Posted on 09/16/2004 12:23:38 PM PDT by NCjim
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 [be] 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.
cBS idiots! Get the frequency, Rather is rather anti-Bush and has always been BIASED! One reason I try not to watch cBS.
What were his ratings before this started? It's clear the man is partisan hack... not much worse than Peter Jennings only that Jennings wouldn't do a 60 minutes type job on anyone.. He does it with the editing of news.
No, Rather is unlike all of them, and I honestly don't think people paid much attention to him until this latest attempt of his to discredit a sitting president.
I read where most of his base audience now are in their 60s.
You can bet that there are some young up and comers who would like his job....
This will be the story for the next several day. LOOK FOR RATHER TO RETRACT THE MEMO STORY WITHIN THE NEXT 72 HOURS...WITH A TERSE STATEMENT THAT HE BACKS THE OPINION THAT THE CONTENT OF THE MEMOS ARE ACCURATE EVEN THOUGH THE MEMOS ARE FAKES...
nick
You arn't alone I won't even watch their sports programming.
This is no time to let up on CBS, its affiliates and its sponsors! Like the coach says, "No Pain, No Gain," so let's roll over them like George S. Patton!
Try looking at it this way -- John O'Neill is losing gobs of income while he and Buzz Patterson are traipsing all over hell to their various appearances, etc. I doubt John has turned in one billable hour at his law firm in months.
I do know that he's taken a lot of abuse and recrimination.
I do know that he still has back pain from his February kidney surgery and that the long rides in cars and jets isn't doing him any good -- watch how he walks and you'll know this too.
I do know that he has practically no time with his family, including his wife who received the kidney he gave up last February.
And I do know that you won't hear one complaint from him about any of this.
In view of all this, can any of us say he or she is really "too busy" to let these sponsors and affiliates know of our displeasure? Are we that busy that we can't jot or print out a simple little list of sponsors' products to avoid and take it with us when we shop?
Yes, I'm just as lazy as the worst of them. But I also have just enough sense of shame to do a little CBS freeping each day -- well, almost each day.
Click the icons. Send your message. Make your "anti-shopping list."
Here is a...
Click on a region and the list appears. Some of these stations, eg. 2 in Houston, are already cutting the airing of CBS news, demanding that CBS come clean. Type the stations call letters and frequency, eg. "610 KFRC", into google and you will know if the station has an online presence. They will probably be even more receptive to your complaint if they broadcast online. Be especially attentive to stations in your local area. Email, phone, fax, write, and call in to talk shows. If you have time and inclination, you could even contact the stations sponsors directly as well.
Both domestic and foreign. Do the same google search as for radio affiliates and then contact them.
Do not let Rather and CBS off the hook!
This is no time to let up on CBS, its affiliates and its sponsors! Like the coach says, "No Pain, No Gain," so let's roll over them like George S. Patton!
Try looking at it this way -- John O'Neill is losing gobs of income while he and Buzz Patterson are traipsing all over hell to their various appearances, etc. I doubt John has turned in one billable hour at his law firm in months.
I do know that he's taken a lot of abuse and recrimination.
I do know that he still has back pain from his February kidney surgery and that the long rides in cars and jets isn't doing him any good -- watch how he walks and you'll know this too.
I do know that he has practically no time with his family, including his wife who received the kidney he gave up last February.
And I do know that you won't hear one complaint from him about any of this.
In view of all this, can any of us say he or she is really "too busy" to let these sponsors and affiliates know of our displeasure? Are we that busy that we can't jot or print out a simple little list of sponsors' products to avoid and take it with us when we shop?
Yes, I'm just as lazy as the worst of them. But I also have just enough sense of shame to do a little CBS freeping each day -- well, almost each day.
Click the icons. Send your message. Make your "anti-shopping list."
Here is a...
Click on a region and the list appears. Some of these stations, eg. 2 in Houston, are already cutting the airing of CBS news, demanding that CBS come clean. Type the stations call letters and frequency, eg. "610 KFRC", into google and you will know if the station has an online presence. They will probably be even more receptive to your complaint if they broadcast online. Be especially attentive to stations in your local area. Email, phone, fax, write, and call in to talk shows. If you have time and inclination, you could even contact the stations sponsors directly as well.
Both domestic and foreign. Do the same google search as for radio affiliates and then contact them.
Do not let Rather and CBS off the hook!
see updated "broadside" in post 45
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