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Nielsens: Record Lows for the Networks
AP via SFGate ^ | 6/5/7 | DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

Posted on 06/05/2007 3:34:35 PM PDT by SmithL

NEW YORK, (AP) -- Another week, another set of negative ratings records for broadcast television.

NBC's average prime-time audience of 4.8 million people last week was the smallest since at least 1991, the earliest Nielsen Media Research records could immediately be traced. It's likely you'd have to go back to the days of black-and-white sets to find a smaller number.

Meanwhile, the "CBS Evening News" reached only 5.5 million people last week, its smallest audience since at least 1987.

Poor ratings have been the story of the spring for TV networks, and it doesn't look like anything will get better heading into the summer.

For instance, the "CBS Evening News" broke a record it had set only last week, when just under 6 million viewers saw the broadcast. Anchor Katie Couric was not on last Wednesday and Thursday.

NBC's "Nightly News" ratings have been tumbling at the same time. ABC's "World News" led last week with 7.9 million viewers (5.5 rating, 12 share), NBC had 7.4 million (5.2, 11) and the "CBS Evening News" had a 3.9 rating and 9 share.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alphabetnetworks; poorpoorkatie
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1 posted on 06/05/2007 3:34:38 PM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Ahhhhhhhhh!


2 posted on 06/05/2007 3:36:17 PM PDT by Don Corleone (Leave the gun..take the cannoli)
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To: SmithL

This is great. I got to participate for the second time. It was interesting to see how little TV we are watching these days. I think that I noted that I watched one local news at noon on the survey.


3 posted on 06/05/2007 3:43:21 PM PDT by notpoliticallycorewrecked (California : home of the fruits, nuts and flakes.)
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To: SmithL

Time to jack up the anchors anchoretttteees paycheckssss!

Mo’ money, mo’ dropings in ratings.

Yeaaarrrrrrghh!


4 posted on 06/05/2007 3:45:08 PM PDT by Leo Carpathian (ffffFReeeePeee!)
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To: SmithL

I only watch female anchors who’s last names are Dhue.

Pray for W and Our Troops


5 posted on 06/05/2007 3:45:24 PM PDT by bray (The co-clintons freed more terrorists then they killed)
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To: SmithL
Anchor Katie Couric was not on last Wednesday and Thursday.

Katie who?

6 posted on 06/05/2007 3:54:33 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici
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To: Thud

This couldn’t happen to more deserving people.


7 posted on 06/05/2007 4:10:50 PM PDT by Dark Wing
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To: bray

Lauri Dhue..... < sigh >


8 posted on 06/05/2007 4:12:29 PM PDT by bicyclerepair (Ft. Lauderdale Florida)
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To: SmithL

Of course they will continue to go down. When I was younger you count the number of TV choices in my area on one hand. Now you have hundreds. That will lead to a ton of fragmentation. The internet doesn’t help either.


9 posted on 06/05/2007 4:13:24 PM PDT by SmoothTalker
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To: SmoothTalker
On top of everything else networks programs are mostly silly.

Exchange from a recent morning “talk” show I happen to channel surf to:

Man wearing a two thousand dollar suit and a prissy woman comes on stage to loud music and applause from live studio audience.

“Good morning,” he says

“And good morning to you.” she replied as she primly sat down..

“Did you have a pleasant breakfast,” he asked, while adjusting his tie.

“No.” she said. “it was terrible.” “ I did not have my regular morning orange juice.”

“No!” he replied, looking shocked and glum. “What Happened,” he asked with evident concern.

“I forgot to get some at the grocers.”

Oh My! And have you now corrected that mistake so that breakfast tomorrow will be pleasant?” he asked while sipping his coffee.

I never heard her reply. I will go to my grave not knowing whether this dimbulb ever had a pleasant breakfast the next day. I know they ruined mine.

I kid you not, verbatim.

10 posted on 06/05/2007 4:36:04 PM PDT by R.W.Ratikal
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To: SmoothTalker

I like DVDs...Sopranos, 24,


11 posted on 06/05/2007 4:37:34 PM PDT by mel
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To: SmithL

Jeez - Fox is doing great - maybe it has to do something with the leftist claptrap they trade in.


12 posted on 06/05/2007 4:57:53 PM PDT by spanalot
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To: SmithL

And yet, Rush Limbaugh gets more than 20 million listeners a day.

Time for MSM to seek a new line of work. Something they will enjoy, like say, mirror polishing.


13 posted on 06/05/2007 4:59:09 PM PDT by wizr (Freedom ain't free.. Common sense ain't common,. It's a gift from God.)
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To: SmithL
That really gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I have been a bit down lately about the liberalization of the border/illegals and the lack of fire in the belly of Republicans to fight against Democrats.

Seeing the networks going down really makes me feel better.

14 posted on 06/05/2007 5:53:37 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat (I am SO glad to no longer be associated with the party of Dependence on Government!)
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To: 04-Bravo; aimhigh; andyandval; Arizona Carolyn; backhoe; Bahbah; bert; bilhosty; Caipirabob; ...

I should have pinged this yesterday when it came out, but I missed it. My prediction still stands: Television networks, as we know them today, will cease to exist by the end of this decade or shortly thereafter.


15 posted on 06/06/2007 2:24:44 PM PDT by abb (The Dinosaur Media: A One-Way Medium in a Two-Way World)
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To: abb
An excerpt of Plamer's take touted by Romenesko (in case anyone missed it).

... There are many aphorisms that come to mind here, but let's just say that the overwhelming lesson we have learned from the CBS Evening News is simply, "First, make popular television." Not "good" television, "popular" television. That's job one. If you do that, we might be able to learn something about the value of advanced media platforms that support and surround the property.

Which begs the question, Is there room for three nightly network news programs in 2007? Is this where people want to get their news and information? Is an early evening recap of the day's events necessary? There are at least six 24-hour cable channels dedicated to news and information and I can get the headlines from HN every 20 minutes? I can get alerts from trusted news sources on my PDA or computer, I can customize my news gathering online using iGoogle and do a better job for myself than any programmer can ever do for me. Has this particular form of newscasting simply outlived its usefulness? ...


16 posted on 06/06/2007 2:39:05 PM PDT by Milhous (There are only two ways of telling the complete truth: anonymously and posthumously. - Thomas Sowell)
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To: VeniVidiVici
Katie who?

You may have seen her in other places. She's perky. :-)

17 posted on 06/06/2007 2:41:16 PM PDT by TChris (The Republican Party is merely the Democrat Party's "away" jersey - Vox Day)
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To: abb

I think the networks may well exist, but they may be out of the news business. Also I suspect like the ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 etc line is being blurred, the lines between broadcast cable networks owned by the same companies will become increasingly blurred.


18 posted on 06/06/2007 3:11:34 PM PDT by JLS
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To: SmithL

“Honey how much money is left in your trust fund???....I may have to go outside of the liberal coccoon and get a ...gulp...real job..”


19 posted on 06/06/2007 3:40:29 PM PDT by samadams2000 (Someone important make......The Call!)
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To: abb; Grampa Dave

NBC’s average prime-time audience of 4.8 million people last week was the smallest since at least 1991, the earliest Nielsen Media Research records could immediately be traced. It’s likely you’d have to go back to the days of black-and-white sets to find a smaller number.

Meanwhile, the “CBS Evening News” reached only 5.5 million people last week, its smallest audience since at least 1987.


20 posted on 06/06/2007 5:06:04 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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