Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 9, 1990 TAG: 9006090500
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: 15 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The multi-year contract was confirmed by CNN and King's Boston-based attorney, Bob Woolf.
King said that there had been approaches from CBS, Lorimar Productions, Warner Bros., Disney, Columbia Pictures and producer Peter Guber to present him in TV projects especially tailored to him.
"They all made very attractive offers," King said. "But I'm 56 years old. I have a special place at CNN. In an insecure business, I have a secure job. A five-year contract is very unusual. If you know where you're at, why move? And I can certainly live on what they pay me. It's in the high seven figures."
According to King, CBS proposed putting him in the late-night slot recently occupied by "The Pat Sajak Show," which was canceled.
"Except that it would have been 1 1/2 hours with phone calls," he said.
King's nightly, one-hour CNN show, "Larry King Live," consists of interviews and phone calls from viewers.
Of his new contract, King remarked, "I don't think Ted Turner ever expected to pay that kind of money. But he's been very successful."
The new deal calls for King also to serve as host of occasional specials for other Turner cable channels, including TNT and superstation TBS, said a CNN spokeswoman.
Woolf said that Turner also has given King permission to be host of occasional, worldwide, Ed Sullivan-type variety shows for NBC if a deal is worked out.
Several years ago, King turned down an ABC offer to host a talk show following Ted Koppel's "Nightline," opting to remain with CNN.
by CNB