Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero / The Daily Beast
Amid its worst ratings in over a decade, CNN recently sought to reinvent its primetime strategy. But that gambit to boost viewership looks like it has failed.
More than a year after firing its most-watched anchor Chris Cuomo over an ethics scandal involving his disgraced ex-governor brother, the cable-news pioneer has struggled to find a permanent replacement in the 9 p.m. time slot. Last month, the network decided to fill the pivotal hour with town-hall events and specials focusing on hot-button news topics, as well as interviews with prominent politicians and celebrities.
Since implementing that formula late last month, however, CNN has yet to see viewers embrace the new direction. In fact, CNN’s primetime specials have attracted a smaller audience than the network’s regular programming in that same time slot this year.
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