Ratings Down for Fox, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck (Maddow UP, CNN also UP)

Opposing Views.com ^ | 3/31/11 | Mark Berman

[SoFloFreeper]

Ratings for Fox News are in the doldrums, down 21% in primetime so far this year. But don't cry for the right-leaning network -- it's been number one on cable for nine years now, and it still has the top 12 shows.

According to a report from Business Insider, Bill O'Reilly remains in the top spot, but he lost 14% of his audience from the same three-month period last year. Sean Hannity places second, down 19%. Bret Baier (whoever he is) is third, beating out Glenn Beck, who has lost a whopping 30% of his audience. 

CNN and MSNBC have been the beneficiaries of Fox's decline. CNN is up by 28%, led by Anderson Cooper's 18% rise, and MSNBC saw a 9% ratings growth. Its star Rachel Maddow has 16% more viewers.

Business Insider speculates on the possible reason:

This time period last year was dominated by the health care debate and for much of that period Fox operated as an extension of the opposition. Now that the nation's focus is international it's harder to figure out an angle where Obama is bad and...nuclear meltdowns and Qadaffi are good.

Another explanation could be that CNN and MSNBC have been doing so poorly in recent years that there was no place else to go but up.

[SoFloFreeper]

FYI, the REAL kooks are going in the wrong direction.

I can only take so much GB, and BOR has never been a fave of mine, but their biases are small compared to CNN and Maddow.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

IMHO Fox needs to do a gut check.

It’s called “Fox News Channel”. Not Fox Personality Channel.

Fire the entire evening talking heads line-up, and present NEWS in the evenings.

[snowrip]

Another explanation could be that CNN and MSNBC have been doing so poorly in recent years that there was no place else to go but up.

/thread

[BipolarBob]

The news is depressing. I go to FR where I can control my intake.

[ilgipper]

Mythical stories. Last year was an election year, first of all. Secondly, Becks number’s in particular when through the roof during 2009 and 2010 because he was basically the only nationally visible investigative reporter doing any stories at all about the activities in the Executive Branch.

The numbers are down slightly, but still destroy the competition. The left is nitpicking certain parts of the ratings to create a story that simply is not there.

[mountainlion]

Sounds like Soros has started his war against Fox.

[Red Badger]

Not an election year, so people are more focused on entertainment..............

[FlingWingFlyer]

I just read where my former ‘RAT representative and Obama rubber stamp here in Arizona says she’s going to run to get her seat back in the House. She said the TEA Party, Independents, Republicans and Libertarians have all contacted her and told her that the Republican we elected “toes the party line too much”. LOL! I knew this was going to happen once they passed “medical” (ROTFL!) marijuana in this state.

[brownsfan]

“It’s called “Fox News Channel”. Not Fox Personality Channel.”

Fox has made a conscious decision to go the direction of news “food fights”. Volitile hosts, who tend to talk over guests. Fox is to news what Jerry Springer is to talk shows.

Glenn Beck has some good points, but oh my gosh, how much weeping gloom and doom can you take?

O’Reilly has no compass, he’s a self promoting, arrogant, whore.

Fox is in trouble. I barely watch anymore.

[dragonblustar]

Maddow up

Sounds like she took viagra.

[Arrowhead1952]

Sounds more like a perfect April Fools’ joke to me.

[Red Badger]

They need to get rid of the morning crew. They SUCK NOW! I turn on the TV for morning news and I get the Susan Lucci Kissing Brian Kilmeade Show....................

[dfwgator]

I don’t watch any of them, I prefer BBC, Russia Today, France 24, and even Al-Jazeera. Take some of what they say with a grain of salt of course, but the quality of journalism there blows away the US networks.

[brownsfan]

“They need to get rid of the morning crew. “

Indeed. Fox’s morning crew makes Morning Joe look smart. And that’s quite a feat.

