Nicholas Carlson, writing for The Business Insider, a part of Henry Blodget's Silicon Alley Insider site, offers a devastating look at CNN, entitled, perhaps somewhat harshly, "The Case Against CNN, By The Numbers."
TCG doesn't have anything against CNN, other than its smugness and its liberal bias. But Carlson has done his homework; including the chart above, which demolishes Anderson Cooper. The graphic above shows both total audience and inside the demo (25-54), and both show the same distinct trendline--down.
I am not sure that anyone needs to make a case against CNN, but I do have to wonder how long La Anderson will be the apple of the Big Apple's eye. I mean, could it be that glamor and cool and attitude mean more to CNN president Jon Klein than ratings? Oops, never mind. Dumb question. After all, AC bragged recently that he partied with the late Michael Jackson at Studio 54 when he was just a 10-year-old, back in the 70s--but everyone at CNN must think that's tres chic.
But how about Klein's boss, Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time-Warner. Surely he cares more about earnings, and shareholder value, than he does about being trendy and fashionable. Right? Well, uh, no--Bewkes just re-upped Klein.
So what's going on? TCG's theory is that the likes of Klein and Bewkes grew up as nerdy over-achievers; they were too busy studying for school, and so missed out on having the fun of being underage at a notoriously drug-drenched disco, such as Studio 54 in its Jacko-Liza-Halston heyday. And so the aura of someone such as AC--and the promise that he can introduce Klein & Bewkes to Hollywood A-listers and other Beautiful People--is enough to persuade the suits to overlook his declining ratings.
No need to fret, boys--Anderson's not going anywhere, even if nobody outside of Manhattan, West Hollywood, and Dupont Circle is watching.
