War Boosts MSNBC Viewership 503% [Insert Your Own Joke Here]

Ad Age Magazine ^ | March 26, 2003 | Richard Linnett

[ewing]

MSNBC had attracted 2.6 million viewers and us ip on viewership 503% in the first quarter over previous quarters, while CNN is up 325% and Fox 233%.

[OneVike]

Greta and Shep Smith are probably the weakest 2 of the nighttime lineup.

I would agree that Greta is "THE WEAKEST LINK, however I think Sheppard Smith was (as Mr. Hume says) born to do the news. There is not a news reader in the bussiness that beats or even comes close to the Shep!

[ewing]

Has Geraldo been on at all for FOX? I havent seen him anywhere..

[Catspaw]

Looks like. And because he hasn't come back & I can't find any more news on it since 1/22, I'd say it doesn't sound good.

http://www.sacticket.com/24hour/entertainment/tv/news/story/730078p-5331661c.html

[DouglasKC]

I have to give MSNBC the nod for their coverage. I think it's generally better than FOX and loads better than cnn.

[Spunky]

My local radio station has been running MSNBC TV almost all day since the war started. I think MSNBC has been doing good coverage.

I don't have cable anymore. After the cable company tried to rip me off I said take it out.

My blood pressure went way down after I quit watching Fox News all day long. I would wonder why I felt so up tight all the time and when I got off the cable I realized it was because Fox News format is so high keyed beginning with their choice of intro music.

[ewing]

I think Shep is an acquired taste.

Although he does get fantastic numbers for his time slot, so the viewers on the east coast agree with you!

[knak]

I only go to their website so I can get to the webcam.

[ewing]

MSNBC is watchable for long periods of time during the day. They really are most improved..

[ewing]

Fox is still superior at night, IMO..

[dalebert]

My brother told me pms was not doing a bad job. I tried to watch it but it sounded like the same old thing to me.

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you -- I refuse to watch Hannity and Colmes right now -- I don't need that type of show with the war going on!

I don't like Colmes on a quiet day and I am certainly not going to put up with his crap during the War.

Actually I have spent a lot of time watching MSNBC and believe they have done a very good job. Their military analyst are very good and their policy of not reporting rumors until it is confirmed by DoD or CENTCOM impressed me from the beginning. David Bloom and Bob Arnott as well as the rest of their embedded reporters are very good.

Have a new found respect for MSNBC with their wall of military men and women serving in the Gulf. Doubt if I watch them much after the war but for now, I split between MSNBC and Fox depending on who the anchor is at that time. That means that Colmes is history for the foreseeable future!

[Maigrey]

Ping (and tell me the jist of why this article is slanted...)
-BST-

[ewing]

I have been watching a lot of MSNBC as well, they are not as far left as I thought.

[ewing]

I would give it a shot over a longer period of time..

[Admin Moderator]

503%? That's nothing. Since the war has started, Jim has increased our pay by 1000%.

[ewing]

LOL! You mean from 2 free coffees to 4..

[pabianice]

CNN has 500% increase in viewship -- six people now watching!

[Media Insurgent]

I agree that MSNBC has been doing a good job. Apparently their strength is just straight news. The problem with that is that when the war's over, and there aren't any big stories, there won't be any reason to watch. That's why Fox has been so successful with their talk show format. People will still watch O'Reilly or Hannity & Colmes even when there isn't anything big going on.

Maybe if MSNBC can stay on the ball with their news coverage and develop some decent talk shows pretty quick, they might have a new lease on life. If that happened, look for CNN to be the odd man out. I don't think the market can support 3 cable all-news channels.

[AF68]

Watched Aaron Brown interview Weseley Clark for a few minutes. What a couple of losers!

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you. I figured they would be really left and they have shocked me! First time I saw their graphic May God Bless America I was stunned!