MSNBC (Abrams, Tweety, Olbermann) advancing on CNN 6-9 p.m.

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. News: The Coyotes on Old Wolf's Tail

OK, so we know that Fox is king of cable news, largely at CNN's expense, but now it looks like Ted Turner's brainchild is under attack from the other side. Little MSNBC is making an advance during the key 6 p.m.-to-9 p.m. period, hounding Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room, Paula Zahn, and Lou Dobbs. "This is really big news," says MSNBC's Jeremy Gaines. First, let's be clear: CNN has more viewers. But, as they say in TV, only the "demo" matters, and in the key 25-to-54 demographic that ad rates are based on, MSNBC is nipping at CNN. Here, The Abrams Report has seen a 35 percent jump in just a year, though it still lags behind Dobbs. But Hardball With Chris Matthews, up 52 percent, edges Blitzer by 1,000 viewers in the demo, and Countdown With Keith Olbermann, up 39 percent, ties Zahn. MSNBC's Gaines credits "consistency" and good hosts for the trend. At CNN, they note that total viewers are still higher and say that any February pop was due to MSNBC's Olympic coverage. "People were tuning in to watch Bode Miller slip and slide down a ski slope," says spokeswoman Edie Emery, "and they got Chris Matthews instead."

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/060327/27whisplead_2.htm

[Teaser]

1. Die, CNN, Die.

The only really objectionable thing about MSNBC is Tweety. Other things aren't great, but Tweety is the master suckage.

[jayfish]

2. I'd Watch Tweety Any day Of The Week Over...

Joe Scarborough, Rita Cosby, Tucker Carlson or Dan Abrams. They are all vomit inducing. Tweety just makes me nauseous on a great many occasions.

Jay

[Hamlette]

4. What's wrong with Dan Abrams?

I don't watch regularily but when I have watched, he's been great. And my mom calls all the time: "Did you see Abrams? He was great."

[Teaser]

6. He's a "missing white woman of the month" kinda guy

Which feeds into a whole weird mindset.

[0007]

8. Another one that is a waste of time to watch.

[Appalachian_American]

13. I think the concept of his show is the coverage of legal issues

and cases. What's so weird about that? Today his first topic was about Scooter.

[jayfish]

15. From What I Have Seen Of Him He Comes From...

the same, everyone is guilty" mold as Nancy Grace. He just ha a different delivery. Instead of hitting you over the head with bombast like Grace does, he is a kind of "well duh, of course he/she is guilty.

Jay

[Jensen]

3. Tweety, sucks big time and I will NOT wacth him.

I DO watch KO and I wish Tweety would get replaced by David Gregory !

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

5. Olbermann Is Da Bomb!

I turn it on at 4:59 PM PST, and Off at exactly 5:59 PM PST, so I almost completely avoid Tweety & Rita.

[SaveAmerica]

7. Sweet, I love to hear that after 2 years of Countdown w/ Keith O.

being my major news source. It's been a while since I saw anything from Paula Zahn but my impression of her was that she's a hater, is that still true? Keith is a Truther. I don't buy that idea they're trying to push that people were watching more in Feb because of the Olympics, last I heard they kept talking about how ratings were down for the Olympics and no one was impressed or watching.

[themaguffin]

9. Olympics paid off for MSNBC

Olbermann is doing well. I hope that he can get the surge in viewers that he deserves. He's the only one - the only one who will call the GOPussies on their bullshit.

[NightOwwl]

10. Guess I'm in the minority here...

but I think The Situation Room on CNN has been doing a very good job of covering all sides of the story (and having Jack Cafferty every hour sure doesn't hurt.) They have Murtha on a lot, and they even had Larry Wilkerson on an interview where he came right out and said the American people need to face the fact that this Administration lied to them about the reason for going to war.

I would really hate to see CNN change their format now that it appears they aren't so afraid of appealing to the left anymore.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. I agree. I think CNN has improved some. Cafferty is great...

and Wolf isn't as partisan as he once was, I don't think. I can't speak with much knowledge about MSNBC. Abrams' stories don't appeal to me, and Matthews finally came to nauseate me, he's so full of himself, and trying so hard to hang with the big boys (Welch and Russert) in Nantucket. I still have some affection for the CNN Turner envisioned, and would like to see it be what it should be someday, and prosper.

[David Zephyr]

12. Happy to learn that Keith is doing well.

Wolf Blitzer is a joke and a discredited warmongering fool who has a historical role of passionate involvement in manipulation of the American people to invade Iraq. Nothing will ever change that fact.

Chris Matthews is another has been and a bore. He embarrasses himself by getting giddy over the gamesmanship of old-school politics. He's on borrowed time now in the relevance department.

Keith Olbermann is NBC's rising star and is hip and connects with a younger, smarter audience.

And then there's the oldest fart of them all on cable news, Tucker Carlson.

[grasswire]

14. I gotta say that....

...lately I've been watching Wolf over Tweety. I just can't take Tweety anymore, and Wolf-Cafferty has been getting better IMO.