IN BRIEF

By MCN Staff -- Multichannel News, 5/24/2010 12:01:00 AM

Brown Leaving CNN, Citing Low Ratings

NEW YORK — Campbell Brown is stepping down as anchor of her eponymous 8 p.m. program on CNN. In a lengthy statement issued May 18, Brown acknowledged that she has been unable to challenge Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly or MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. And she has fallen to fourth behind Nancy Grace on sister network HLN.

She characterized the decision as her own and even acknowledged the “spend more time with family” spin that many in the industry put on such situations.

CNN would not comment on what will replace Brown’s program. Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S., said in a statement that the network would announce its plans for the 8 p.m. hour in “the coming weeks.”

Brown will remain through the transitional period.

RCN Shareholders OK Merger Deal With ABRY

PRINCETON, N.J. — RCN said last Wednesday (May 19) that its shareholders have approved its pending merger with ABRY Partners, clearing another closing hurdle.

According to RCN, at a special meeting of shareholders on May 19, about 82% of its outstanding shares were voted in favor of the merger.

ABRY agreed in March to pay about $15 per share in cash for RCN, or a total of $1.2 billion, including debt. The deal, to take RCN private, is expected to close in the second half of the year.