CNN's new boss Jeff Zucker must be scratching his head. He's trying to assemble a team of brighter, younger, sassier presenters (though failing on diversity), and says news is the name of the game. In a week's time he launches a new Breakfast pairing - Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan - in a set more reminiscent of a New York loft than a newsroom; and his new weekly chat show host, George Stroumboulopoulos (nicked from Canada) is on a promotional tour of tv studios (engagingly meeting George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America).
His new afternoon tyro, Jake Tapper, weekdays at 4pm, made an early impact in the ratings (such that people have started muttering about the poor figures for CNN's stalwart, Wolf Blitzer).
And yet. Last week's figures for the network - a week when the US news agenda had calmed down - are back down, some of them below last June's ratings, itself a record low month in 2012. In the "key demographic" of 25 to 54 year olds, Piers Morgan has returned figures of (Mon) 86k, (Tues) 84k (Wed) 96k and (Thu) 70k. It's clear sassy chat without the backing of a serious on-the-day news agenda will not hack it for Zucker.
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