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Dan Rather causes local news ratings for CBS affiliate in Denver to drop 15-40%
Ratherbiased.com ^ | 3/3/05 | Michael Kim

Posted on 03/03/2005 9:34:38 AM PST by Cableguy

The fallout from RatherGate seems to be wide and deep. Not only has it caused Rather's own ratings to suffer, local newscasts by CBS affiliate stations seem to have been hit as well. In Denver, the drop in ratings is estimated at 15-40%. Here is the report by Rocky Mountain News:

But the focus in the February report, which ended Wednesday, focuses on the loser - CBS 4 News - which took a major tumble in audience figures compared to a year ago.

The CBS- owned station, competitive in most recent audience surveys, registered huge losses, ranging from 15 to 40 percent in five of the six major local news periods. [...]

DeHaven downplayed the continuing local audience demise of the 5:30 p.m. CBS Evening News as a major reason for the severe drop in the local 5 and 6 p.m. half-hours.

"Dan Rather's newscast has been dropping dramatically," DeHaven said. "But we can't really use that as an excuse. We have to stand by our product."

The Rather-anchored weekday news registered a 7 share, compared to an 11 in February 2004.



TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: cbs; danrather; rathergate
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1 posted on 03/03/2005 9:34:38 AM PST by Cableguy
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To: Cableguy

FLUUSSSSHHHHH!!!!! (gurgle gurgle gurgle....)


2 posted on 03/03/2005 9:36:16 AM PST by henkster (When democrats talk of "the rich," they are referring to anyone with a private sector job.)
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To: Cableguy

15-40% drop. That's as many as 4 viewers they lost.


3 posted on 03/03/2005 9:36:54 AM PST by Conspiracy Guy (Reading is fundamental. Comprehension is optional.)
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To: Cableguy

"Dan Rather's newscast has been dropping dramatically," DeHaven said. "But we can't really use that as an excuse. We have to stand by our product."



Yeah, rationalize it all you want. Do you think for a minute this guy would be retiring if his ratings weren't dropping?


4 posted on 03/03/2005 9:36:58 AM PST by nikos1121
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To: Cableguy

15-40%? that's a heck of a margin for error?


5 posted on 03/03/2005 9:37:59 AM PST by smonk
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To: smonk

I think they were representative samplings taken at different times, not a range for one sample.


6 posted on 03/03/2005 9:39:22 AM PST by henkster (When democrats talk of "the rich," they are referring to anyone with a private sector job.)
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To: smonk

I think those are numbers from different stations, 15% being the low, 40% the high. It's a range of data, not margin of error.


7 posted on 03/03/2005 9:39:31 AM PST by thoughtomator (Not available in stores - for a limited time only)
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To: smonk

Never mind that... range for different shows, I gather, not different stations.


8 posted on 03/03/2005 9:40:22 AM PST by thoughtomator (Not available in stores - for a limited time only)
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To: smonk

I suspect that across most of the south...the numbers since November have been dismal for CBS news. I think the company probably avoids regional analysis...because it just stirs the pot even more against Dan. He was a lousy reporter...and should have left over 20 years ago. CBS simply never believed the numbers.


9 posted on 03/03/2005 9:40:35 AM PST by pepsionice
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To: pepsionice

"CBS simply never believed the numbers."

They believed the numbers but arrogantly dismissed them as "irrelevant" or the product of "viewer ignorance."


10 posted on 03/03/2005 9:43:46 AM PST by henkster (When democrats talk of "the rich," they are referring to anyone with a private sector job.)
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To: All

Dan Rather, CBS News Anchor....and I do mean ANCHOR.


11 posted on 03/03/2005 9:44:35 AM PST by texan75010 (You lost - MoveOn...to France, or Canada, or New Zealand, or Germany...take your pick.)
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To: pepsionice

"CBS simply never believed the numbers"

finally, its audience learned never to believe CBS.

Rather's epitaph.


12 posted on 03/03/2005 9:44:39 AM PST by sodpoodle (sparrows are underrated)
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To: nikos1121

"Dan Rather's newscast has been dropping dramatically," DeHaven said. "But we can't really use that as an excuse. We have to stand by our product."


Not when your "Product" has died and is begining to stink.... you get a shovel.


13 posted on 03/03/2005 9:45:44 AM PST by LtKerst (Lt Kerst)
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To: Cableguy
"Dan Rather's newscast has been dropping dramatically," DeHaven said. "But we can't really use that as an excuse. We have to stand by our product."

There's no honor in going down with this ship. He's likely to lose his job for standing by a man who could care less about him or his station.

14 posted on 03/03/2005 9:47:06 AM PST by capydick (Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.)
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To: sodpoodle

I think you're on to something.


15 posted on 03/03/2005 9:48:25 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: Cableguy

And what was the frequency Kenneth?


16 posted on 03/03/2005 9:49:19 AM PST by hgro
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To: texan75010
Dan Rather, CBS News Anchor....and I do mean ANCHOR.

I guess there isn't much demand for "fake but accurate" news.

17 posted on 03/03/2005 9:49:52 AM PST by oldbrowser (They're not the MSM.........they are the AGENDA MEDIA)
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To: pepsionice
:o

oh, I get it. sorry. I misread that pretty badly.

18 posted on 03/03/2005 9:50:36 AM PST by smonk
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To: Cableguy

Glad to hear of these people who are voting with their feet. I cancelled my subscription to the Denver Post for similar reasons. They are nothing but a liberal propaganda rag. They called me several times to renew my subscription and I told them "No" and why. I hope they go bankrupt along with CBS.


19 posted on 03/03/2005 9:52:30 AM PST by Orca
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To: Orca

I kind of feel sorry for the station Manager DeHaven.
When I e-mailed him after the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident. Instead of a form letter defending the network, he wrote me back a personal note, saying that he was watching the Super Bowl with his kids at the time and he was offended also.
Many of these local affilates are stuck with CBS, and given the arrogance of network management their is not a lot they can do. Doesn't mean we should not keep up the pressure.


20 posted on 03/03/2005 10:36:10 AM PST by CameronNB
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