one network’s winning formula

As the networks try to reinvent themselves, Headline News seems to be doing pretty well.

Here’s an excerpt of an interview with Ken Jautz of CNN:

Q: You’ve made a lot of changes in the two years you’ve run Headline News. What’s worked well?

A: We launched a prime-time lineup of point-of-view shows —- that is, shows that were focused on their hosts and their opinions. We likened this to the op-ed page of a newspaper. We emphasized that these shows were alternatives to the programs that were being offered on prime time on CNN. It was the first time we ever programmed our two main domestic channels in a complementary manner. It was, to be honest, a very big risk for us, [but] it was hugely successful. One of those shows, Nancy Grace, has tripled her audience. Glenn Beck has almost doubled. Those are numbers you don’t see very often in cable news. …

Q: Nancy [Grace] and Glenn [Beck] make you a target of critics. How do you balance the need for ratings with the need to cover news?

A: It’s most important to be honest and straightforward with your viewership, which is to identify exactly what you are doing. That is why we emphasize in both programming and marketing that these are point-of-view shows. They’re not journalists. It is good to bring different types of voices. …

Q: Headline News already feels different than CNN. Will that differentiation become more pronounced over time?

A: We will continue to emphasize that, and look for ways to underscore that Headline News is an alternative. That’s in prime time. It’s news by day, views by night.

And for those of you who like numbers:

The two youngest shows, by audience age, across both networks [CNN and Headline News], are Glenn Beck and ‘Showbiz Tonight.’ Glenn Beck’s audience is particularly affluent.

Now, that is weird.

(via TVNewser)