CNN CANCELS SPITZER’S IN THE ARENA

Eliot Spitzer has left the arena. Or In the Arena, the name of his retitled show. CNN, which hoped to mount an effective opposition to Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly at 8:00 p.m. by initially pairing Spitzer with conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, then handing the entire hour to him, announced today that it is dumping the former New York governor and handing the 8:00 p.m. time slot to Anderson Cooper. The program will be repeated at 10:00 p.m., Cooper’s current time period. It is also adding former CNBC personality Erin Burnett to its lineup in the 7:00 p.m. hour with a repeat at 11:00 p.m., bumping John King to the 6:00 p.m. hour. In a memo to staff, CNN said, “We are in discussions with Eliot Spitzer about an alternative role.” For his part, Spitzer said, “I believe that we provided diverse and valuable perspectives during the show’s tenure. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at CNN.” The changes are due to become effective on August 8.