Posted on 05/28/2009 1:41:38 PM PDT by Zakeet
The Big 3 networks' evening newscasts probably turned in their worst ratings week since TVs became a household staple during the week of May 18.
Last week (at NewsBusters), based on the ratings for the week of May 11, I noted that the shows' combined audience had plunged a stunning 25% from their late January post-inauguration peak to a level barely above the 20 million mark. At the time, I thought that we wouldn't see a sub-20 million week until sometine during the summer. Well, it's not summer yet, and they're below a combined 20 million already. What's more, the results are even worse in the coveted 25-54 demographic.
Here's a comparison of the week of May 18 to both the previous week and the same week a year ago (Source: Media Bistro - May 18, 2009; May 11, 2009; May 19. 2008):
The excuse that last week was down only because of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend doesn't fly. Last year's drop from May 12 to May 19 (not charted above) was only 480,000 (230,000 in the 25-54 demo). This year's May 11 to May 18 drop of 830,000 (460,000 for 25-54) was much higher off of smaller base.
The trend within a trend, at least year over year, is that NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams and ABC's World News Tonight with Charles Gibson have been losing viewers, while Katie Couric's CBS Evening News appears to have bottomed out. Brian and Charlie are coming down to Katie's level at a surprisingly fast clip. NBC has lost 30% of its lead over CBS; ABC's lead has dropped by over 40%.
Media Bistro, the source of the data, seems oddly ignorant of the precipitous downward slide, nonchalantly telling its readers only that "All three networks were declined week-to-week in both categories," and that "Year-to-year, the only program to gain viewers is the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric." That's light treatment indeed of year-over-year 9.4% and 12.4% drops at NBC and ABC, respectively, as well as 18%-plus drops at the two networks in the 25-54 demo.
Networks execs nevertheless surely know that their former crown jewels are fading, and quickly. Perhaps it will occur to one or more of them that viewers are tiring of their years of insufferable bias, or of their more recent almost all-Obama, all-the-time obsession. Nah -- If they haven't figured it out by now, they likely never will.
Here's what I think of you #(%)#&$ Freepers who enjoy articles like this.
Oh i do, i really really do!
I hope the MSM sinks for their bias during the election.
I can’t remember the last time I ever watched them.
It’s been at least a couple of decades.
Heh-heh.
How many “viewers” does FR get during a day? It would be nice to beat the perky one.
The dinosaur media death watch continues.
I gave up on TV “news” years ago. Occasionally watch some on Fox.
My wife is a TV junkie, but the programming is so universally bad, she is reduced to watching the latest chef cook offs.
And she does not even like to cook. I do.
Forgot to say, I have no sympathy for the 3-blind mice or Commie News Network either.
"Network evening newscasts will go dark after the '08 elections and their news divisions disbanded."
Walter Abbott, (b. 1950), Media observer and commentator *
* I am proud to quote a fellow Freeper, who as it turns out, is spot on.
And Abb, old buddy, Perkie is waving at you as much as anybody.
Only 20 million viewers combined? That’s astounding.
Now, remind me again as to why Americans are so STUPID? I truly thought it was the brainwashing being done by the MSM, but it took nearly 60 MILLION of them to vote in 0bama.
Where’s the disconnect?
Rush Limbaugh could argue he has a larger daily audience at this time than the network news COMBINED....WOW!
If you read Bernie Goldberg you find that these morons sincerely do not believe they are biased. To them, liberal drivel is like the sun rising in the east.
As for Obama, why, he's such a good story, who wouldn't just be getting all hot over seeing and hearing about him and/or Michelle one more time?
I know! So, why are Americans so uninformed about important issues?
No idea.
It wouldn’t be because the American people are figuring out the MSM lied to them about Obama and didn’t properly investigate him?
I would laugh at the MSM if this is the case because it’s a huge told-ya-so from many on the right who tried to warn the American people.
The real killer is the 24-54 age group numbers. They are the ones advertisers hope to reach since they spend the most money (or control family spending).
Their lower viewership numbers also indicate that the evening news is not the cultural habit was was for the WWII generation, so things will be getting worse for the networks.
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving group.
Bias really has little to do with the decline in viewership. Todays teens and young adults are very technologically savvy, that's all. They have Ipods, laptops, the Internet, etc.
Why are so many without knowledge? Personally, I think the MSM have driven millions away from the NEWS. People do not want political opinion faking as “NEWS”. People do not want their religious beliefs denigrated. People do not want their country insulted on a daily or hourly basis.
In self defense they turned away from newspapers and now the TV and CABLE end of what is billed as “NEWS”.
There is a minority of Americans willing, or able, to actively search out, for themselves, the actual news. Whether through search engines, the NET, of the countless dozens of individual posts here on FR. I add the knowledge gained from the replies of so many FR followers. It does require a determined effort to remain abreast of NEWS.
The fact that “Dancing with Whoever” is the hit of TV really explains a whole lot.
I must also mention the people who are the products of the modern American Education Industry. This, heaven help us, is our FUTURE?????
I think something like Fox gets about 3 million viewers. That compares with the Networks’ 20 million. In terms of ability to go viral in a “talking campaign” that means that the Nets still far outweigh anything else.
Except, estimates of Rush Limbaugh’s radio show are between 14 to 20 million, so that is also a pretty good chance to go viral. It also explains why he’s the target of the liberals.
My sense, though, is that most Americans get their news opinions from sitcoms, late-night talk show hosts, movies, and SNL.
Guess that makes Rush America’s Anchorman.
Pray for America and Rush
I guess there must be a lot of other places besides the networks to get the “worship Obama” fix for the day.
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