Cable News Numbers Are In

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/027311.php

THE CABLE NEWS NUMBERS ARE IN.... To note that the Republicans' cable news network is out in front of its competitors is an understatement. In 2010, Fox News had more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined.

But that no longer seems especially interesting. Indeed, it's pretty predictable -- Fox News has cornered the market when it comes to offering misleading, partisan propaganda that leaves its viewers more ignorant than if they received no information at all. It's been this way for quite a while.

Jay Bookman digs a little deeper, though, and finds some interesting related data.

MSNBC beat CNN for the second straight year among viewers 25-54, and for the first time beat CNN among total primetime viewers as well. The numbers for CNN are truly abysmal, not only compared to Fox and MSNBC, but compared to its own numbers of a year ago. Total primetime viewers of CNN fell by 34 percent compared to 2009.

However, Fox viewership fell as well, declining 7 percent in primetime and 8 percent among primetime viewers in the 25-54 demographic. And to put things in some perspective, "The O'Reilly Factor" drew an average of 3.2 million viewers a night. That makes him the king of cable news talk, but well behind network news shows. With roughly 1 percent of America watching, his numbers also put him well behind cable competitors such as his show's spiritual cousin, World Wrestling Entertainment, and Spongebob Squarepants on Nickelodeon, both of which often pull 5 million or more viewers.

In addition, "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart and "The Colbert Report" with Stephen Colbert both regularly outdraw O'Reilly among the younger demographic sought by advertisers. In fact, it's striking how old the O'Reilly audience skews (3.2 million average audience, just 781,000 of them between 25 and 54.)

CNN has to realize that its status quo is untenable. It has some credible programming -- Anderson Cooper really isn't bad -- but if there was ever a line-up in need of a major overhaul, this is it.

As for O'Reilly, I knew his audience was older, but I didn't realize just how skewed his audience really is. Long term, that's not really a recipe for success, either.

—Steve Benen

[dkf]

1. I like Spitzer. Parker doesn't do much for me though.

[Whisp]

21. they were talking about filibusters...

and how the pugs have done it so so many more times in these last two years.
then Parker says: well, ya know they Both do it!
and Spitzer just buckled and said, yeh, they do.

he should have said, yes but not XXXXX freaking times over 2 years.

but he didn't. just like a Begala and a Carville. ammo is handed to them and they just wimp out when they have the facts with them.

Spitzer = lame ass like most of the others at CNN.

[snagglepuss]

2. I got rid of cable 3 years ago, one reason is that news programming

was beyond pathetic and I got nauseated seeing the same talking heads all the time. Don't miss it at all. The other day I saw CNN, A. Cooper. It looked like ET. CNN has gone from bad to worse.

[Skip Intro]

3. CNN should report hard news, opinion-free.

They don't need to get into the war of the opinionated. Just tell me the news. Just report the news, what's happening here and around the world and how does it affect me. Just tell me what's going on, I'll form my own opinions.

CBS News has a reputation for that. CNN did once. Fuck the ratings. One channel should just report the news.

[mtnsnake]

5. And what's with their horrific bumper music? Sounds like Greatest Hits of Boy/Girl Bands

:puke:

[tularetom]

9. They claim that's what they do

Of course they haven't done that for years. Their on air people are among the staunchest apologists for the corporate status quo that you can find anywhere.

They're worse than fox IMO. At least fox makes almost no pretense of neutrality.

[davidwparker]

23. You mean like getting rid of CNN domestic and showing

only CNN International?

[sofa king]

27. Not even Headline News reports the news anymore.

It's basically an entertainment news channel, now.

But I'm kind of glad about all that, because it forces people who want to know what's really going on to seek more reliable sources--which do exist, still.

Someone is going to make a mint by creating a public reporting station where people collate and organize the submissions of ordinary people with phone cameras. The pressure of independent observers is, I think, a more reliable bulwark of democracy than our press has turned out to be.

[madinmaryland]

28. That's what CNN-Headline News used to be. Straight news with no

opinions.

[tularetom]

4. Fox's geriatric viewers are dropping like flies

Their audience is skewed heavily toward the elderly demographic and as we old farts begin to croak in ever increasing numbers, Fox ratings will decline proportionally.

[Yavin4]

7. 2.4 Million of O'Reilly's Viewers are 55+

That's death

[totodeinhere]

16. Unfortunately for us, the elderly are also the demographic that votes the most.

So the demo that has the highest percentage that votes is the one that is most exposed to the likes of Glenn BecKKK.

[JI7]

24. yeah, but the "newer" elderly generations wont be as wingnut

it's just a matter of time.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. High points to the author for attempting to give context to the #'s

Sponge Bob outdraws Billo. This is important. It is also nice to see them note that the networks outdraw cable for news. 3.2 million is a small audience in the TV universe. It just is. 12 is good, 8 might do, 3 is just bye by time.

[peekaloo]

10. Hahaha. That what you get when you run a cartoon up against

an underwater sponge!

actually with those splotches ol' Bildo kinda looks like SBSP. :-)

[madinmaryland]

29. Please don't insult Spongebob like that! I know Spongebob and Billo is no Spongebob!

[Oceansaway]

8. K&R...n/t

[ncteechur]

11. Fox is completely generational. My parents watch it and I cannot get them to stop.

It is child-blocked on my TVs. Fox loses when its audience dies out.

[Imajika]

12. Older people vote...

..more than younger people.

While it is true the "demo" is most important to advertisers, when it comes to political impact I do not think it worth hanging our hat on.

Unfortunately, O'Reilly reaches a demographic that turn out in very high numbers on election day.

[totodeinhere]

17. Good point. n/t

[woo me with science]

13. ...

[Jennicut]

14. Spongebob is far more interesting then Billo. I watch daily, with my 5 and 6 year olds.

[Hello_Kitty]

15. They may not have the coveted advertising demo, but FOX draws a lot of voters

FOX viewers vote religiously. It's enough to skew elections and that's what matters to Murdoch et. al.

[totodeinhere]

18. Actually, Fox news also wins the 25-54 demo, but not by as much as they win

with older voters.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/3aat7um

It was another good year for Fox News Channel, with the network home to the top 12 cable news programs in Total Viewers and the top 10 programs in A25-54 viewers. In both Primetime and Total Day, FNC beat all cable news competitors — CNN, MSNBC and HLN — combined in total viewers. And FNC beat CNN & MSNBC combined in A25-54 demo.

[tritsofme]

19. In the long term, we'll all be dead.

O'Reilly is getting up there, I saw him on tv a few months ago for the first time in several years and was shocked at how old he looked. I guess he fits in with his viewers.

[Maraya1969]

20. Sometimes when I don't feel like thinking I watch Fox. MSNBC

is very informative, so much that it hurts my head sometimes. So maybe the people who watch Fox are just intellectually lazy.

[davidwparker]

22. I watch MSNBC from 8pm- 11pm and then listen to the

shows repeat until I'm asleep.

I hope KO, Rachael, Lawrence are enjoying their holiday, but I sure will be glad when they are back.

Who is the freak at MSNBC who has some prison fetish with that Lockup garbage?

[Raine]

25. Yeah what is the deal with Lock-up

I'm so sick of that garbage. :puke:

[rhett o rick]

26. My wife is in the hospital. Fox and CNN are available but not MSNBC. nm