The cable television landscape is losing another staple of pop culture history as E! News prepares to air its final television broadcast on Sept. 25. Launched in 1991, the pioneering program treated Hollywood entertainment, celebrity culture, and box office updates with the journalistic gravity typically reserved for politics and crime.
The closure marks the end of an era defined by daily cable broadcasts, marathon red carpet specials, and a monolithic media culture. Longtime anchor Jason Kennedy, who co-hosted alongside Giuliana Rancic from 2012 to 2019, reflected on the shift in how audiences consume media. According to Kennedy, changing television viewing habits and the rise of smartphones and social media mean fewer people watch cable news at home when updates are instantly available online.
During its heyday—particularly the era featuring stars like Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears—E! News captured historic pop culture moments. Kennedy recalled covering major breaking stories, while former chief news correspondent Melanie Bromley also remembered expansive international assignments, such as a monthlong stay in London covering the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's first child, and reporting on the 2014 wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
While audiences remain deeply interested in celebrity news and glamour, correspondents note that fans now turn to platforms like Instagram and TikTok for their daily fix. E! News now joins outlets like MTV News as a historical monument to a bygone era of entertainment journalism.