Gayle King’s journey into space aboard Bezos’ Blue – Business News
“CBS Mornings” anchor Gayle King will blast off into space Monday – because the show’s scores sink to file lows.
The scores stunt — wherein King will take an 11-minute trip into orbit together with pop star Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez, aboard her fiance Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin vessel — will do little to spice up viewership as a result of the show wants a main overhaul of its woke programming and lackluster anchors, industry specialists advised The Post.
“CBS Mornings” drew fewer than 2 million complete viewers in every of the final two weeks of March, in keeping with the newest Nielsen scores – falling farther behind rivals “GMA” and “Today.” Those reveals pulled in 2.8 million and a couple of.6 million complete viewers, respectively.
“CBS Mornings,” hosted by Tony Dokoupil, Gayle King and Nate Burleson, has sunk to file lows within the scores. CBS by way of Getty Images
In 2017, when King co-hosted the show alongside anchors Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell, the perennially last-place program racked up an average of 3.6 million complete viewers per week and was narrowing the hole on its rivals.
Ratings have fallen throughout the board over the previous decade, however industry insiders pin half of the blame for the dramatic decline at “CBS Mornings” on the show’s “light” and “alienating” programming.
One of the sources pointed to a March 26 interview with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” winner Bob the Drag Queen, who was publicizing his first novel, “Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert,” which the morning show’s web site described as a “gender-bending story where the historic icon appears in modern-day America to tell her story through a hip-hop album.”
“That’s not what people want to watch. I don’t think if you’re programming for your audience you do things like that,” the particular person stated.
“It’s become a niche New York show.”
Just as problematic is the shortage of chemistry between King — who signed a one-year contract extension final yr — and present co-anchors Nate Burleson and Tony Dokoupil, sources stated.
King will take an 11-minute trip into orbit together with pop star Katy Perry (left) and Lauren Sanchez (middle), aboard a Blue Origin spacraft owned by Jeff Bezos (proper). WireImage for Vanity Fair
Burleson, a former NFL participant, “doesn’t have gravitas in news reporting” and Dokoupil comes off as “smug,” stated a former morning show producer, likening them to “sidekicks.”
“CBS needs someone who’s an equal to Gayle. Neither of those two do that,” the source added.
A second source known as Dokoupil “bland as a piece of white bread,” regardless of his fiery interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates in October, wherein he grilled the creator over his pro-Palestinian framing of Hamas’ battle with Israel.
Sources stated the flight is a stunt that received’t juice “CBS Mornings’” slumping scores. Blue Origin
The source stated the exchange confirmed Dokoupil’s ardour and character – which he hardly ever reveals on air.
A CBS insider refuted the criticism, saying: “Our team has the best chemistry in the mornings – on and off the air, period.”
CBS News didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Last month, CBS brass took a step in making an attempt to treatment the scores freefall, naming veteran morning show producer Tom Cibrowski as president of CBS News.
Sources griped that “CBS Mornings” anchors lack chemistry and that the show’s programming is for a “niche New York audience.”
The former ABC News exec, who oversaw “GMA” during one of its most profitable eras, has already made an impression on “CBS Mornings” staffers, a source with information advised The Post.
During his first week, Cibrowski got here to the set at 6 a.m. and launched himself to the crew, holding conferences with producers, together with Thomas, who was stated to be “ecstatic” about working with “someone who knows what he is doing,” the source stated.
Still, he has his work cut out for him amid funds cuts on the community as CBS father or mother Paramount seems to close its stalled merger with Skydance Media.
Sources stated King, who signed a one-year contract extension final yr, is hoping the space flight is a boon for scores. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
“They have no money to hire new, good people, but Tom can change the quality of the work and the story selection,” the source stated.
In the meantime, the show will flip its consideration to dwell protection of King’s foray into space, although execs shouldn’t anticipate earth-shattering scores, one other media observer advised The Post.
“It’s a stunt. Why tune into the show? What are you going to miss?” the source stated.
A second source quipped: “Lauren Sánchez’s best assets will be covered up in a spacesuit.”
