Anderson Cooper To Film Two Live Audience Specials In April

by Frances Martel | 9:01 am, April 10th, 2010

» 7 comments

The experimentation over at CNN to find a hit show continues, with the network now trying to save its brightest star, Anderson Cooper, from the first quarter crash that saw his 10 PM program lose more than 40% of his viewers. For a change of pace, Anderson Cooper 360º is now set to film two talk-show style live audience specials later this month.

From the Hollywood Reporter report:

The network is recruiting a crowd for two shows that will serve as a testing ground for a potential new primetime talk format.

CNN is calling the trial episodes “specials” to keep expectations low in case the project doesn’t make it to the series stage. But, really, expectations couldn’t be much lower for Anderson — his show has recently been beaten by repeats of programs on MSNBC and HLN.

A studio audience for a serious news program is a bit like adding a laugh track to a eulogy, so it’s unclear how this is going to work with Anderson, who’s an agreeable enough newsreader and interviewer but not exactly the sort of chap you can picture wooing a live audience. The network would only confirm the format will be “conversational.”

TV Newser has published the official listing for the events, pictured above, from publicity company Stargazer Entertainment, which specializes in live audience events. The ad doesn’t give away much of anything on how the format would work, especially since Cooper is first and foremost a hard news reporter, so a shift to an Oprah Winfrey-like setting seems out of character. That said, Cooper has done quite well moderating presidential debates with live audiences before, so the key to putting together a couple of successful audience specials might hinge upon Cooper moderating an interaction between the audience and a few key partisan guests.

It is as of yet unclear whether the specials will air at all or whether they are trials, though chances are that decision will be made after producers view the final product. For now, the audience shows are scheduled to be taped on April 15th and 22nd.

anderson cooper, Anderson Cooper 360, audience, CNN, debates, live show, moderator

Toshiba2

Love Anderson!
MarkStr82Hell

Good for him; however, no matter the gimicks that CNN uses to attract new viewers, Cooper will never win the time slot. America is center-right. Greta is a fair and balanced investigative lawyer and moderate on Fox News. The 17% liberals sadly watch a rerun of KO.
libra blue

Although Anderson has expressed an interest in doing this type of show in the past, it is a little sad to see a supposedly “respected” news organization like CNN and an award winning “hard news” journalist like Anderson having to resort to an Oprah-type show in order to survive.

Unfortunately, I think one of the problems with AC360 is Anderson himself so this is a little bit like shifting the chairs around on the deck of the Titanic. I don’t think it is any coincidence that on the same week that this new show was announced Anderson “apologized” for his “tea bagging” comment.

CNN must be a little worried about Anderson’s popularity with the viewers because on the sign-up sheet they ask the question ” how do you feel about AC360 and Anderson Cooper?”

CNN may also be trying to cash in on the ratings success of HLN, but that is an entirely different audience.

I guess sooner or later everyone in this business ends up selling their soul and self-respect to the devil just to survive. Why should CNN and Anderson be any different?
libra blue

One more thing. Anderson never seems comfortable interacting with non-celebrity types so, unless there is a co-host there to intercept the awkward moments, imo, this show has little chance of succeeding.
TylerDurdin

Funny, this will be the first time his studio audience is larger than his TV audience.
annejaa

Well then maybe the live audience will ask the questions the public wants to know rather than listening to Anderson Cooper and if CNN is turning their news shows into talk shows, then i think its time to quit to watch CNN.
m3 zero
Michele

Here is a thought, Talkbalk Live was very successful. But as usual they are never satisfied and after years of success with an interactive audience which included those at home they canned it perhaps they are trying to relive their hay days.

Also, each time I hear Anderson say go on to his page and chat I just shrill, he means blog and only acceptable posts, there isn’t much interactive with his current show.

All the other shows who use twitter seem’s to keep the work down from actually reading real mail from viewers.

CNN has much work to do if they want to be the nation’s leader in cable news, they say they are world wide leaders but in the US if they are being beaten by FOX and repeats at MSNBC it will be an uphill climb.