CNN actually nabbed higher ratings than FOX News

Drudge Report | 2-5-04 | Matt Drudge

[Crazieman]

For a few brief quarter-hours, the nation's original all-news channel CNN matched and passed audience ratings of FOX NEWS, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

Coverage of Tuesday evening's South Carolina, Missouri and other Dem primary races gave CNN 1,829,000 viewers during the 9 PM hour on the east coast, squeaking past FOXNEWS's 1,630,000. Both nets pulled a 1.6 rating, NIELSEN reports.

CNN CATCHES FOXNEWS IN TUESDAY NIGHT ELECTION COVERAGE

[CMClay]

My usual viewing: (unless a good movie is on)

5p.m. Brit Hume, full hour.
6p.m. Hardball, until he starts gushing over some Dem.
7p.m. O'Reilly, until his ego gets in the way.
8p.m. Dennis Miller, until the quasi-intellectual rants get tiresome.
9p.m. Joe Scarborough, until his squinty eyes get on my nerves.

[PISANO]

I agree, there is little to watch after Brit Hume on FOX. I even tried Dennis Miller. That program IMHO is awful. I gave it the first week and then 2 days this week. I will not be returning. History and Discovery channels are about all there is now.

[Cubs Fan]

Dittos to your grades

I'd add Geraldo and Rita Cosby a D-

Fox has some faults (too much tabloidism too much "breaking news"), but since they are the only cable network that doesn't spew an endless stream of lib propaganda, on balance a very good thing for our side.

[cinFLA]

and I couldn't care less about the remaining Dwarves

I hope you are watching Bush right now. Better than his SOTU.

[cinFLA]

I even tried Dennis Miller. That program IMHO is awful. I gave it the first week and then 2 days this week. I will not be returning.

I was less than elated with DM but listening to his guests such as Arnold is good.

[over3Owithabrain]

I think Fox has been a bummer lately because of the news cycle. Either all Democrats all the time or stupid celebrity court cases. I suspect (at least hope) FoxNews will be riding high again when the actual one-on-one presidential race kicks in. They came up big during the Iraq War with the best and most accurate analysis, and hopefully will repeat that.

[xrp]

Joe Scarborough on MSNBC [same time block] is much better than Greta, although he's been slinking into tabloidism lately, too.

[xrp]

Read a book

Or read Free Republic :-)

[rushmom]

I agree. I also think Fox is catering more to Democrats over the last several months. Conservatives are not watching as much therefore.

[alnick]

I think that may be part of it, but also I think it's because it's coverage of the democrat primary. There's probably more interest by CNN's typical viewers (democrats) in the democrat primary.

[Prime Choice]

Fox News' ratings are taking a dive? GOOD. Maybe now they'll appreciate that serious news viewers aren't interested in the salacious tripe they serve up 24/7 on Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson and Kobe Bryant!

At every major news event over the past three months, Fox was the LAST to cover it! This was true whether it was the capture of Saddam or the dual landings on Mars.

I'm also sick of their "Fox News ALERT" silliness. When I see the word "ALERT," I expect it to be new news, not a rehash of sensationalist idiocy.

Fox squandered their lead on bombast and hype. They're going to be hard-pressed to earn that lead back.

[Elkiejg]

FOX News has an extremely irritating tendency to continue to air their prime time talking blocks rather than run coverage of an interesting event.

Totally agree -- just this morning I was watching Tenant's speech at Georgetown and when he finished FoxNews immediately went to studio for the "pundits" opnions. I happened to switch to CNN and they were covering the Q&A session with Tenant and students - which was very good. FoxNews missed the boat again.

[alnick]

Fair and Balanced is great, but why do they cheapen it with such garbage? What's next, accepting advertisements from local strip clubs? BTW, CNN is still the socialist network...

Boy do I agree. I'd love to see a serious conservative network emerge. I read an article recently about an up and coming conservative-leaning news network. I think the name starts with a B.

Fox has a few great talents, IMO, but the sleaze factor is difficult to wade through, especially on the weekends. I can't even turn it on on Saturday nights (either Geraldo or Rita Cosby).

[alnick]

Is it possible that a whole bunch of regular Fox viewers tuned into Dennis Miller on CNBC?..I mean..it's a "Colmes-free" hour..

And, thankfully, this week it's also a Naomi Wolf free zone. Whew, that woman is majorly irritating.

[alnick]

The other night right after Frist gave his prepared spiel in his press conference regarding ricin in the senate mail room, just as the Q&A started, Fox cut him off and went back to O'Reilly's pretaped program.

[Ol' Sparky]

Or, it might just be liberal Democrats wanting to see liberal Democratic coverage of the primaries.

[johnb838]

I'm just getting tired of Fox, same old, same old. I'd rather watch DM than H&C at this point, but really would rather find something on History channel.