[kcvl]

Live + Same Day Cable News Daily Ratings for March 29, 2011
P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
Total Day
FNC 1,180 322 582
CNN 520 198 268
MSNBC 438 139 220
CNBC 169 49 88
FBN 57 14 33
HLN 240 91 134

Primetime P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC 2,084 567 1,027
CNN 627 270 314
MSNBC 935 305 487
CNBC 213 84 118
FBN 64 22 40
HLN 414 119 202

Net Morning programs (6-9 AM) P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC FOX & Friends 1,062 361 658
CNN American Morning 430 172 298
MSNBC Morning Joe 517 156 229
CNBC Squawk Box 147 54 107
HLN Morning Express w/ Meade 314 186 232

Net 5PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC GLENN BECK 2,063 525 988
CNN SITUATION ROOM 726 209 327
MSNBC HARDBALL WITH C. MATTHEWS 503 124 213
CNBC FAST MONEY 181 45 104
HLN SHOWBIZ TONIGHT 216 55 67

Net 6PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER 2,145 507 914
CNN SITUATION ROOM 580 220 268
MSNBC MSNBC LIVE 439 94 204
CNBC MAD MONEY 160 51 112
HLN PRIME NEWS 180 48 90

Net 7PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC THE FOX REPORT W/S.SMITH 1,688 443 836
CNN JOHN KING USA 507 188 244
MSNBC HARDBALL WITH C. MATTHEWS 586 205 299
CNBC KUDLOW REPORT 174 65 93
HLN ISSUES 258 96 183

Net 8PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC THE OREILLY FACTOR 2,812 752 1,349
CNN IN THE ARENA 543 230 299
MSNBC LAST WORD W/ L. ODONNELL 905 291 448
CNBC 60 Minutes ON CNBC 148 55 85
HLN NANCY GRACE 434 184 212

Net 9PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC HANNITY 1,952 568 1,005
CNN Piers Morgan Tonight 557 209 234
MSNBC RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 1,072 328 537
CNBC DIVORCE WARS 228 99 124
HLN NANCY GRACE-MISSING 259 88 123

Net 10PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC ON THE RECORD W/GRETA 1,488 382 726
CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360 783 370 410
MSNBC ED SHOW 824 291 471
CNBC DIVORCE WARS 263 97 144
HLN JOY BEHAR 231 90 105

Net 11PM P2+ (000s) 25-54 (000s) 35-64 (000s)
FNC THE OREILLY FACTOR 1,224 431 740
CNN ANDERSON COOPER 360 568 270 318
MSNBC MSNBC SPECIAL PROGRAMMING 456 188 281
CNBC MAD MONEY 88 40 56
HLN SHOWBIZ TONIGHT 204 97 133

-

For other days cable news ratings click here.

P2+ = viewers over the age of 2

(25-54) = Adults 25-54 viewing

(35-64) = Adults 35-64 viewing

Prime Time = 8-11pm

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Another explanation could be that CNN and MSNBC have been doing so poorly in recent years that there was no place else to go but up."

Most likely the reason. Notice that we don't see the actual numbers? Just percentages of up and down. If you see the numbers, Fox is crushing the competition. When one (just one mind you) of CNN's or MSNBC's shows overtake one of Foxes shows, give me a call.

[Nat Turner]

Sounds more like a perfect April Fools’ joke to me.

I'm surprised it took THIS long to figure that out!!

[Red_Devil 232]

What ever station is running NCIS has been the beneficiary of my leaving GB and BOR and Hanity. Just tired of all three. If FNC was running News Programs instead of these talking head self aggrandizing personalities I would watch. It is as if all news stops around the world for FNC at 6 pm eastern until 6 am eastern.

[Red Badger]

They used to be good.
NOW they are just like the others. Fluff ‘n Stuff.............

[Chuzzlewit]

agreed... first we have the drama queen Glen Beck.. then Ted Baxter.. then Lou Costello.. who I can tolerate (Hannity).. I also like Greta...

but GB and Oreilly ... ughhh I can’t stand them... wish they would get the axe.. I really like the straight news and the panels like the old Brit Hume panel..