Fox News kicking MSNBC ratings into the cellar

The Drudge Report ^ | 12-6-02 | Matt Drudge

[bonesmccoy]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU DEC 05, 2002 15:25:07 ET XXXXX

MSNBC RATINGS HIT BOTTOM; NETWORK FLATLINING

The joint news operation between GENERAL ELECTRIC and MICROSOFT has moved in to critical condition -- with audience levels of MSNBC fading to near unmeasurable readings, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned!

Overnight NIELSEN returns for Wednesday night show MSNBC setting near all-time low viewership for the all-news channel.

MORE

Both DONAHUE and HARDBALL W/CHRIS MATTHEWS are rated at the bottom of all cable news programming for Wednesday prime.

With cold weather now firmly implanted over much of the nation, and television watching seasonally on the rise, MSNBC's vanishing audience has become the talk of Broadcast Row.

Just as the network's rivals begin to smell death.

MORE

"I would bet GE will shake up the schedule one more time, perhaps move BUCHANAN & PRESS to nights, give [Minnesota Governor Jesse] Ventura a go," predicts a top executive from a rival network, who asked not to be named. "But I would not be surprised if GE just closes the channel down."

Executives "clearly put all their eggs in the Donohue basket," says one well-placed NBC source. "The word from the higher-ups is that if Donohue can't sell the network, then NBC will have to sell the network. It's not just a coincidence that Brian Williams was moved to CNBC; they wanted to protect him, anticipating any MSNBC failure."

The source continued: "Likewise, Chris Matthews' contract has a note in it that if MSNBC gets sold, that he will stay on as an NBC analyst."

Exposing the dramatic divide, Wednesday night ratings show FOX 's O'REILLY pulling in nearly 7-times the audience as DONAHUE. While Chris Matthews finished dead last in original cable news programming.

12-4-02

O'REILLY 2.1 [RATING]
HANNITY/COLMES 1.5
SHEP SMITH 1.1
BRIT HUME 1.0
GRETA 1.0
LARRY KING 0.7
AARON BROWN 0.7
CHUNG 0.6
CROSSFIRE 0.6
DONAHUE 0.3
HARDBALL 0.3

[bonesmccoy]

WOW Although Matt Drudge headlined this story as MSNBC RATINGS HIT BOTTOM; NETWORK FLATLINING... The only real data is the list of ratings...which show FOX killing both CNN and MSNBC in one swoop.

Looks like the market is finally choosing.

[FreedomPoster]

There's another thread on this from yesterday. A FReeper did the graphic that's now on Drudge, posted it on the thread, and Matt picked it up!

See here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/801517/posts

[breakem]

Matthews must be having a coronary, tied with Phil D.

[Badger1]

MSNBC = Marxists Socialists Naderites Buffoons and Communists

[I still care]

It's amazing how dense they are. Put Ann Coulter in the lineup and she could probably singlehandly bring them back. I could think of other names, such as Rush or Levin, if they could get them. But they insist on those tired old liberals. You get what you pay for.

[I still care]

There was an interesting article in the Enquirer a few months ago, how Matthews was having a fit over Donahue. He blamed Donahue for destroying his ratings and the station.

[Defiant]

Notice how the thought is that they will have to close down, not switch to fair and balanced reporting?

[185JHP]

Matthews has less excuse for left-wingnuttiness. He's smarter than the Phil and not as demented. Got a smarter wife, too.

[breakem]

Anyone know Hardball's numbers before Phil became his lead in?

[SevenofNine]

Alright Rack Fox news channel

Hey I not suprise Fox news is much better than breaking news around the world now I know MSNBC folks would say OHHH because Fox News has bureau oversea

YEAH Rupert media empire that works for me

Sky News in UK and Europe
Fox News here in the good ole USA


Now Rupe work on LA Dodgers

What up about Eric Karros getting traded

[breakem]

Karros reported as a move to save on salaries.

[185JHP]

IIRC they were a lot better, but, he wasn't swinging for the left as much then. I tried to like him and think there was hope for him, but what I wanted to see as "some decency and sense" in the man might have been "pandering for conservatives", not stuff from his heart. He popped off an anti-gun mal mot that I didn't like - since then, it's been hard times for "Hardball" with me. Although he's Ed Murrow compared to Aaron Brown. That guy's a remarkably nasty piece of leftist work.

[SevenofNine]

Well actually I make prediction DODGERS are not going anywhere next season AH Angels perhaps

Yeah they trade most popular guy on Dodgers NICE GOIN LA Dodger IDIOT

[breakem]

I can't watch anything on CNN for more than 30 seconds.

[breakem]

I remember the end of the "Dodger family." Steve Garvey had a five year contract and was all-star first baseman. He was asked if he would negotiate his contract, as was becoming common practice. he said no, the Dodgers would take care of him when his contract expired. They did, they traded him to San Diego.

[PianoMan]

Chris Matthews was on Jay Leno the other day. I'd like to see the day Sean Hannity gets invited to Jay Leno, even though he has five times the viewers, and just released a book too.

Note: If Hannity was on Leno and I missed it, whoops! Sorry. :)

[bonesmccoy]

me too.
They've totally abandoned any sense of objectivity at CNN. Then, they complained on Paula Zahn's show that Roger Ailes was part of the Bush WH advisory team.

Yeah... that's like a Snake calling a frog slimey.

[Minutemen]

No surprise there....MSNBC newscasts (with the bald,overweight, wind-bag liberal commentators) remind me of ancient re-runs of Saturday Night Live when they would do the "news parodies" . MSNBC just cannot be taken seriously.

[Banjoguy]

During my growing up years in Philly, I remember those of Irish national origin who were loudmouths, just like Matthews.
His bombastic, frenetic, inconsiderate interviews are an immediate turnoff and Barnicle, of the same ilk, is a joke.

[SwordofTruth]

I'd like to see the day Sean Hannity gets invited to Jay Leno,...

Gee, I don't even think Rush has been on Leno's show.