Posted on 06/27/2002 2:37:56 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
In one key TV rating measurement, "Alan Keyes is Making Sense" – scheduled to be broadcast for the last time tonight on MSNBC – has been pulling in better numbers than has the show that will replace it, "Ashleigh Banfield On Location."
As WorldNetDaily reported, Keyes, whose 10 p.m. cable news show began in January, was offered a 4 p.m. timeslot by the network, but he rejected that offer, saying through his media representative, Bob Angelotti, that an afternoon show "would not reach our audience. Primetime hours are the most conducive to getting the message out."
Banfield's show has been running at 9 p.m. Eastern, just before Keyes, and in the network's new primetime lineup will move to 10 p.m.
Since WND's first report, the newssite has learned that Keyes' last show will not be July 11, as had been understood by Keyes' staff. Rather, MSNBC has informed Keyes that his final program will air tonight.
Cheryl Daly, MSNBC vice president of media relations, confirmed that while Banfield bested Keyes in the ratings game in February and March, beginning in April, Keyes brought in more of the key 25-54 age segment of viewers – even though Banfield attracted more households overall.
Rating information obtained by WND shows that this month, Keyes has continued to beat Banfield in males age 25-54, while competition in the overall 25-54 group has fluctuated depending on the night.
On June 17, for example, when Keyes broadcast portions of stunning documentaries on Arab violence training, he earned a rating of 0.3 in the measurement of all viewers, 25-54. Banfield pulled a 0.1 that night. Both hosts drew the same ratings the following night, but Banfield had a 0.2 to Keyes' 0.1 on the third night that week, June 19.
The male 25-54 age segment is considered the most important group of viewers in terms of the value of television advertising. In none of the ratings WND examined did Banfield beat Keyes in that category.
When looking at the ratings in light of MSNBC's decision on the Keyes show, it appears that the number of actual viewers, regardless of age, is the most important measurement to the network.
Said Daly, "Basically, [Keyes'] audience wasn't large enough."
Far from reporting Keyes' audience as too small, recent MSNBC competitive reports proudly highlight the growth of his audience.
"Alan Keyes at 10 p.m. and Brian Williams' 11 p.m. encore both experience the most quarter to quarter growth of any news net(work) – +20 percent and +10 percent respectively," said a report dated May 13.
The report dated May 27, just one month ago, touts Keyes' quick growth since January: "Alan Keyes jumps 21 percent over [the first quarter of 2002] – more than competing news networks in the time period."
Finally, in the MSNBC June 10 report, the network says, "Alan Keyes grows even more – +38 percent week to week."
'A difficult mission'
After news of Keyes' bumping first got out, his supporters began campaigns to contact MSNBC demanding that the show remain on the network in its 10 p.m. timeslot. Many believe officials at MSNBC are purposely silencing Keyes because of his support for Israel in its battle against the Palestinian intifada.
Phil Griffin, vice president of prime time at MSNBC, disagreed with that characterization.
"We are not squelching his voice at all; he has had free rein," Griffin told WND, saying the proposed move to 4 p.m. was considered a way to help Keyes build his audience. The executive said that "there is no agenda" to silence Keyes.
"It's difficult for a guy to try to go on" at 10 p.m. and be successful, commented Griffin. "The pressure was so severe. We hoped he would work out at 10 p.m., but that was a difficult mission."
Referring to the idea of moving Keyes to 4 p.m., Griffin said the network thought that Keyes' show following a new debate show featuring Pat Buchanan and Bill Press – scheduled to run from 2 to 4 p.m. – would be a great fit.
"We thought it would be perfect to get an audience for Alan," he said. "We were trying to save the show."
Keyes' people, however, believe the audience most responsive to him is not watching TV at 4 p.m. Eastern, especially not those in the Pacific time zone, who would have had to tune into the show at 1 p.m.
The network is planning a new show at 8 p.m. hosted by Phil Donahue and will move "Hardball with Chris Matthews" to the 9 p.m. slot.
Meanwhile, supporters of Keyes are making a last-ditch effort to keep his show on the network at 10 p.m.
Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim, whose website Mesora.org has sponsored an e-mail petition drive in support of Keyes, sent out an e-mail blast urging readers to pass the word about the petition and announcing that today's show is scheduled to be Keyes' last. At press time, Ben-Chaim's petition had been "signed" by over 46,000 Net users.
I've never watched a moment of Crossfire with the two-headed stranger, Begalacarville...I'll never watch a moment of the Donahue show. NEVER.
These two networks are stale as the DNC, not the only attribute they both share.
Sure gonna miss the Keyes show, though.
HERE is one of there articles on the issue. David Barton is also the TX GOP State Vice Chairman.
Another factor to consider is whether you can gain the support of advertisers no matter the demographics.
The citings of the releases of viewership gains are largely the hype of the marketing department. If I have a show with 10 viewers and over time increase it to 15, I've had a 50% increase in viewership. WOW, 5 new viewers. You've got to be careful with statistics.
I asked my black co-workers if they liked Keyes and everyone of them smiled, rolled their eyes and wouldn't comment.
Guess he didn't drag the ball-and-chain good enough for them... maybe he's too good of an orator and sets the bar too high.
Keyes deserves a position in the Bush administration as does Walter Williams. They are exceptional minds and true role models for blacks, whites, hispanics and asians.
Bond, Mfumi, Jackson and Sharpton are just black overseers... bought and paid for by the DNC.
Hmmmm......Hannity, Keyes, Colmes, and Press have a ring to it?
Neal Boortz and Alan Keyes. Call it "The Most Dangerous Men in America".
Maybe MSNBC listened to freepers claims that if Alan only had a forum, then people would rush to his show and/or views. Conservative thought has been established via Rush and O'Rielly. So fear of this type of show not only form the networks but also the audience is no longer a real or perceived factor.
Sure being on less than a year is something short of giving it a chance, but there are some network shows that are dumped even quicker than his show was and with much higher ratings.
I personally like what Alan has to say on many topics. I disagree with how he presents it. Seems most TV viewers may share the same thoughts as me.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted, and good for the Republic too. That's life. I'm sure Alan Keues will land on his feet somewhere. You can't keep a good man down.
Thank you, Alan Keyes, for all your good work and your efforts. I enjoyed your program. God bless you, sir. Sincerely,
Alan Keyes will land on his feet, too! You can't keep a good man down!
In May, for total day, Fox averaged 594,000 viewers (up 153 percent year to year), followed by CNN with 480,000 viewers (up 87 percent), MSNBC with 232,000 (up 13 percent) and CNN Headline News with 187,000 (up 18 percent). In prime time, Fox averaged 1.022 million viewers (up 101 percent year to year), followed by CNN with 814,000 (up 61 percent) viewers, MSNBC with 305,000 (up 9 percent) and CNN Headline News with 202,000 (up 31 percent).[snip]
Fox's "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" (762,000 viewers, up 68 percent compared with "The Edge With Paula Zahn" the year before) beat CNN's "NewsNight with Aaron Brown" (713,000 viewers, up 71 percent compared with "Spin Room" the year before). "NewsNight" had won the viewership battle in April. Finishing third in May was MSNBC's "Alan Keyes is Making Sense" (235,000 viewers, down 9 percent).
Ashleigh Banfield's show isn't listed in the article, but it does say that Hannity & Colmes is one of the top 5 cable news shows.
This article does show Keyes' show as the only news show losing viewership; that fact and the actual numbers don't necessarily agree with what WND is saying here. I don't know how to reconcile that.
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