Nightly News Ratings for the Big 3 (last week's average)

Media Bistro ^ | 6/21/05 | Brian Stelter

[Ravi]

Last Week's Evening News Ratings The NBC Nightly News is the #1 evening newscast, but ABC's World News Tonight is #1 in the coveted 25-54 demographic. Last week's ratings mark "the fifth consecutive week World News Tonight was number one in the key demo," a press release says. "Nightly News displayed its lowest Adult 25-54 delivery since September 1987," ABC noted. Here are the ratings, in total viewers and the 25-54 demo:

NBC: 7,900,000 / 2,460,000

ABC: 7,650,000 / 2,760,000

CBS: 6,590,000 / 2,110,000

[Ravi]

This is good news. Only a few years ago, the Big 3 were averaging about 30 million viewers total. Now they are down to about 22 million if my math is right. This is one way to make an impact with the network news. Quit watching. I watched a little after re-election but then quickly stopped.

[Mister Baredog]

I watched a little after re-election but then quickly stopped.

Whenever I catch myself accidentally watching one of the "big 3" I just attribute it to opposition research and change back to FNC or ESPN, LOL.

[nmh]

How'd FOX do?

[Ravi]

They average about 2 million during primetime and 1 million during the day. So we still have a ways to go but we are going in the right direction. One way to look at it is as much as FNC beats CNN on any given nite (about 3 to 1) is about how much any Big 3 newscast beats FNC (about 3 to 1). It took Fox 6 years from 96 to 02 to finally surpass CNN and now it's tripling them. I have a feeling O'Reilly (not my favorite) or some other show on FNC will catch CBS evening news first and then the others. Ailes feels this can happen and I have no reason to doubt him based on his track record.

[nmh]

Thanks.

I don't like O'Reilly and avoid him. He's more of a social liberal with a holier than thou attitude.