Posted on 09/16/2004 8:14:29 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever
Edited on 09/16/2004 8:57:41 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Just the title...
MORE INFO
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU SEPT 16, 2004 11:42:09 ET XXXXX
CBS EXECS CONCERN OVER VIEWERSHIP PLUNGE; RATHER RATINGS FADE IN MAJOR MARKETS
CBS executives on both coasts have become concerned in recent days that Dan Rather's EVENING NEWS broadcast has plunged in the ratings since the anchor presented questionable documents about Bush's National Guard service.
NIELSEN numbers released this week show Rather fading and trailing his rivals in every Top 10 city, other than San Francisco, with audience margins in some cities running more than 6 to 1 against CBS!
Executives fear many voters inclined to vote for Bush are now switching off Rather.
"The audience appears to becoming polarized," a top CBS source said from LOS ANGELES on Thursday. "Rightly or wrongly, we're being perceived as 'anti-Bush,' which I do not think is fair to Dan, who is a fine journalist... of course we do not like to see the ratings coming back the way they are this week."
In Philadelphia, the nation's #4 market, Rather pulled a 2.6 rating/5 share on Tuesday night against ABC's 13.3 rating/23 share and NBC's 4.0/7.
In Chicago, Rather hit a 2.3/5 to ABC's 9.2/20.
CBS trailed ABC by more than 2 to 1 in Los Angeles.
And in the nation's top market, New York, Rather finished not only behind NBC NIGHTLY NEWS and ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT -- but also pulled less audience than reruns of the SIMPSONS, WILL & GRACE and KING OF QUEENS.
Rather finished dead last in New York during the 6:30 pm timeslot among all broadcast channels tracked by NIELSEN on Tuesday.
Developing...
Couple this with pressure on their sponsors... and I think we know how this will turn out.
Sir:
Because of your continuing support of Dan Rather and CBS news, I am writing to inform you I am cancelling my American Express account, cutting my gold card in half, and will attempt to dissuade anyone I know from obtaining a card from you in the future. This comes in response to CBS's presentation of forged documents in an attempt to influence the outcome of an election due to Rather's obvious agenda and their subsequent refusal to retract the story. Even CBS's pathetic attempt to respin some credibility on the story does not bother you. This is serious business. Fraud, if you will; something that should bother a credit card company.
You continue to advertise with them. I will continue to make you a product I do not use.
signature
Revenge of the "Pajama Army" :-)
I've been trying to call our local cBS affiliate all morning and there is no one home...hmmm.....
Sir:
Because of your continuing support of Dan Rather and CBS news, I am writing to inform you I am cancelling my American Express account, cutting my gold card in half, and will attempt to dissuade anyone I know from obtaining a card from you in the future. This comes in response to CBS's presentation of forged documents in an attempt to influence the outcome of an election due to Rather's obvious agenda and their subsequent refusal to retract the story. Even CBS's pathetic attempt to respin some credibility on the story does not bother you. This is serious business. Fraud, if you will; something that should bother a credit card company.
You continue to advertise with them. I will continue to make you a product I do not use.
signature
Wait until they see their ratings when the memo scandal's been resolved. There are a lot of people monitoring the show to see how the forgeries are handled. When that is over, there will be a further drop.
And this new guy (John Roberts?) is just as flaky as ole Danny.
Keep calling affiliates. My local Atlanta CBS affiliate is taking a real hard line stand with CBS. I have filed a complaint with the FCC for their relicensing file.
A fitting Sayonara.
The sponsors may not be willing to pay for much more than this in the future.
Bu-bye Dan!
oops
Also on Drudge:
White House McClellan on Rather: “It’s always best for journalists to stick to reporting the facts and not try to dispense campaign advice'...
Good! This weekend I'm writing a letter to the anchors of my local CBS affiliate, telling them I won't be watching their newscast until Rather is out.
Bye bye Dan-o. Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.
And that's the way it is.
Hmm... I don't buy it. I'd suspect Rather's ratings have been quite high this past week. Most people can't resist slowing down to stare at a trainwreck...
No, it's already gotten interesting. No conservatives watch CBS anyhow; right? O.K. So, if their viewship is falling off the some Indys and thinking Dims are turned off by this. Could it translate into votes for Bush? Whaddya think?
keep hammering...... relentless.... never give up.... hammering....
Interviewing the "Bush was Selected Lady" didn't help.
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