THE View’s future will be decided in the coming months as it faces declining ratings, a TV source told The US Sun.
In early summer, fans demanded that the daytime television show be canceled.
Social media users pointed fingers at the show’s hosts and their controversial views due to the fluctuating ratings.
An ABC source explained that it is unlikely to be dropped before this year’s election, but it faces an uphill battle as its audience ages.
Much depends on whether he can make headlines during an election year that could see Democratic candidate Kamala Harris become the first female president of the United States.
“The bigger issue is that while the show continues to be profitable for ABC and its affiliated TV stations, the ratings decline every year and they get older every year,” the TV veteran said.
“This is not a reversible trend and that is why there is a clock on this franchise.
“With a woman in the presidential race, The View could be an important place to discuss the election and even hear from politicians themselves before the November vote.
“The next four months are all about maximizing the interest in the show and the team they have at the moment.
“They need big guests and they need to be in the news, and if they can do that, everyone will still have their jobs in 2025.
“The real danger is when no one is talking about the program – that’s when you know the end is near.”
The source explained that the show’s most famous panelist, Whoopi Goldberg, continues to be a lightning rod for The View, both in positive and negative ways.
Despite being suspended in 2022 for saying that the Holocaust “was not a matter of race”, Whoopi continues to count on the support of the network, the source explained.
“Whoopi is on the show because she is a gifted communicator and interviewer and also because she has a way of getting right to the heart of the matter and getting the show’s headlines,” the source said.
“But it will always be a double-edged sword with a star as outspoken as Whoopi, and there have been significant consequences, such as her suspension in 2022.
“ABC News will not fire one of its most prominent black female personalities when a black woman is running for president.
“That’s just not going to happen.
“Whoopi will probably be safe for the rest of the year because of this, and she continues to have a lot of opportunities outside of the show.
“For now, she will stay where she is, but the story will be different six months from now, after the election.”
The preview hosts
The View is an American talk show that airs on ABC from 11am to 12pm EST, Monday through Friday. It features a diverse group of women discussing the day’s “Hot Topics,” ranging from hard-hitting news to celebrity gossip. The six co-hosts include:
The source also explained that the death of The View creator and original host Barbara Walters in December 2022 means the show is less likely to survive.
“The fact that Barbara Walters is long gone makes it much easier to end the show,” they said.
“Decision makers at the network and ABC News were afraid to tinker too much with the show while Barbara was alive, but now all bets are off.
“The program is profitable, but the trend is downward and everyone involved knows that.
“Their hope is to make enough noise with the program during election season and power through the end of the year before reevaluating.
“As far as fans and their constant complaints go, this is welcome at ABC because it puts eyes on the show and gets the video clips circulated widely on social media.
“Fan outrage is a sign of this show’s success, and that’s always been the situation on The View.”
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