Sanchez was almost immediately sacked by the executives at CNN. A brief statement from CNN accompanied his swift departure.
Sanchez's departure caps a turbulent reshuffling at CNN, spurred by the news channel's precipitous ratings decline. On Sept. 24, Jon Klein, the former president of CNN/U.S., was fired and replaced with Ken Jautz. Campbell Brown, the host of a show of the same name during the hotly contested 8 p.m. timeslot, was terminated in May 2010 after receiving poor ratings.
"The ratings for my program are not where I would like them to be," Brown announced. "It is largely for this reason that I am stepping down as anchor of CNN's Campbell Brown.'"
The 8 p.m. news slot, which is currently occupied by the bombastic ideologues Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, Keith Olbermann on MSNBC and Nancy Grace on HLN, was briefly held by Sanchez before his firing. On Oct. 4, Sanchez's program was replaced with "Parker Spitzer," a show co-hosted by political columnist Kathleen Parker and the infamous prostitute-purchasing former governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer. According to Nielsen Media Research, "Parker Spitzer" debuted to poor ratings, coming in a distant fourth place among the major news networks.
The rapid departure of so many CNN personalities reveals a fundamental flaw in CNN's strategy. Seeing itself being crushed in the ratings by the ideologically-driven networks, CNN sought to label itself as a middle-of-the-road, unbiased station that offered quality reporting.
The reality was much different. CNN's simplistic reporting and frequent use of Twitter and Facebook during its programs made a mockery of the once-proud network. Merciless in his jokes, Stewart frequently criticized CNN for its often oblivious anchors epitomized in the meat-head Sanchez (whom Stewart likened to Steve Carrell's bumbling character Michael Scott on "The Office") and half-hearted attempts at reporting news rather than controversy.
What, then, is next for CNN? How does it save itself from being permanently relegated to third place? The answer, I believe, lies in the network's highly praised show "Fareed Zakaria GPS."
"GPS" is highly intelligent program anchored by the widely respected author and political scientist Zakaria. Zakaria treats his viewership with respect, giving us an insightful look into the realm of international politics without being too highbrow. The audience is told what it should hear, and what it needs to hear.
Zakaria's dedication to journalistic excellence has earned him interviews with world-renowned figures, from President Barack Obama to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, a broadcast that earned "GPS" an Emmy nomination.
Audiences seem to be responding well: "GPS" beats out its cable rivals during its timeslot. While other CNN programs have been panned, "GPS" has earned praise.
In an era where the public expects free news, CNN must offer a reputable, compelling source of information. Should CNN decide to become a real news station, a sharp contrast to the shouting matches that characterize Fox News and MSNBC, people will respond. CNN must offer a clear alternative not just pretend to.
