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Programmers at Time Warner's HLN network, which have been shamelessly running nearly nonstop coverage of the sensational trial, must now figure out what they do now. Some possibilities, reports THR: the ongoing manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray and the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. You can always count on a weirdo trial happening someplace in the country, although it will be hard to top the attention that has been generated by the Anthony case. From the LAT:
In using the Anthony trial to fill its schedule, HLN borrowed a page from Court TV, a cable network created to follow high-profile trials as well as coverage of the legal system. But Court TV eventually found that there were not enough criminal cases to sustain big ratings. The channel, now called TruTV, has become more of an all-reality channel, with shows such as "Hardcore Pawn" about pawn shops and "Southern Fried Sting" about a group of rogue crime fighters.
HLN's ratings in June were its highest ever, topped only by Fox News.
Mark Lacter created the LA Biz Observed blog in 2006. He posted
until the day before his death on Nov. 13, 2013.