As he is getting ready to take on daytime with his new syndicated talk show next fall, Anderson Cooper’s 
primetime fortunes are falling. His CNN show Anderson Cooper 360 is wrapping 2010 as its lowest rated year ever in primetime among adults 25-54 and second lowest in total viewers behind only its primetime debut in 2005. Year-to-year, Anderson Cooper (665,000 viewers, 207,000 in 25-54) is down 33% in 25-54 and 32% in total viewers. Cooper’s declines are not isolated as they mirror CNN’s 34% year-to-year drop in total viewers and 25-54. In primetime, 2010 marks the cable news network’s lowest-rated year in both categories in at least 14 years. Still, Cooper’s sharp ratings declines would probably give a pause to Warner Bros., which produces and distributes his daytime talk show, Anderson. For comparison, Nancy Grace, who hosts a primetime show on CNN’s sibling channel HLN, was on the rise, hitting all-time-high ratings last year when she was signed on to do a syndicated show. Her Swift Justice with Nancy Grace has been the highest-rated first-year syndicated series this season.
CNN's Anderson Cooper Hits Primetime Low
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I stopped watching when they got rid of Aaron Brown to give him two hours. They said it was for demo reasons, but I’m a few years younger than Anderson and Aaron Brown’s show was my show of choice.
I still miss Aaron Brown to this day. I stopped watching CNN when Anderson took over.
I agree – I was very disappointed when Aaron Brown was let go. He was such a thoughtful journalist. I do like Anderson but Aaron is in a class by himself. There must be a place for him in today’s news media. What’s wrong with the networks and cable news when a credible journalist like Aaron isn’t on the air. Unfortunately, CNN went down the drain when Ted Turner left.
as a canadian it amazes me the poor quality of newscasts in the united states. i quit watching cnn when aaron brown was fired. anderson is good but he needs better material/ producers. i just recently read that miles obrien was fired ? that guy could do everything why did they let him go ?sad
When Anderson began his CNN career, I actually enjoyed his approach and demeanor.
And, then, something happened to Anderson. He wondered from ‘journalist’ to opinion creator and maker.
Most recently, he has decried Michael Vick for saying that the would like a dog.
Let me be perfectly clear. I deplored Michael Vick for what he did, but Michael Vick paid his debt for his crimes. He lost a huge amount of guaranteed salary from the Atalanta Falcons; he lost lots of other big time pro football super star perks; and he spent upwards of two years in prison.
Anderson, you fucking asshole, this man deserves the chance to learn and grow from his mistakes. If he wants a dog, who are you to say this is an outrage?
And, the fact that he has actually returned to pro football; lead what it appears to be a press scrutinized proper life; and, is a leading candidate for Most Valuable Player is not enough for Mr. Anderson Cooper.
Soon, with luck, Anderson Cooper will be a distant memory.
I completely agree with you. Not only does Cooper go off on news sources, he even disagrees with CNN reporters who know way more than he does. I’ll never forget his chastising Jeffrey Toobin when Toobin was right.
I wrote to 60 Minutes and told them I refused to watch their program if they put this dweeb on the air.
I totally agree!!! I used to love AC, but given your comments about Michael Vick, I say STFU (shut the f- up)!!!!!
After what Dahmer and Vick did to those animals I wouldn’t give an animal I cared about to Michael even though he “played some good ball”. Get real. Football doesn’t make a guy wonderful again dude!
Nancy Grace is an offensive, obnoxious bitch, which is of course what America likes – Anderson Cooper has always been dull.
But at least Nancy is out for justice and she puts pressure on the law to find the perps. She’s like a one-woman America’s Most Wanted.
I guess this means Anderson should get a page-boy haircut, suck on a lemon, and then yell at people over six picture-in-pictures and twenty inane crawls… Please no!
This is a disturbing turn. Anderson Cooper represents Cnn’s last barrier before the full on capitulation to entertainment masquerading as “news” takes place.
After Amanpour left for ABC, the powerful international pieces CNN was known for took a back seat. Now, if Cooper fails I fear they will throw up their hands and go full-on to info-tainment. And that’s a damn shame.
And to the person who made the post about Aaron Brown … you’re so right. Here’s a smart, wordsmith and thoughtful interviewer and penetrating reporter — in short, a gem of a newscaster, if a little arrogant — and CNN couldn’t find room for him? Anywhere?
