Posted on 10/02/2008 7:34:47 AM PDT by My Favorite Headache
Fox News Capitalizes on Election in Ratings Race By Michele Greppi
The wild rides of the campaign for president and the economic turmoil boosted Fox News Channel’s prime-time block to fourth among all cable channels for the third quarter, extending its streak as the highest-rated cable news network to 27 consecutive quarters. According to data from Nielsen Media Research, FNC averaged 2.2 million total viewers in the 8-11 p.m. daypart for the just-concluded quarter.
CNN ranked ninth among all cable channels for the quarter with an average 1.3 million viewers, its biggest quarter since the Iraq war began in early 2003. MSNBC was 23rd with 867,000 total viewers and also posted the biggest year-to-year quarterly growth spurts: 81% in prime time and 48% for total-day.
For total-day, Fox averaged 1.1 million viewers to rank sixth among all cable channels, while CNN ranked 11th with an average 713,000 viewers. MSNBC averaged 472,000 viewers and ranked 27th.
For CNBC, its 5 a.m.-7 p.m. business-day average of 318,000 total viewers was up 26% year-to-year and ended as its third best quarter ever.
For the month of September, which included the first presidential debate, as well as the peak economic crunch that has dominated cable news for the last two weeks, Fox also ranked second among all cable channels in prime time with an average 3.3 million viewers. CNN ranked fifth with 1.9 million. MSNBC ranked 14th with 1.2 million.
For total-day in September, Fox also was the No. 2-ranked channel in the cable universe with 1.5 million total viewers. CNN was ranked eighth with 992,000. MSNBC ranked 22nd with 567,000.
For the month, CNN registered the biggest year-to-year growth, up 165% in prime time from September 2007, and up 107% for total-day.
Among the individual highlights:
—FNC’s “Special Report With Brit Hume” posted its highest quarter ever and its fourth-highest month.
—CNN Headline News’ “Nancy Grace” and “Glenn Beck” logged their best quarters ever in total viewer delivery for their original broadcasts (924,000 viewers and 376,000 viewers, respectively) and their repeats (559,000 viewers and 487,000, respectively).
—MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” averaged 1.64 million total viewers for its first two weeks, up 125% from the third-quarter 2008 average prior to its debut, while “Morning Joe” is the fastest-growing morning show in cable news, up 57% in total viewers year-to-year.
Fox placed 12 shows on the list of the 15 most watched cable news programs for the quarter, led by “The O’Reilly Factor” (2.9 million viewers). CNN’s “Larry King Live” ranked ninth (1.3 million viewers) and “Anderson Cooper 360” ranked 12th with 1.22 million viewers. MSNBC’s “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” ranked 11th with 1.24 million viewers.
No wonder...it’s the only place we can watch TV news without throwing up.
I just wish Fox would stop giving so much free air time to Obama. He is on there every time he wiggles his big ears.
CNN has only picked up because they dared to have a few Conservative voices.....They are benefiting from Sarah Also!
Sarah will pick John up in the polls tonight and she will have a huge effect on the news ratings. They will all want her and only FOX WILL DELIVER!!!!!
Whaterver happened to the laughable CNN - NO BULL NO BIAS!
BWAAAAAHHHHHAHAHAH
Right. Lying with wild abandon.
That's the only way they can take viewers away from Fox News.
FNC is fair and balanced. Imagine what their ratings would be if they were a conservative broadcasting station!
One word: Megyn Kelly
On the surface it looks ok, but when you consider MSNBC is complete bias, CNN is laughable bias, and fox being more down the middle...the left is still winning in ratings.
Add CNN and MSNBC together and they are in the same ballpark as Fox. We need an solid conservative news station to compete with MSNBC and force the conversation to the right...let’s not fight about where the middle is let’s move the middle to the right.
Contrast Megyn with Keith Überloon and Rachel Madcow and it’s clear why MSBHO is unwatchable.
You got it. A REAL pit bull!
FNC started out as a mostly conservative station (being the alternative to CNN and MSNBC), they’ve been gaining ground by working their way toward the middle, which spells more overall viewers, which forces the competition to shift leftward, effectively marginalizing themselves.
By my count, that's two words. But then good things often come in pairs.
Interesting analysis. Tells me that FNC is a profit motivated news agency. Thanks for your thoughts!
No problem! For my thoughts on CNN though, they’re based entirely on gimmicks and slogans. For example, Anderson Cooper’s “Keeping Them Honest” slogan is just that, a slogan or a gimmick. He’s never gone in depth on Democrats and libtards. It’s always Cooper investigating Republicans, John McCain or Todd and Sarah Palin and their family, while Democrats like Barney Frank and Chris Dood or Barack Hussein Obama get a complete pass.
i watched about 15 minutes of the rachel maddow show last week. She railed against John McCain and Sarah Palin. It was sickening.
I don’t know if she EVER has a republican on to counter her hate show because I couldn’t stomach waiting to find out.
So...does she? Ever? And what about Olberman?
I stopped watching CNN many years ago. What you are telling me is basically what I had witnessed then, and what others continue to tell me. CNN did a great job on the Gulf War and I kept hoping they would get back to basics in their political reporting. I soon realized they were not and I looked elsewhere for news. My blood pressure went down. In addition, I am now out of the Hospital for Mental Disorders, leading a calm, quiet life! Last 2 sent = sarc
No. Olbermann and Maddow do not play host to ANY Republicans. Maddow comes from Air America and Olbermann despises Republicans and refuses to have any of them on his show at all. They are basically 2 hour blocks for Democrats...that is all.
We should bring out the dirt on Maddow...I am sure there are great snips from Air America!!
Rachel whats in your Wallet?
I’ve often thought about calling MSNBC but I think it’s a waste of time. I figure they already know what they’re doing.
I did watch a little of Morning Joe this morn and wondered why on earth they don’t at least TRY to woo some conservatives. Bad business
“MSNBC averaged 472,000 viewers and ranked 27th.”
I get as many as that on my blog! LOL!
The only people who keep MSNBC alive are felons in prison looking to catch themselves on one of their specials and far left America hating socialists.
It really is going down the tubes.
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