Posted on 05/22/2006 8:12:20 AM PDT by abb
"World News Tonight" drops to third in the ratings, the latest blow to a team in transition.
NEW YORK — It was just one week.
But when ABC's "World News Tonight" — whose viewership already has dropped by nearly 1 million people in the last year — slipped behind the perennially third-ranked "CBS Evening News" in the ratings last week, it was more than just a blow to morale.
It was, according to some inside the network, a sobering and frustrating reminder of the internal tug-of-war that has stalled the newscast's efforts to recast itself after the death of anchor Peter Jennings and the serious wounds suffered by one of his successors in Iraq nearly four months ago.
Bob Woodruff is undergoing rehabilitation and is determined to return to the job, but it remains unclear when he will be able to do so. Initially, news officials said they were developing an interim plan for the program. But despite widespread expectations that the network was on the verge of announcing a new partner for Elizabeth Vargas weeks ago — with "Good Morning America" co-anchor Charles Gibson increasingly seen as the likely candidate — nothing has happened.
The main sticking point, according to people familiar with the situation, has been a reluctance to upend the second-place morning show, which some executives believe has a shot at taking on NBC's "Today" after Katie Couric leaves at the end of this month. ABC's dilemma has spotlighted a reality with which every network news division must grapple: Morning shows bring in substantially more ad revenue than the evening news programs, even though the latter are viewed as the flagship broadcasts.
ABC News spokeswoman Cathie Levine declined to comment on any internal discussions. "When we have an announcement to make, we'll make it," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Another Happy Ping...
I am very surprised that ANYONE ,other than 55-plus folk, are watching the network news in the evening.
Maybe the network should focus on good coverage of the news. But I guess that's crazy talk.
Don't sneer at us over 55 folk. I haven't watched msm media for 10 years. I quit about the time I turned 55.
Elizabeth Vargas got pregnant, and to the shock of ABC executives, she actually wants the child.
'How about we toss them an anchor!
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I'm 56. I know how you feel. But that's a big portion of who's watching network news.
You are confusing Woodward (imaginary interviews and Washington Post big shot) with Woodruff (slotted ABC anchor who was injured in Iraq and hasn't been able to work since).
Hey, I'm over 55 and I watch NO alphabets, and lately I've been avoiding FNC too.
And the slow death of the old media continues on...
That kind of mistake is similar to what our enemies do all the time.
I bet Dan RATher's been making phonecalls.
Thanks. You are right and I got a Freep Mail on this. I asked the Mod to pull my reply.
Since I haven't watched ABC Nightly Spew since 1992, I have no idea who hosts it. I need my second cup of coffee.
Well, that's three of us!
Memo to ABC News: Let John Stossel run the program.
I watched the NBC Nightly News a couple of weeks ago with my 79-year-old Dad (a staunch Republican) at his house. I told him the average age of the show's viewers is over 60. He didn't believe me. We then watched commercials for denture cream, a Lark Scooter, and Medicare part D in succession.
He changed his mind.
They aren't - check the commmercials. It's almost a fool-proof system; yet errors do occur. I was flipping through some channels the other day and an ad for a sale at Mervyns was just ending. It then cut to Cops.
(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
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