Declining Ratings
Image Source: Heidi Heilbrunn/The Greenville News via USA TODAY NETWORK
The reason for King’s sudden leave of absence maybe as simple as fans not being as receptive to him as they were before. King’s ratings had plummeted in the years prior to the show wrapping up. By 2010, King was getting killed by his competitors at other stations in the adult 25-54 demographic. Sean Hannity, Rachel Maddow, and Joy Behar earned more viewers by that time – signaling that a changing of the guard had needed to come.