Posted on 03/03/2005 9:34:38 AM PST by Cableguy
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.
FLUUSSSSHHHHH!!!!! (gurgle gurgle gurgle....)
15-40% drop. That's as many as 4 viewers they lost.
"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?
15-40%? that's a heck of a margin for error?
I think they were representative samplings taken at different times, not a range for one sample.
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.
Never mind that... range for different shows, I gather, not different stations.
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.
"CBS simply never believed the numbers."
They believed the numbers but arrogantly dismissed them as "irrelevant" or the product of "viewer ignorance."
Dan Rather, CBS News Anchor....and I do mean ANCHOR.
"CBS simply never believed the numbers"
finally, its audience learned never to believe CBS.
Rather's epitaph.
"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.
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.
I think you're on to something.
And what was the frequency Kenneth?
I guess there isn't much demand for "fake but accurate" news.
oh, I get it. sorry. I misread that pretty badly.
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.
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.
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