E! News Closes, Marking the End of a Celebrity Era

The End of an Era for E! News

The final TV broadcast of E! News on September 25 marks a significant moment in the history of cable television. It is not just the end of a network, but the closing of a chapter that once defined how people consumed celebrity news. For many, it symbolizes the end of a golden age, where the allure of Hollywood's glitz and glamour was delivered through daily broadcasts that captured the essence of fame.

Jason Kennedy, one of E! News' longest-serving anchors, recalls his time working alongside Giuliana Rancic from 2012 to 2019. He notes that the landscape of television has changed dramatically over the years. "Things are sadly just so different these days, because of how television has shifted," he says. "Not a lot of people come home and watch news anymore, especially on cable, because they can get it on social media."

This shift mirrors the fate of other media outlets, such as MTV News, which closed its doors in 2023. E! News now stands as a testament to a bygone era, a time when traditional media dominated the way people accessed information. The rise of algorithms and smartphones has reshaped how audiences engage with content, leading to the decline of traditional television models.

A New Approach to Showbiz Reporting

Launched in 1991, E! News revolutionized the way showbiz was covered. It treated entertainment news with the same gravity as political and crime reporting, making it a pioneer in the field. This approach helped bring attention to aspects of Hollywood that were previously reserved for industry insiders, such as celebrity scandals and box-office figures.

Kennedy remembers the late 2000s as a particularly vibrant time, filled with stories about Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears. "It's almost like an untouchable time in entertainment news, and I was just lucky to be a part of it," he reflects. During this period, E! News became a go-to source for breaking news, especially during high-profile events.

One of the most memorable moments for Kennedy was covering Michael Jackson's death in 2009. "We did 48 hours of live coverage for Michael Jackson," he recalls. "I'll never forget arriving at the scene at UCLA Medical Center after he died. Thousands of people showed up." This event marked a turning point for celebrity journalism, setting the stage for more intense coverage of high-profile deaths.

The Evolution of Celebrity Journalism

Two years prior to Jackson's passing, Anna Nicole Smith's overdose death brought a new level of scrutiny to celebrity journalism. E! News provided 24-hour coverage, which coincided with the rise of gossip blogs. This period saw a surge in media interest, with stories often dragging on for weeks, as seen in the case of Smith's paternity battle.

Kennedy was deeply involved in covering this story, spending a month on location in Florida. "My bosses called me and were like, 'You got to get down to Florida,'" he recalls. The experience was both challenging and rewarding, highlighting the dedication required to cover such events.

Melanie Bromley, who joined E! News in 2012, also experienced the unique challenges of celebrity journalism. Her British accent played a role in landing her the assignment of covering the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's first child. "They put me up at the Dorchester, this gorgeous, five-star hotel in London," she says. "I'd spend all day coming up with news packages so we had something for the show every night—just to justify the cost of me staying there."

Bromley later covered the lavish wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, which was staged at Versailles and held at a 16th-century fort in Italy. "Just bonkers stories," she muses. "I can't imagine anyone having that kind of budget to cover in the same way anymore."

A Changing Landscape of Entertainment News

Bromley reminisces about the vibrant Hollywood nightlife of the past, not just pre-pandemic, but also pre-President Trump. She recalls a time when celebrities were everywhere, with photographs of them dining, partying, and walking the red carpets. "There was just so much going on," she says.

The red carpets were central to E! News' coverage, starting with Joan Rivers' outrageous taunts and evolving into a more reverent tone under Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic. For Kennedy, who often covered these events, the nights felt like a "NASCAR race." "There would be weeks of preparation—but you can never really prepare," he says. "Afterwards, it's this emotional experience of, 'I can't believe I actually did that.'"

Today, while people still love celebrity news, they often get their fix from platforms like Instagram or TikTok. "But in those days, people loved E! News. It was a window into this world that was glitz and glamor," Bromley adds.