{"id":28128,"date":"2021-01-05T11:00:22","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T17:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=28128"},"modified":"2021-01-05T11:00:22","modified_gmt":"2021-01-05T17:00:22","slug":"ashleigh-banfield-talk-show-replace-third-hour-low-rated-news-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2021\/01\/05\/ashleigh-banfield-talk-show-replace-third-hour-low-rated-news-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"Ashleigh Banfield talk show to replace third hour of low-rated \u2018News Nation\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

<\/a> Ashleigh Banfield<\/p><\/div>\n

Just four months after launching \u201cNews Nation\u201d<\/a> as a three-hour primetime newscast, WGN America<\/a> is cutting the third hour in favor of a nightly talk show hosted by cable news veteran Ashleigh Banfield.<\/p>\n

Originating from a studio in Connecticut, \u201cBanfield\u201d<\/a> will air at 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting March 1. \u201cNews Nation\u201d will continue to air from 7 to 9 p.m. from the Chicago base of WGN America and flagship WGN-Channel 9, both owned by Nexstar Media Group.<\/p>\n

The retreat in the third hour comes in response to dismally low ratings for the news startup, which branded itself as an antidote to the opinionated talking heads of other cable networks in primetime. According to Nielsen figures for December, \u201cNews Nation\u201d averaged only 54,000 viewers for the full three-hour block, with viewership in the third hour falling to 38,000.<\/p>\n

Nexstar Media Group executives see the move as a way to raise awareness for WGN America and strongly suggested they\u2019ll soon be adding more hours of news, talk and current events earlier in the day.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Sean Compton<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cAs WGN America expands its programming and distribution in 2021, Ashleigh\u2019s national appeal, network experience, and unbiased approach to reporting news will help us reach new viewers seeking balance in news reporting and talk programming that offers several points of view,\u201d Sean Compton, networks president of Nexstar Media Group, said in a statement Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cAshleigh is one of the most acclaimed, award-winning anchors in television news, reporting from across the country and around the globe, with a reputation for fairness and integrity. We are excited to add \u2018Banfield\u2019 to our growing lineup of news programming on WGN America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billed as a contemporary version of Larry King's old talk show on CNN, \"Banfield\" will feature interviews with newsmakers, politicians and celebrities along with \"in-depth coverage the day\u2019s top news stories.\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a thrill it is to be part of a team driving straight down the center lane,\u201d said Banfield, who has worked for CNN, HLN, MSNBC, ABC News, NBC News, A+E, TruTV and Court TV.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve reached a time where Americans are hungry for facts without bias, news without spin, and guests from all perspectives. I can\u2019t wait to go head-to-head with America\u2019s top newsmakers and celebrities in a talk format that I\u2019ve longed for since Larry King! It\u2019s time to put in-depth interviews back on the cable news landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just four months after launching \u201cNews Nation\u201d as a three-hour primetime newscast, WGN America is cutting the third hour in favor of a nightly talk show hosted by cable news veteran Ashleigh Banfield. Originating from a studio in Connecticut, \u201cBanfield\u201d will air at 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting March 1. \u201cNews Nation\u201d will continue... Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28128"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28128"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28135,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28128\/revisions\/28135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}