CNN has officially canceled former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s low-rated weeknight talk show ‘In The Arena,’ Deadline is reporting. When the cable news network launches its new line-up on August 8, 2011, the show will be replaced by Anderson Cooper’s ‘AC360.’
‘AC360,’ which will air at 8 and 10 pm EST, will be preceded at 7 by an unnamed general news show that will be hosted by former CNBC anchor Erin Burnett. ‘Piers Morgan Tonight’ will remain in its current 9 pm time-slot.
CNN is “in discussions with (Eliot) Spitze about an alternative role,” Ken Jautz, the network’s Executive Vice President, said. “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 released a statement about the cancellation, saying the show “engaged serious people in conversations about national and global issues in a way that was informative and challenging.” He added that he believes ‘In The Arena’ provided diverse perspectives about national issues, and he thoroughly enjoyed his time at CNN.
The news comes after the CNN executive who hired Spitzer, Jonathan Klein, was fired weeks before the show debuted on October 4, 2010. Spitzer’s co-host, conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, left the show in February 2011.
Written by: Karen Benardello