(The TV news industry’s future, I fear, is going the way of Nancy (Dis) Grace, though I was shocked NBC the other day committed a couple of hours to following George Clooney to the Sudan and chronicling his efforts to ward off genocide there. Dateline NBC’s Ann Curry, a reporter who has her heart and mind in the right place, did a solid job!)
But I fear substance over sizzle will be more the exception than the rule. And if CNN goes down that road, then, please pass the remote…
… I’m switching to PBS and its NewsHour…
PBS didn’t even keep Aaron Brown on the air.
Perhaps he should weep openly on the air, like Glenn Beck did on Faux News.
Gelann does opinion on Fox, and doesn’t pretend it is hard news.
Cooper pretended to be a hard news guy, but he was really just an bad opinionated left winger.
I’m glad to see his dishonesty is ruining his ratings.
he needs to do a special in which he comes out of the closet, which would make him seem less self-absorbed than one of his average episodes
I love Anderson when he is being a journalist. Truly one of the best out there. But when he feels the need (and in the era of “news entertainment” I can’t blame him) to slip into opinion, he kinda looses me. (I still watch him though).
There are NO journalists left. none. There is no news. it is almost all blathering idiocy with drooling, troglodyte viewers. Here’s hoping Cooper moves back toward more journalism.
I personally think that AC is getting too opinionated these days… His attitude towards the interviewees is unacceptable and then he shuts off the interview when the interviewee is not literally ‘dancing to his tunes’… He tells them they are yelling at him and all that…AC is bound to have his own opinions but as an anchor, you shouldn’t favor sides and make it too obvious especially when they are on sensitive issues…His passion is usually too obvious on the issues he supports like “Don’t ask Don’t tell”
I agree with most these comments. I really enjoyed AC360 when it was a news program. Now it is mostly opinions and AC trying to sway the listeners.
I don’t understand why they can’t just give us the news. “Terrorists hit the CNN building today” without giving an opinion about it. What happened to the good ole days when I was a reporter? All we have is yellow journalism now.
When Anderson Cooper came on the scene, he was trotted across the desks on daytime and nightime talk shows and marketed as a success without any real accomplishments to deserve all the adulation. Much the same was done for Air America when it was launched. The current occupant of the White House was handled in a similar fashion. See a pattern?
But it’s not all Anderson Cooper’s fault. CNN and MSNBC are in the ratings gutter because both of those networks regularly discount opposing points-of-view. There is no doubt that Fox News leans conservative, but you are much more likely to see a number of liberal voices and opinions on Fox than you would a token conservative on either CNN or MSNBC. The public isn’t stupid. We know what’s being dished out.
CNN was once the most respected source of news for good reason. They used to feature shows like “Evans & Novak,” “Crossfire” and other opinion-driven programming. However, the news was delivered competently by journalists whose political leanings were not so obvious. I don’t think it would be that hard to regain the respect of viewers and lure them away from the Fox juggernaut. I lean conservative but I am growing weary of the “holier-than-thou” ramblings of Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly. I tend to agree with them more often than not, but I cringe when they demaean opposing opinion much like Olbermann, Matthews and Maddow do over at the Uber-liberal network, MSNBC.
Years ago, PBS ran a show called “The Advocates.” It was a Peabody-winning series of lively debates on controversial social issues like public education, capital punishment, nuclear energy, the legalization of marijuana, national health insurance and the funding of public TV. Among the moderators were Victor Palmieri, Howard Miller, William Rusher, Marilyn Berger and former presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis. I wish someone would bring this show back and fill the chairs with respected voices from both sides of the political aisle. It’s time to get unchallenged voices in a position to defend their points-of-view and let the public truly decide.
When Anderson Cooper came on the scene, he was trotted across the tube on daytime and nightime talk shows and marketed as a success without any real accomplishments to deserve the adulation. Much the same was done for Air America when it was launched. The current occupant of the White House was handled in a similar fashion. See a pattern?
It’s hard to type when you’re scratching your head. I’ll admit, I’m a big fan of Anderson Cooper. Why not, he’s intelligent, thoughtful, and has more wit than you’ll find from any other news personality. Why people don’t respond to him is something I can’t understand, but Nancy Grace… My God… I don’t really know what to say. I kind of shiver when she comes on for the second and a half it takes me to find the remote to mute/change the channel. What an insufferable, awful, horrible, ugly, detestable human being. She was created to appeal to the most narrow thinking, small minded among us, and she hits it out of the park for those people every time. I just don’t understand who would want to invite her into their living room at night… Certainly no one I’d ever I’d ever want to invite into mine.
