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Report: One of the New Daytime Talk Shows Is Already in Trouble, and the ‘Buzzards Are Circling’ — Another New Show Is Eager to Get the Time Slot

Sep 18, 2012  •  Post A Comment

With a flood of new daytime talk shows jockeying to fill the void left by Oprah Winfey’s departure from syndication, there are bound to be some casualties — and one of the shows that just debuted appears to already be in trouble.

The new talk show from "Survivor" host Jeff Probst is at risk of getting voted off the island after just a week on air, reports the New York Post. Meanwhile, reps for an upcoming talk show from Queen Latifah have made it clear she would be happy to take over Probst’s time slots.

Probst has been averaging less than a 1 in the ratings — considered the minimum for surviving in the syndicated talk-show arena, the story says. Probst “wanted to do a high-minded show without celebrities or Jerry Springer-type guests — but the audience has, so far, not shown up,” the story reports.

Latifah’s talk show will debut next year, and representatives for the show have reportedly been quietly calling TV stations to let them know they’ll be ready to fill in when Probst’s contract expires. As the Post story puts it, "Already the buzzards are circling."

"It is rare, though not unheard of, for stations to pull syndicated shows off afternoon TV due solely to poor ratings," the piece notes.

Probst faces a competitive afternoon schedule, with shows from Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper also vying for viewers’ attention. Regardless of what happens with the talk show, Probst has said he will be back as host of “Survivor.”

One Comment

  1. Jeff Probst’s talk show would draw a bigger audience airing later in the evening, when most of his audience isn’t at work.
    Viewers will be looking for a show like this when “Nightline” moves one hour later (to 12:30 a.m. ET). The show could air before or after the local news, and get a decent audience.

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