Eliot Spitzer’s "In the Arena" Cancelled by CNN
Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is back on the market – so to speak.
CNN announced today it has cancelled “In the Arena,” the 8 PM show hosted by Eliot Spitzer. The shakeup was designed to boost ratings going into the prime fall season.
The network will move Anderson Cooper’s “AC 360” broadcast to the prime-time 8 PM spot where it will go head to head with Fox News “O’Reilly Factor” and MSNBC’s “Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell.”
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Spitzer’s role began nine months ago when he was tapped to work with conservative columnist Kathleen Parker. Originally called “Parker and Spitzer,” the show was later renamed “In the Arena” after Parker was fired from the show due to low ratings. However, the show’s dismal numbers never rebounded after the changes were made.
“We are in discussions with Eliot Spitzer about an alternative role,” a memo to CNN staff said, according to Politico. “We thank him and the entire ‘In the Arena’ team for creating a program that moved many political and economic issues into the national spotlight.”
Spitzer later issued a statement saying, “We engaged serious people in conversations about national and global issues in a way that was informative and challenging. I believe that we provided diverse and valuable perspectives during the show’s tenure. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at CNN.”
Interestingly, a small item in a Daily News Gatecrasher column on June 28 predicted the shakeup.
Now, CNN veterans Wolf Blitzer and John King and newcomer Piers Morgan will join Anderson in the evening line-up. Erin Burnett will host a new general news program that will be added in the fall.
Spitzer resigned as Governor of New York three years ago when his rendezvous with prostitutes, including Ashlee Dupre, was uncovered.
