Fox ratings up; MSNBC & CNN ratings down from 2001 inaugural coverage

[Carolab]

Inauguration Ratings: CNN & MSNBC Way Down

CNN and MSNBC's viewership levels for yesterday's inauguration were down more than 60% compared to the 2001 inaugural, Nielsen data demonstrates. Meanwhile, FNC averaged 2,581,000 viewers during the inaugural, up 30% from 2001.

Yesterday, between 10am and 4pm, CNN averaged 779,000 viewers -- a 63% drop from 2001, when 2,085,000 viewers tuned in. MSNBC's viewership dropped 68% -- from 1,369,000 viewers in 2001 to 438,000 yesterday. "Jonathan Klein's first planned major news event tanked as CNN hemorrhaged more than half their audience from the 2001 Inauguration," an insider remarked.

Obviously, folks at CNN and MSNBC aren't happy. "It was a big night for Fox -- just like the Republican convention," a second industry insider said. But yesterday's inauguration wasn't as newsworthy as 2000's – there was no transition of power, and the stakes weren't as high for Bush. "Cable isn't about celebration. Cable is about intensity and debate," the insider said. "Even though everybody tried to make a debate out of this, the speech was not controversial."

A CNN rep noted that its primetime average -- 1,353,000 -- was 30% higher than its Q4 2004 average. More numbers, in total viewers:

Between 10am and 4pm:

FNC: 2,581,000 / CNN: 779,000 / MSNBC: 438,000

Between 8 and 11pm:

FNC: 2,439,000 / CNN: 1,353,000 / MSNBC: 385,000

> During the inaugural address (11:58am to 12:20pm), FNC earned 3,570,000 viewers, compared to MSNBC's 563,000. CNN did not break out the address in its ratings.

> In total day, FNC averaged 1,769,000 viewers, up 49% over its Q4 04 M-F average, while CNN averaged 726,000 viewers (up 36%) and MSNBC averaged 396,000 viewers (up 45%).

> Ratings for the broadcast networks will not be available until next week...

# 1/21/2005 05:08:54 PM

If CNN and MSNBC want to hang onto some ratings, they'll have to leap totally to the right, in which case they may steal some of Fox's ratings, or try speaking to the rest of us...

[ribrepin]

1. Try speaking to rest of us

FAT chance

[Acryliccalico]

2. Their ratings are always going

to be higher from the MSM perspective. Who did the ratings? Can they be trusted to tell the truth? Who gives a s**t? How much were they paid? :wtf: Did all the churches tell their congregation's to 'be sure and watch the (nograyshun)'?

[rehema]

6. You took the words right out of my keyboard

Of the numbers would be down many democrats refuse to watch that crap.

[LostInAnomie]

3. CNN and MSNBC need to realize Cons don't watch Faux for news...

They watch it for the same reason they listen to Limpballs to have their shallow distorted world view reinforced. It is propaganda, not news.

[Carolab]

4. If they had covered the protesters I'll bet the ratings would have soared.

I wonder how well C-Span did in ratings during the proceedings.

[fooj]

7. I'm with you! I bet lots of people watched C-span-I did.

Between Matthews gushing all over himself and Wolf Blitzer struggling to find a "politically correct" balance... I just didn't trust MSM! I knew C-span was covering the protests so I tuned in. I also liked the way they just let the BS unfold without the minute to minute commentary! Geeez! Did I mention that Joe Scarborough makes me want to hurl?:puke: I understand that Peter Jennings really focused on the dissention in the crowd and it sounds like their coverage was OK. Think about 2000. (sorry) Many of us didn't even know there were protestors all over the place because not one MSM really covered it! We've learned alot since then!! You know what? I believe that they know we are watching...I think that is becoming quite clear! I even think that those ELECTED OFFICIALS are getting our message! Power to the people! Peace!

[DemReadingDU]

10. I watched C-Span

In my opinion, C-Span probably had more people watching C-Span than CNN/MSNBC combined on 1/20/05.

[imenja]

5. Makes sense. Republicans watch Fox

I wouldn't look at the inauguration. It made me sick. Those who like Bush and can stomach the coronation watch Fox anyway.

[mirandapriestly]

8. same here

but I loved watching the protests on cspan and a little bit on local news. Every time I hear *'s voice , I run and turn off the radio/tv.

[Acryliccalico]

9. Me to........................

[Hugin]

11. Nielsen was freeped long ago...

They lost their unbiased status and were owned (in the hacking
sense) by the RWers in the '90s.

I don't even pay any attention to them anymore.

If I were running a media company one of the first things
I'd do is start an unbiased media survey group. Because I'd
demand to know the truth. If your survey group is
full of crap you're selling advertising in the wrong markets
and losing money.

But, I'm not Rupert.

The New York Post is his idea of a well run newspaper.

[Yupster]

30. I just got my postcard

I'm gonna be a Nielson family in a week or so.

My opinion, or more accurately my wife's will count more than everyone else's.

WooHoo.

[Hugin]

32. Well... Give 'em heck.

You and the other lib family in there
will have to work hard to overcome the
folks who lied on their applications.

;)

[fliesincircles]

12. If they count the total viewership

The headline should read:

VEIWER INTEREST IN * FALLS BY 43%

Fox gains share of watchers for GOP circle jerk.

" * is just causing a hemorrhage of veiwership across the board," said an insider. "People can't stand the sight of him. They just won't watch."

[Hugin]

13. Wonderful observation!

You get that on a scrolling headline at CNN or MSNBC and I'll
give you a cookie.

:)

[fliesincircles]

14. Pretzels only

They ward off evil.

If CNN or MSNBC started running scrolls like that their ratings would skyrocket. I know I would start watching.

[Hugin]

15. Ditto.

Oops.

Darn it.

I mean same here. :)

[glitch]

28. Likewise!

Better than ditto and reminds me of 40s screwball movies.

[meganmonkey]

21. lmao

pretzels only... hee hee!!!

[bush_is_wacko]

16. I wonder about C-spans ratings for the protestors?

Up or down w/ regards to 200/2004?

[ClassWarrior]

17. Why are you of all people preaching poll numbers that are so much more...

...easily manipulated than our election polls?? Neilson's the Corporate Media too.

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

18. No answer, Carol?

NGU.

[Carolab]

26. I'm not preaching anything. I just thought it was an interesting post.

If I had the link I'd provide it but I (thoughtlessly) just copied it and pasted it and in the meanwhile forgot to go back and fetch the link.

[Mistwell]

19. CNN and MSNBC need more interesting programming

Fox is biased. We all know that. And they get the ratings. Part of their ratings is BECAUSE they are known to be biased.

CNN and MSNBC should do that. They should have more of their shows be explicitely by biased commentators, rather than "reporters", and present the liberal side of things. They can have guests on for the other side of course, but the point of the show should be to present a specific side.

They should do this because it makes for more interesting programming, and it ends this game of accusing "reporters" of being one-sided.

CNN and MSNBC are going to have to compete, or die. They need to end this crap of pretending to be unbiased reporters. It doesn't sell, and it's not completely truthful anyway. And since Fox has the right side of things ties up, they should choose the left side of things, and DO IT WELL. Give folks like Greg Palast a show, and let him say controversial things...in fact, ask him to do so. It will get ratings, it will be more interesting, and it's something a lot more people like us would want to hear than the boring crap they have been peddaling for the past decade.

[pacalo]

20. Half the country's interests are being ignored.

I say they start speaking to the left. Until they start doing their jobs by keeping a critical eye on this administration's poor judgement & disdain for the common people in this country (& others), I don't have the stomach for watching their news programs. At all.

[greenmutha]

22. Not many of us were watching the inauguration on any of these channels!

It's CSpan's ratings I'd like to see thrown into this mix. However, out of every personal friend that hates ** that I talked to, not even one of them watched anything at all. The comment I have gotten was: "I couldn't bear to watch that sh*t!"

I think if they would have known that the protestors were being covered, they would have watched.

[New Earth]

23. hmm

it could be because the people that usually watch MSNBC or CNN were AT the inaugural to protest?

[cindyw]

24. Opposite true. They need to lean to the left. The Inaugural was an event

that would be watched by the right. So it only makes sense that Faux would get the ratings. It proves that CNN and MSNBC have more of a left leaning viewership, since lefties were less likely to watch.

[smartvoter]

25. MSNBC has already started migrating to the right. nt

[Yupster]

31. How deoes MSNBC stay in business

I'd like to see their books. They've got to be hemorraging (sp) losses.

[politicasista]

27. They all suck

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[fasttense]

29. It seems so obvious

All CNN or MSNBC would have to do is give a strong liberal slant to their news and people would be watching them in droves. No one watches them now because they are just warmed over conservative news that Fox does meaner and better. They are trying to imitate Fox and instead give us a boring program.

What common sense says is give us Fox but with a liberal spin. Liberals would watch it to confirm their opinions and conservatives would watch it to see what the liberals were up to. At least that is how I deal with Fox.

I can guarantee that the nation would have loved to see the protesters, on the off chance there would be fights. I know it sound morbid but that's why people watch car races for the crashes and that's why people would have watched CNN or MSNBC if they had focused on the protesters. But no, they had to give us boring warmed over faux news. They really need to try something new. Put the new back in the news, Oh what a bad pun, but I enjoyed it.

[berniew1]

33. DU types & progressives aren't doing good job of countering misinformation

commonly found in Newspapers, TV, Radio, etc. that are seen and listened to widely by the majority. Just posting on DU and such doesn't accomplish much. You have to counteract the widespread disinformation being repeated daily in multiple Media and entertainment sources, and object or write letters to Ed or post on bulletin boards where regular people see things.

[euler]

34. This is....

.....bullshit. Nielson is abviously working for the Repugs! They can't be trusted.

[stillcool]

35. The Corporate Media has

done a huge dis-service to me, and have totally lost any trust I once had in their coverage. In the case of 'need to know' I'll go elsewhere, rather than waste my time listening to a bunch of hooey. No matter what they try to do to pick up their ratings it will be a cold day in hell before they have any credibility with me. They have shown their colors, and exposed themselves for all to see. Can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.