CNN to End 'Piers Morgan Live' in March

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Piers Morgan, pictured here at the CNN Worldwide All-Star Party on Jan. 10, 2014, will no longer host the 9 p.m. weekday slot on CNN.

Image: Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

By Jason Abbruzzese2014-02-24 14:17:42 UTC

Piers Morgan is out at CNN's weekday 9 p.m. slot as poor ratings caught up to the British journalist known for his stance on gun control.

Morgan told the New York Times that he spoke with CNN president Jeff Zucker about the show's struggles attracting a significant audience. The show is expected to end sometime in March.

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Known for his interview skills, the British prime-time talk show host Morgan never fully connected with audiences in the United STates after taking over the time slot from Larry King three years ago. King also struggled with ratings later in his career as competitors like Fox News and MSNBC fragmented the U.S. cable television market and the Internet emerged as a popular news source.

CNN's ratings woes, however, cannot be solely pinned on Morgan. The first 24-hour cable news channel hit a 20-year low in ratings in 2013, Zucker's first full year at the head of the channel, although those numbers were not markedly lower than 2012.

In an effort to turn the channel's fortunes, Zucker has brought in new talent including anchor Jake Tapper and celebrity chief-turned-journalist Anthony Bourdain. Morgan told Times columnist David Carr that he is in talks with CNN to remain with the station in some capacity.

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Topics: Business, CNN, Media, piers morgan, Television