Primetime’s prickly — Megyn Kelly’s NBC struggles no surprise
Here’s the reality: news magazine shows just don’t hold up today like they did a decade ago.
“60 Minutes” gets strong ratings, but that’s the exception, not the norm. Nearly a half century of quality journalism and an impeccable reputation keeps “Minutes” on top. It’s a Sunday night staple. But the model of having a journalist like Megyn Kelly give interviews in primetime just feels outdated. Her show is pitched for an entire week — “tune in Sunday for the Putin interview!” Yet media has become instantaneous. We’re not used to waiting days towatch a previously filmed interview. By the time Sunday night rolls around, we’ve lost interest.
One-on-one interviews are best ina cable news format. As soon as you have it, air it. Some will see it live but many others will watch highlights on social media. There are so many outlets for news on cable and on the internet that network viewers want entertainment. They’d rather watch home videos of grandpa getting a pie in the face than a mildly engaging former Fox News host interviewing the Russian president. That’s the reality we live in.
Even if there is room for a TV magazine show to prosper again, Kelly might not be the one to do it. Her show received stellar ratings on Fox News. But were the viewers tuning into watch her, or did she benefit from Fox News’ mega-popularity with conservatives during the Obama era? Kelly didn’t become a household name until her aggressive questioning of Donald Trump in a GOP debate — and Trump’s savage response that propelled her into the spotlight.
She’ s now in an odd predicament—many on the left see her as a Fox News shill. Many on the right believe she sold out conservatism andwas a lefty all along. Maybe NBC overvalued her.
Kelly might turn it around and it’s possible her show eventually catches on with viewers. Once football season returns, she’ll move to NBC daytime — but there’s no telling that will be a success either.
For now, it seems like a move NBC will regret.