Charles Barkley and Gayle King partner to for a new show “King Charles”

CNN has announced a new prime-time weekly show, “King Charles,” which will be hosted by Gayle King and Charles Barkley. The show is set to debut in the fall, and CNN Chairman and CEO Chris Licht has said that it will provide culturally relevant programming and unique perspectives to its audience from two dynamic personalities. The announcement comes as CNN seeks to engineer a turnaround amidst tumbling ratings, with cable news ratings down across the board compared to 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was fresh in the news. CNN’s dip has been most dramatic, with a 61% drop in prime time in March.Gayle King, who will continue to anchor CBS Mornings, and former NBA star Charles Barkley, who will continue his current role at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, have promised to talk about politics on the show without any political slant. During a discussion of the new show on TNT, Barkley emphasized that they did not want to use divisive labels such as liberal, conservative, Republican, or Democrat, which he believes have ruined television. Instead, they will aim to deliver a fresh and entertaining perspective on political events.The announcement of “King Charles” comes as CNN is a year into new corporate management with Warner Bros. Discovery, which hired ex-CBS producer Chris Licht to run the network. However, Licht’s revamp of “CNN This Morning” was plagued with bad publicity after co-host Don Lemon made an ill-advised reference to a woman’s “prime” years, which offended many viewers.With “King Charles,” CNN hopes to provide its audience with a new and exciting program that delivers engaging content and unique perspectives on politics and culture. As the network seeks to bounce back from its ratings decline, it is investing in fresh talent and innovative programming that will help to attract and retain viewers.