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Radio & TV Talk

Posted: 12:58 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2013

TV briefs: CNN morning show, 'The Game' ratings, 'Idol' theme 

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Chris Cuomo
ABC News
Chris Cuomo will be doing mornings at CNN with Kate Bolduan late this spring.

By Rodney Ho

CNN has offically announced its new morning show to replace Soledad O'Brien later this spring: Chris Cuomo and Kate Boulduan.

Boulduan joined CNN in 2007 and has worked with Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room. Michaela Periera from KTLA in Los Angeles will do the news.

“I've been looking forward to this announcement since I first joined CNN," said Jeff Zucker in a press release. "Chris, Kate and Michaela are a dynamic team that will give our viewers in America a new way to start their day. We were floored with excitement when we saw Chris and Kate together on screen, and by adding Michaela to the mix we feel we have something very special. We believe there is an opening to do news in the morning with a fresh, new voice."

Zucker made a name for himself two decades ago producing "The Today Show" and lifting it to No. 1.

I'm not sure if CNN has ever had a real hit morning show in its history. Has it? I may not have proper historical perspective here.

***

How mighty they fall: Atlanta-based "The Game" opened at 2.5 million viewers Tuesday night, a hefty number for BET but a major falloff from the past two seasons. When "The Game" came to BET from the CW two years ago, it hit a massive 7.7 million. Last year, it opened at a still impressive 5.3 million.

In effect, the show has lost half its viewers in one year's time. The departure of Tia Mowry can't possibly be helping matters. Last season, the show kept losing viewers as the season dragged on, hitting rock bottom near season's end at 2.02 million.

I asked the person who runs the "Save the 'Game' " Facebook page what went wrong. The page, which has 20,000 followers, are fans who are not happy with the direction BET has taken the show:

Akil Productions decided to change the format from a comedy to a "dramedy".  And BET went along with it.  They should have left the existing comedy format in place.  When BET started showing reruns, the show gained a new following who might not have watched the show on the CW.  When BET decided to renew the show, 7.7 million viewers tuned into the Season 4 premiere show.  BET promoted the show well and we give them credit for that.  We also give them credit for showing the reruns.  By showing the reruns, they gave the show a second life and attracted a new and larger audience.  When the show was on the CW, it did not get these kind of ratings for several reasons: poor scheduling and lack of promotion.  In other words, the 7.7 million people who watched the show anticipated the CW's version of "The Game".  Once people watched this new "dramedy" format, the backlash was severe.  We have several issues with the show: too serious, lack of comedy, poor lighting, laugh track seems off, story lines all over the place, poor acting...to name a few.  We think they got rid of the laugh track for Season 6 all together because it was used poorly in Season 5.

***

Atlanta-based TNT, which is seeking a non-scripted hit, is getting into the "Real Housewives" game, however belatedly, by picking up a series about Nashville ladies (and maybe their men, too).

Called "Nashville Confidential," it's set to air in 2014 and will focus on Nashville's "most compelling power couples." Evolution Media, which produces "The Real Housewives of Orange County," will be the production company.

***

While "Idol" keeps hitting new series lows among 18-49 year olds (as it did again last night), the five ladies and two remaining guys next week will sing rock songs (no ballads.). Somehow, the producers think this might help. It might have helped if they had brought in a David Cook/Adam Lambert/Scotty McCreery/Phillip Phillips sort of guy into the top 20. But they didn't. And now they are paying for it in sinking ratings.

***

Lifetime has cancelled "America's Most Wanted." Lifetime had picked up the show after Fox dropped it. But I'm sure John Walsh will shop it around again. My friend Angeline Hartmann, who you may remember on Fox 5 for doing "Georgia's Most Wanted," has worked with AMW for many years and is now seeking new climes again.

About Rodney Ho

I cover local radio and TV for both the print and online editions. I write a blog on the same topics.

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