Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Down Steeply Since Late Jan., Big 3 Evening Newscasts Stuck at Low Summer Levels
NewsBusters ^ | September 17, 2009 | Tom Blumer

Posted on 09/18/2009 12:39:09 AM PDT by Zakeet

After a summer swoon, you would think that the evening newscasts of the Big 3 networks would start to recover a bit now that many Americans are back from vacations, kids are back in school, and fall routines are getting established or re-established.

So far, you would be wrong.

It's early, and there's still plenty of time this fall to recover, but during the time period after Labor Day, the broadcasts primarily anchored by Brian Williams at NBC, Charles Gibson at ABC, and Katie Couric at CBS:

What follows are related graphics; source material comes from posts in the Evening News Ratings Category at Media Bistro's TV Newser.

Here's the overall, down from 26.24 million during the week of January 26 to 19.55 million during the relevant days this past week:

Here's the by-network look, where ABC can take a tiny bit of comfort in having passed NBC during the past week -- but only because NBC lost about 500,000 viewers:

Finally, here's a chart comparing this past week to the January 26 peak week and the analogous week from a year ago:

There's little point in denying that Big 3 Nets supported and heavily invested in Barack Obama's electoral rise and ultimate victory, risking large-scale alienation of what remained of its already-shrinking audience. From a ratings and presumably financial standpoint, it's pretty hard to argue that it was worth it. The Internet doesn't cause almost 30% of an audience to disappear in less than 8 months. More recently, as documented frequently at NewsBusters, all three networks have bit on the "subtle racism" meme and, until recent days, totally ignored James O'Keefe's and Hannah Giles's unmasking of the seamy side of ACORN, more than likely driving even more viewers away.

Although the 500 employees getting laid off at NBC (after buyouts were offered to "virtually everyone") would probably agree the complete sellout has not been worth it, it wouldn't surprise me if the hardened ideologues with the smiley faces at the Big 3 networks consider such actions unfortunate and inconvenient collateral damage.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chucklestheclown; dinomedia; dinosaurs; extintionevent; katietheclown; mediabias; msm; networknews; tedbaxter
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

Clueless Katie: 30 percent of my audience disappeared in less than 8 months and I don't know why!

1 posted on 09/18/2009 12:39:10 AM PDT by Zakeet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: abb

Some Friday morning good news.


2 posted on 09/18/2009 12:39:54 AM PDT by Zakeet (We wouldn't need Jerry Lewis if we had ObamaCare)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

I only watch the news when my internet is down.

Maybe occasionally if there is a big local story (California fires) or on election day to watch returns.


3 posted on 09/18/2009 12:40:55 AM PDT by Marie2 (The second mouse gets the cheese.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
But they're gettin' more creative!
4 posted on 09/18/2009 12:42:25 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (hang the Czars.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

We’re winning. We need to start acting like it, and completely ignore the legacy media. Which is what we should call them. They no longer can fairly be referred to as “mainstream.”


5 posted on 09/18/2009 12:45:02 AM PDT by sourcery (Party like it's 1776!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: sourcery
They no longer can fairly be referred to as “mainstream.”

No, they really can't, based on all objective evidence to the contrary.

Some handle which squarely nails them is eventually going to stick, but until it does, I'm calling them the "old media" (as opposed to the "new media" of the internet, Fox News, and talk radio).

It truly warms my heart to see these sell-out traitors losing their audiences. Their declining numbers also give me renewed faith in the mettle of the American people, and their ability to see the plain truth.

7 posted on 09/18/2009 12:59:26 AM PDT by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Well as soon as the very biased liberal diane sawyer takes over for Charlie Gibson that network also will lose a good percentage of viewership just a did c.bs.
Stop the liberal slant msm or lose your audience.


8 posted on 09/18/2009 1:04:18 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (google; operation garden spot and REX84 (FUBO))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Propaganda is boring.


9 posted on 09/18/2009 2:12:23 AM PDT by Steely Tom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

10 posted on 09/18/2009 3:28:05 AM PDT by SkyPilot
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joe Boucher

They already have lost any open minded viewers they had. The new media has given us ALL the news for some time. And for that I thank Rush, Sean and Algore(who invented the internet).


11 posted on 09/18/2009 3:29:11 AM PDT by Straight8 (Don't begin it if you're not in it to win it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

I’ve been off TV per se for about 3 years.
Some months back I decided to keep up with the Big 3 evening newscasts via video podcasts (iPod). Soon gave up because, bias aside, the content-to-time ratio was so low as to be almost worthless. I can read as much news on-line in a few seconds as a TV newscast does in a half-hour.


12 posted on 09/18/2009 3:46:28 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (Joe Wilson was right.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

MSM now = TFM

TFM = ‘The FRINGE Media as said by Mr Beck’


13 posted on 09/18/2009 3:52:53 AM PDT by BornToBeAmerican (We the people, ..... never)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

This is a GREAT way to start off the weekend!
Our enemy’s communications lines are down!


14 posted on 09/18/2009 3:55:16 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

People who still watch broadcast evening news from the insignificant three are the same cohort that still rents their land line telephone from Ma Bell, still thinks that Western Union sends telegrams and thinks texting involves a schoolbook somehow.


15 posted on 09/18/2009 3:59:42 AM PDT by muir_redwoods (Buck Ofama!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Stopped watching them 15 years ago and don’t miss them.


16 posted on 09/18/2009 4:06:59 AM PDT by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BornToBeAmerican
MSM now = TFM
TFM = ‘The FRINGE Media as said by Mr Beck’

Why not LBFM = Liberal Biased Fringe Media?
Well, then again, on second thought...Nevermind...

17 posted on 09/18/2009 4:10:36 AM PDT by FDNYRHEROES (In just His first 3 days, the War on Terror became the War on Free Speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: FDNYRHEROES
Why not LBFM = Liberal Biased Fringe Media?

I prefer the equally accurate "concubine media."

18 posted on 09/18/2009 4:13:47 AM PDT by paulycy (Screw the RACErs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
The Internet doesn't cause almost 30% of an audience to disappear in less than 8 months.

Quote of the month, IMHO.

19 posted on 09/18/2009 4:16:38 AM PDT by Hardastarboard (Maureen Dowd is right. I DON'T like our President's color. He's a Red.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: paulycy
Why not LBFM = Liberal Biased Fringe Media?

I prefer the equally accurate "concubine media."

Yeah, well, they are all in bed with the current administration...

20 posted on 09/18/2009 4:21:35 AM PDT by FDNYRHEROES (In just His first 3 days, the War on Terror became the War on Free Speech.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson