I'm taking a class called "Politics & the Media", something I learned...

[ShaneGR]

yesterday our professor said that while Fox News has higher ratings they get less per commercial block than CNN because advertisers consider CNN viewers to be better consumers.

It made sense to me. The news on CNN is more fair and therefor more likely to attract smart intellectuals.

Does anyone know of a chart where I could look this stuff up?

[crimson333]

1. I always thought

it was because cnn is carried by more cable systems than fox...more exposure therefore more money


but what do I know, I don't know the stats :)

[Djinn]

3. could be

I think the above is probably right - in Australia we get CNN but not Fox which is odd 'cause Rupert Murdoch owns 50% of the cable delivery platform, I think they reason that Fox isn't going to be watched outside the US much and so they don't broadcast it, CNN is everywhere so their advertising rates would be higher. I don't think it has to do with high brow and low brow consumers - thick people buy stuff too and it's usually easier to flog them something they don't need with advertising than those with a few more spare brain cells

[FATNED]

2. Watch each channel's commercials...

Especially during the day. Fox is larded up with cheap (probably non-union) and infomercial-esque spots. Lots of Di-tech.com and Avocor hair loss system commercials with no production values. These low-rent advertisers can apparently afford time on Fox News but not CNN. Perhaps this is merely anecdotal but it sure seems to be the way. Check it out sometime.

[quinnox]

4. interesting

I might just tune in to Faux tomorrow to see for myself.

[roughsatori]

5. Make sure you catch a Cristy Lane CD commercial

The funniest shows a veteran talking about the trenches of Vietnam and then says: "there was another soldier with us, Cristy Lane." I have even called friends when it comes on, it is a riot.