Peter Jennings' ABC July 4th Special a ratings bomb

Associated Press ^ | July 9, 2002 | DAVID BAUDER

[tdadams]

NEW YORK (AP) - In probably the only time they will ever compete with one another, Rob Lowe can say he beat Peter Jennings.

Lowe was host of NBC's Fourth of July coverage of fireworks from New York City, which drew 7.9 million viewers, making it 28th for the week in the Nielsen Media Research rankings.

Meanwhile, ABC's ambitious Independence Day special with Jennings ranked a dismal 66th, with 4.6 million viewers.

Jennings' music special was the one that created a small controversy with country music fans, when singer Toby Keith complained that he wasn't booked to sing his Sept. 11-themed song, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)."

The July Fourth week traditionally is one of the least-watched television weeks of the year.

For the week, CBS averaged 8.3 million viewers (5.7 rating, 11 share), NBC averaged 7.3 million (5.0, 11), Fox had 5.9 million (3.6, 7), ABC had 5.2 million (3.5, 7), UPN had 2.2 million (1.5, 3), the WB had 2.1 million (1.4, 3) and Pax TV had 1.1 million (0.7, 1)

NBC's "Nightly News" won the evening news ratings race with 9.3 million viewers (6.7 rating, 15 share). ABC's "World News Tonight" had 9 million (6.2, 14) and the "CBS Evening News" had 7.8 million (5.5, 12).

A ratings point represents 1,055,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 105.5 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

For the week of July 1-7, the top 10 shows, their networks and ratings: "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.6; "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 7.9; Movie: "A Time to Kill," CBS, 7.7; "48 Hours-Monday," CBS, 7.4; "Dateline NBC-Tuesday," NBC, 7.4; "Becker," CBS, 7.3; "Law & Order," NBC, 6.6; "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," NBC, 6.6; "Crime & Punishment," NBC, 6.3; Movie: "Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest," CBS, 6.2.

[tdadams]

Let's see if that anti-American Canadian import high school dropout will get the message now.

[SouthernFreebird]

Don't count on it......he's to arrogant to listen to the American people....let's just hope ABC gets it and sends him back to Canada and off our screens!

[Caipirabob]

Celebrate July 4th by watching ABC, NBC or CBS? That's like watching CNN and expecting the news. What was the title of their special? "A Socialist 4th Of July"? "A Homage To Our Flag, The Old "Red, Red and Red"? "A Socialist Republic Celebration"? "Salute Our Glorious Leaders, A Tribute To Hillary Clinton"?

Come on. As if these stations weren't blocked in my house...

[klgator]

As Toby sings in his song, a boot up Jennings' a**

[carton253]

I caught the last few minutes. Sandy Patty... a wonderful singer and one with an exceptionally beautiful voice sang the National Anthem. There is a second chorus where Sandy finishes with a couple of high D's. They put a chorus of kids and adults with her who kept singing even as Sandy began to hit those high D's. It was terrible. Name me an average singer who can do that? Not many, and none in the chorus. The chorus was flat, off key, and too loud.

I thought who made that choice? Terrible! Painful to watch and to listen too... and to top it off, the fire works were late and pretty pitiful.

[Texbob]

Jennings is anti-American and will always be a flop in the USA. It is ABC network that is the dunce in this case.

[Teacher317]

"Murder She Wrote" and "Becker" were top ten shows last week?!?!?

[peteram]

What was the title of their special?

I believe it was "In Search of America". As if they STILL didn't know where America was after 9/11. They're either blind or stupid.

[Honcho]

I kinda suspect they already may see Jennings not playing well to the American public. What better way to try to buff up his anti-American image that to have him hosting the 4th of July special?

Note to ABC: If you want your news people to be seen as pro-American,try having pro-American people actually reporting the news.

[Cincinatus]

For the week of July 1-7, the top 10 shows, their networks and ratings: "60 Minutes," CBS, 8.6; "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 7.9; Movie: "A Time to Kill," CBS, 7.7; "48 Hours-Monday," CBS, 7.4; "Dateline NBC-Tuesday," NBC, 7.4

This is the most depressing part of this article -- 3 of the top 5 rated shows are worthless "news magazine" liberal agitprop. We have lots of work left to do to burn through the liberal media smokescreen.

[I still care]

ABC will draw the OBVIOUS conclusion that Americans don't want patriotic 4th of July specials. (sarcasm)

I watch these channels all the time dance around the reason they are failing, it is amazing how oblivious these network people are. In their own little (socialist hollywood) world....

[Tigercap]

I would have watched to see the Toby Keith song. But, instead, I found better things to do than to watch that socialist-canadian.

[tcostell]

Rob Lowe can say he beat Peter Jennings.

Now if only it were Mike Tyson instead of Rob Lowe.

[Publius6961]

It's aboot time!
I knew when the losers created the Toby Keith controversy their program was toast.

I love it!

[Let's Roll]

"ABC will draw the OBVIOUS conclusion that Americans don't want patriotic 4th of July specials. (sarcasm)"

No, we just don't want the ABC version. The Hallmark Channel had hours of a salute to America type show. Just patriotic or "American" type music (song at least had to have USA or America in the title - like "Born in the USA" "American Pie" etc.) with scenes from across this beautiful land. Monument Valley, children playing, bridge going up over the Chicago River to allow boats through etc. And NO snotty, elitist telling us what to think or how we should be responding to what we were seeing. (Hint, major networks - high-dollar suits aren't even necessary.)

[MattinNJ]

I would love to see how dismal the ratings were in states like Tennessee and Oklahoma where Toby is king. The only time I get to hear him in NJ is on my CD player.

How great would it be if Toby had a song on his next album about telling an anti-American Canuck to kiss his Red, White, and Blue A$$.

[Osage Orange]

What or who is a Peta Jennings?

:)

[OldFriend]

ABC has an agenda that will move forward no matter what real Americans think of their programming.