CNN Taps ‘King Charles’ in New Bid for Primetime Crown
variety.comBrian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Can “King Charles” rule in the heady, competitive world of cable news? CNN will soon find out.
The new weekly one-hour program will debut Wednesday, November 29, at 10 p.m., and will be co-anchored by the unlikely duo of Gayle King, who still has her long-running day job at rival CBS News, and Charles Barkley, the outspoken sportscaster who remains a key element in the NBA coverage provided by CNN’s parent, Warner Bros.
Discovery. CNN executives are counting on the pair to have freewheeling conversations about the biggest stories in the news cycle. “King Charles” is viewed as a limited-run series that will last at least through the first quarter of next year. “‘King Charles’ is different than anything we have on CNN’s lineup,” says Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, in responses to questions provided by email. “It’s not a newscast, but rather a talk show centered around the news stories and cultural moments that Gayle and Charles are most interested in.” CNN declined to make executives or the new anchors available for a direct conversation.
Cable-news success has in the past been built largely around consistency. Viewers come to primetime knowing exactly when their favorite hosts will surface on the schedule.
Read more on variety.com