Posted on 04/22/2008 10:47:20 AM PDT by abb
One week after media reports cast doubts about Katie Couric’s future on the “CBS Evening News,” the third-place broadcast set a new record low for viewership.
The “CBS Evening News” attracted an average of 5.39 million viewers last week, placing the newscast more than two million viewers behind the second-place “World News with Charles Gibson” on ABC (7.51 million). The “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams” ranked No. 1 for the week with 8.17 million viewers.
While the network nightly newscasts have posted audience declines for more than two decades, a new record low for the “Evening News” will likely be seen as another negative indicator about the broadcast. The CBS newscast has ranked below ABC’s and NBC’s for many years.
The previous record low, 5.46 million viewers, was set last September when Ms. Couric visited Iraq.
Two weeks ago, multiple reports said that Ms. Couric and CBS have discussed a potential departure from the “Evening News” after the presidential election. Perhaps some viewers read all the accounts of Katie Couric’s uncertain future at CBS News — and surmised that her evening newscast wasn’t worth watching.
Last week, Les Moonves, the chief executive of CBS Corporation, visited the “Evening News” staff to emphasize his support for Ms. Couric and the broadcast. In accounts of the meeting that were shared with journalists, Mr. Moonves reportedly said “Katie is our anchor today, tomorrow, next week and long into the future.”
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com ...
“Thats about 30 % below her nearest competitor. How in the freaking world she can still have a job is beyond me.”
Air America did it with the help of a contributor, wonder who’s sinking money into CBS?
If they hired a respectable journalist like Brit Hume or Tony Snow they would rocket to number 1 in no time. I really believe this. I don’t know if the total evening news viewers would increase, but I’m sure viewers from ABC and NBC would quickly switch loyalties.
OH ABB I didn’t know you have picture of CBS news room
>> More good news.
For US, it IS good news.
But Katie, I have some GOOD news, and some BAD news.
The BAD news: you’d better start getting that resume ready, hon.
The GOOD news: about the gig at CBS, you can say you “broke records”.
P.S. I sure get a kick out of that smiling hyena pic!
“Network evening newscasts will go dark after the ‘08 elections and their news divisions disbanded.”
I hope you’re right.
I see snippets of Couric sometimes, due to my preferred local news/weather being on CBS just before and after her, but I leave the room - it’s too close to my dinner to see her. One I heard a week or so ago, she mentioned the Bush tax cuts in some present context and said, “The tax cuts, which were intended for the rich but are now affecting middle-class taxpayers....” just slipped that in cool as you please. Almost subliminal. They think nobody notices. Actually, I guess few do.
Perky Katie keeps setting those great records for our side.
How low did Blather drop after we exposed him as lying/left wing POS?
The correct headline would be “Still searching for a CLUE at CBS”
They cannot be so stupid that they have not figured out a totally conservative newscast would be a ratings windfall, can they?
The must not really care about ratings, or only thing rating matter for liberal hogwash.
Drudge had more hits yesterday than the combined viewers of CBSABCNBC news.
Come think of it I just a thought they could hire Looter guy do the news I bet he get better ratings beside he get urban watcher too
There were also growing concerns about what another debate would do to party unity.
.
“the third-place broadcast set a new record low for viewership”
LOL....just when you think it can’t get any worse for El Perky, it does.
Perky’s TOAST.....I love it!!!!
Toasted Perky or is Perky Toast?
If I can recall Katie was the person who wore black when President Bush was inaugurated the first time. Since I don’t know anybody Conservative at CBS(even CNN has Glenn Beck), I am grateful that the whole chute may open. Hopefully she might be replaced by Rush Limbaugh.
Perky Katie (ala Sally Field’s Oscar performance) “You don’t like me, you REEEAALLY REALLY don’t like me”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.