Countdown Ratings Declines Continue; Better Off Without Olbermann?

TV By The Numbers ^ | March 30, 2010 | by Bill Gorman

[Oldeconomybuyer]

The ratings declines for Countdown with Keith Olbermann continue. Year over year declines for the first 3 months of 2010 ranged from 40-45% in the cable news advertiser target adults 25-54 demo, and between 21-29% among average viewership.

While it’s hard to completely attribute cause and effect to TV ratings, it’s interesting to note that Countdown had better ratings (and a less severe year to year ratings and viewership loss) during the month of March, when Keith wasn’t on the air (he was off from 2/24 until last night) than it did during February (and was approximately on par with January).

Dates	Program	Viewers (P2+)	Adults 25-54
		(000)	(000)
12/29/08-01/25/09	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	1,416	480
12/28/09-01/31/10	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	1,003	263
	% difference:	-29%	-45%
01/26/09-02/22/09	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	1,359	446
02/01/10-02/28/10	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	963	255
	% difference:	-29%	-43%
02/23/09-03/29/09	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	1,327	436
!03/01/10-03/28/10	COUNTDOWN W/ K. OLBERMANN	1,052	262
	% difference:	-21%	-40%

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All numbers are Live+Same Day.
Nielsen TV Ratings:

[Oldeconomybuyer]

[FormerACLUmember]

Unfortunately, Lawrence O’Donnell is an even bigger psychopathic hard left liar than Olberdork, if that is humanly possible.

[Bad Jack Bauer]

I think that Keith’s problem is that he is not far left enough. He is ignoring the majority of Americans who truly want government control and lives ruled by the collective. He needs to expouse these views and really get on about this centrist President we have.

[pepsionice]

Keith’s message just isn’t selling. I think after Fox takes their share...and you toss Keith up against the Cartoon Network.....he still comes in third, and that’s pretty pitiful.

What I’d like to see for one week only....against Keith’s time-slot...bring in Sarah Palin and Chuck Norris for an entire hour of competition. Keith would probably give up after that if he didn’t gain in numbers.

[Recon Dad]

(and a less severe year to year ratings and viewership loss)

That's exactly what GM said year after year. Look where it got them.

[truthguy]

It’s easy to bash Keith and Chris and they are both deserving of as much scorn as possible. But the real villians here are the producers of the network, principally Phil Griffin and those at GE who put up and promote with the nonsense. I don’t know why MicroSoft hasn’t pulled out of this joke a long time ago. The whole network is a joke and a bad one at that. I look for Olbermann to pull a Howard Biel (from the movie Network) any day now trying to crank up falling ratings. He’s pathetic and I actually feel sorry for him.

[joelt]

How bout Sarahcuda and Chuck Norris on HSN selling guns and ammo opposite The Countdown? That would be sweet.

[certrtwngnut]

Toss in Ted Nugent as a guest.

[joelt]

Better yet!