Kathleen Parker Leaving CNN

Kathleen Parker, the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist who co-hosted CNN's 8 p.m. show, is leaving just five months after the show debuted, the company announced Friday.

"I have decided to return to a schedule that will allow me to focus more on my syndicated newspaper column and other writings," Parker said in a statement.

She said she enjoyed her time on the show "Parker Spitzer" with former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, but she had missed focusing full-time on her column in the months she had been working on the show.

"With the show going in a new direction, it is a good time to move on," Parker said. "I want to thank the viewers who have been so kind with their comments and support."

Ken Jautz, CNN executive vice president, said a new program, called "In the Arena," will begin Monday. Spitzer will remain on that show, which will adopt "an ensemble format with several newsmakers, guests and contributors joining Eliot Spitzer each night."

"E.D. Hill will join the program as well as others within and outside the CNN family," Jautz said.

Parker will occasionally appear on CNN to "provide her insights and commentary," Jautz said.

"We thank Kathleen for her hard work and all that she has done to help us launch our new 8 p.m. program," Jautz said in a note to staff. "We respect her as a colleague and appreciate her perspective and contributions." http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/25/kathleen.parker.cnn/index.html

 

I wished they'd name Spitzer's show, "Client #9."

 

Spitzer? I hardly knew 'er...

 

"I have decided to return to a schedule that will allow me to focus more on my syndicated newspaper column and other writingsno longer be terrible on television," Parker said in a statement.

 

The door to the prime-time wing of the CNN Center is evidently a revolving one.

 

Did SHE jump off the cliff, or was she pushed?

I think pushed.

 

When this show came out, did ANY of us think this would be a good idea? Any of us?

My background is, primarily, in TV. I think CNN is truly at the point where they would be better off showing 20-year-old episodes of "Moonlighting" or "L.A. Law" in the 8-9 ET/7-8 CT time slot. They just can't compete.

CNN is the network that simply quit evolving with the on-demand age and is still hoping to live off its reporting legacy from Desert Storm...20 years ago.

 

^^^

 

They could hire Tim Brando to do the weather.

 

This needs to be Charlie Sheen's next gig. They could spend the whole hour every night talking about hookers.

 

Along those lines, Piers Morgan's show will ultimately be a train wreck.

 

Great headline I saw: Client No. 9, Parker 0.