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American Morning
Here's What I Don't Get
Aired January 21, 2002 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Jack Cafferty now joins us to tell us exactly what he doesn't get this morning.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Did they do anything funny on Saturday Night Live this week?
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh honestly!
ZAHN: We just took a small part of that. That didn't represent the whole show, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Very weak. They're capable of much better over there. Here's the deal on -- somebody at the "New York Post" has nothing better to do. They -- what they did, you know how they'll -- after an election, they will tell you how much an elected official spent per vote based on how much he spent to campaign?
Well, somebody sat down and computed the cost per viewer based on the salary of the television personality and the total audience they reached. Oprah Winfrey, $100 million a year, she gets about $7 million per show -- or 7 million viewers per show, and that computes to $14.15 per viewer.
Now, Larry King, based on $7 million a year, and there was some controversy over how much he actually signed his new deal for, but they used $7 million a year, it cost him $5 -- cost the network $5.78 to get a viewer for the Larry King Show. Letterman, who gets $14 million a year, but reaches more people. He reaches 4.4 million per night. Now, the cost per viewer, $3.16. Goes on down the list. Barbara Walters makes 12 million bucks, $1.14 based on the audience for "20/20". Dan Rather, the host of the "CBS EVENING NEWS," -- now, here's a bargain...
ZAHN: Yeah.
CAFFERTY: Dan Rather, 73 cents. So Dan should probably get a raise based on these computations. And, Dan, I'll handle the negotiations for you if you want to get rid of Leipner (ph).
ZAHN: Susan Lucci, 23 cents?
CAFFERTY: Susan Lucci is the, yes. She's the best deal of the lot. Now, she's been on that soap...
ZAHN: Forever!
CAFFERTY: ...forever. "ALL MY CHILDREN," is it? 23 cents, per viewer, and they only pay her $1 million a year.
ZAHN: She deserves more than that! Of course, she's one astute business woman. She has all these outside deals.
CAFFERTY: It should be pointed out that you're also on the list. And let me say this, at five times the price, you would be a bargain.
ZAHN: Oh, Jack! You are so kind!
CAFFERTY: Trying to suck up, trying to get (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- get a little more air time. That "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE!" thing wasn't very funny.
ZAHN: No, but the show generally is very good. It's difficult when you just cut a 40-second chunk out of it.
CAFFERTY: People in the control room thought it was funny. This is always a bad sign.
ZAHN: See you later, Jack. Thanks.
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