Eliot Spitzer Bombs in Ratings Following Keith Olbermann Exit

Controversy didn’t equal ratings for Current TV in the case of Viewpoint with Eliot Spitzer, which replaced Countdown after Keith Olbermann was suddenly axed by the network last week.

our editor recommends

Eliot Spitzer’s Current TV Debut Ignores Keith Olbermann (Video)

Keith Olbermann: Current Won't Pay $50 Million Deal, Cites Breach of Contract, Sabotage, Disparagement

PHOTOS: Keith Olbermann's Famous Feuds

Spitzer’s debut pulled only 47,000 total viewers, with just 10,000 in the key 25-54 demographic. While viewership is generally depressed on Fridays, that's still down 74 percent compared with Olbermann's March average in the 8 p.m. time slot.

Olbermann was fired Thursday, with Current founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt citing breach of contract, sabotage and disparagement. He is scheduled to discuss the controversial termination on CBS' Late Show With David Letterman on Tuesday.

PHOTOS: Hollywood's Biggest Blunders

Low ratings aren’t the first snafu to plague Viewpoint. Before the show’s debut, Current TV issued an announcement encouraging viewers to “follow Spitzer on Twitter (@ESpitzer). As TV Newser first reported, Spitzer doesn’t have an account on the social media site. “Our apologies that this was incorrect in the release,” a representative for Current said.