By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Atlanta-based HLN's general manager Albie Hecht is stepping down after just two years at the helm.
The New York based Hecht, the creator of male-oriented basic cable network Spike TV, kept much of the heart of HLN in place while he was there: Nancy Grace, Dr. Drew, Robin Meade and even more repeats of "Forensic Files," which hasn't even created new episodes in four years.
He also touted the network for the "social media generation," launching a news show called "The Daily Share," which focuses on what's trending on the Web.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Otherwise, the network didn't really offer up in any groundbreaking new programming under Hecht that I can recall. Last year, Time Warner seriously considered selling HLN's real estate to Vice Media, which ended up going with A&E instead.
CNN president Jeff Zucker, in a memo to staff, gave an indication of where HLN may be going in 2016:
In light of that, Albie Hecht has decided it makes sense for him to move on.
Ken Jautz , executive VP for CNN, will run the shop as interim GM for the time being.
Although I had talked to the HLN publicist about meeting Hecht at some point, I never did. That is partly my fault for not making it a priority, but it also indicates how unimportant the AJC is to HLN as a place to disseminate information in this day and age where nearly all the CNN/HLN decisionmakers are now based in New York, not Atlanta.
HLN ratings have fallen off in primetime under Hecht but have held up better during the day.
In October 2014, HLN ranked 46th with 310,000 viewers during primetime and 38th in daytime with 267,000 viewers. This past October, HLN had slipped to 49th with 274,000 viewers during primetime but improved in daytime to 34th place with 276,000 viewers.
Over the entire 2014, HLN averaged 334,000 in primetime, good for 44th and 257,000 during the day, good for 41th.
This compares to 395,000 in primetime in 2013 (39th place) and 296,000 all day (36th place) in 2013.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
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