Rosie O'Donnell show being overhauled

NEW YORK, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The crew of "The Rosie Show" has been cut by nearly 30 as the Oprah Winfrey Network show undergoes a retooling, sources told Crain's Chicago Business.

The overhaul has included eliminating some regular segments of the show and downsizing to a smaller studio.

"With the new, more intimate studio, the show requires fewer staff to support the operation," explained Chance Patterson, spokesman for Harpo Studios, which produces the show.

Crain's said "Rosie" experienced a dive in the ratings after a strong debut in October. The number of viewers fell more than half to about 200,000 per show, but the situation appears to have stabilized in recent weeks.

Among the recent changes implemented are more one-on-one interviews with Rosie and guests without the audience present. Consulting Producer Scott Carlin said the new ambiance plays to O'Donnell's skills as an interviewer and is part of an evolutionary process most new TV talk shows undergo.