Anderson Cooper is a fine propagandist–in the tradition of Dr. Josef Goebbels. No real news here! Just sucky half-truths and pablum for dull eyed slack jawed viewers. His caustic, obnoxious, whining, shrill, condescending style should earn him his own TV show; ” Anderson Pooper 69″.
Nancy Grace is the top-rated new syndicated series this year, that is like being the tallest man at a convention of little people….the show has been a disaster for local stations and is about to be severely downgraded in many major markets.
He does his best work during a crisis (BP oil spill). When the shit hits the fan, and it will, he’ll be back.
I’m pretty sure they market 360 as an oppinion show, anyways… Aren’t all of the primetime cable news shows opinion-based? That’s what primetime is for, and that’s why they have the Sit Room – for recapping the day’s top stories. Maybe it’s just me.
I used to like AC360 and Anderson Cooper. I think he has become enamoured of stars and celebrities and wants to be like them. He is beginning to act too cute and egotistical for my tastes. I agree with the article when it comes to his fall daytime show. If he can’t pull in ratings or at least hold his own with his current show, what will happen with his daytime show? I suspect he may jump ship from CNN after his contract is up and then get booted from daytime for low ratings. With all the up and coming newbies on the block, his days are numbered. Too bad.
I never understood what was so great about Anderson Cooper. Showing up at a disaster and waving a camera around isn’t really journalism. There was a famous moment during the incursion into Lebanon(or whatever we called that scrimmage) when Anderson was standing on live TV and some random villager runs up and says that the Israeli have begun to move on the village and then Anderson says ‘We’ve just received word that…’ So much for checking sources.
In regards to Nancy Grace…mixed emotions. I do respect her “pit bull” attempts at getting to the truth, trying to see that justice is done…But I don’t(as so many others) enjoy her “day in the life of my twins” segments, as we learn about their first poop,fart,throw-up. Who cares??? not to mention that sacrine,phoney sign-off “Goodnight Friends” as she blinks her eyelashes…
He’s hitting rock bottom, eh? Good. Keep digging, Coop.
CNN has too many black anchors and black special interest programs.
The fact is, the USA is 14% African American but CNN, which stood for Cable News Network, has become the Colored News Network and I no longer feel any connection to them.
Tony Harris is allowed to cover NFL and NBA stories while national news is breaking, TJ Holmes sounds like Pootie Tang, and the news magazines like “Black in America” and “Crisis in Black Education” shown all weekend, is ridiculous.
Look, I’m a black American and I just can’t stand CNN anymore.
i know this story is old but honestly the more gayer ac has become the more his ratings slide. hot intelligent guy- good ratings-never with a woman-ratings still good but now there is talk-start doing gay face-ratings slide-going on vaction with what appears to be a boyfriend-rock bottom ratings. anyone can do what he does, he should have kept to the news,not went on vkay with dude, and appear to like women, then women would still be with him.
Well, have to say it’s too bad for women (like me) that AC is gay. But, so what? I’ll get over it. Yes, one’s public persona and personal life do inevitably collide. Still, he has the right to be let alone and not be hassled. Regardless of whether viewers care for him or not-it is his life. Sure, he’s different: more passionate, more opinionated, very leftist, but it got me to watch the news again! I find that passionate directness both intellectually stimulating and sexy (damn). If I don’t agree with what he has to say I’ll get over that too. Like him or not, give the guy a break. He’s unique and it’s great.
Jennifer
He did not “pay for his crime”, I don’t care that he spent 2 years in prison, it wasn’t enough time to give justice for the dogs that were body slammed against cement. Have you ever had a head injury? It hurts..really hurts! Maybe you have had one with the way you’ve been ranting about a fine man, reporter, and someone who chooses to work for a living, and be a productive member of society. Unlike Mr. Vick, a grown man who chose to torture animals, despite his wealth. I’m sick of people glorifying criminals and forgiving dispicable crimes, especially from athletes. You just kiss up to them because you wish you were them. Stupid. Get a Life. Its just a dumb game, he’s not cureing cancer. Your menatlity makes it easy for thugs like him to do the wrong thing. He’s not learning and “growing” from his mistakes. In order to do that you have to believe you made a mistake first. Wake up and smell the coffee. He’s not sorry. He’s only sorry he got caught. Now leave sweet Anderson alone.