DeForest]

TNT!

Wrong network.

[audiophile]

I was wondering if someone would catch that.

CNN is T-BS!