31 Responses to “O’Reilly vs. Olbermann Through Wednesday, October 15”

1. Pink Bear says:

   October 17, 2008 at 9:44 am

   Looks like Keith O. is making progress against Fox News. It’s about time people get smart.

   Even Barack Obama is disgusted with Fox.
2. Bill Gorman says:

   October 17, 2008 at 9:52 am

   Pink Bear, I’ve got no dog in this fight, but our ratings data in this chart goes back about a year, and I don’t see any convergence of those lines at all. The 2 viewership lines are approximately parallel as are the 2 adults 25-54 lines. They’ve both increased over the past year, but their relative position looks about the same.

   Oops, I just noticed that our legend for the long term chart is missing the Olberman dots, I will correct.
3. Bill Gorman says:

   October 17, 2008 at 9:55 am

   There, fixed it.
4. Joe says:

   October 17, 2008 at 2:07 pm

   Pink Bear Scares Me….as does Obama so worried about Fox News…sad…I really want to vote for him too…but if his biggest worry is Fox News…we in trouble
5. Bri says:

   October 17, 2008 at 2:42 pm

   No doubt if the rest of the media wasn’t cheerleading for Obama, unlike fair and balanced Fox, Obama would be down 5-10 points in this election. The generic democrat would be ahead by 15 points over the generic republican this election. That’s how bad Obama has been.
6. Charlie says:

   October 17, 2008 at 3:52 pm

   Rather than just a single straight line approximation, more useful would be some sort of running average — perhaps a monthly running average.

   That would show a flat to slightly declining audience, with a rapid rise starting in June or August.

   It still looks like all the lines will be going up and down in sync with each other.
7. Chris Merrill says:

   October 17, 2008 at 6:00 pm

   Joe, Obama’s biggest concern is not FNC. Yes, he did point out his belief that without Fox he would be a few points higher. And if Olbermann has been around during the ‘00 election, Bush could have (and, I believe, would have) claimed the same thing at MSNBC.
   Bri, I disagree with your statement that the media is cheerleading for Obama. I will grant you that most media is slightly slanted towards Obama, but I would like to point back, again to ‘00 when McCain joked that the press was his base. McCain threw the press under his bus and they, unethically, but predictably bit back. I wonder if you would have been complaining about press bias if the media skewed towards McCain in ‘00 (yea, i know that Bush beat him) instead of Gore
8. Diva says:

   October 17, 2008 at 6:21 pm

   Keith ROCKS! I Luv the 21st Century Political News!!! Way to go MSNBC…

   Don’t worry, it will catch on even more – The point is, more are watching and it is making a good affect on Billo-the clown’s ratings…. Go Keith and Rachel
9. Mr. Manly Man says:

   October 17, 2008 at 6:41 pm

   Nobody understands why Fox wins but me.

   It’s sexy women with great legs and beautiful faces.

   That keeps me tuned in to Fox because I don’t want to miss ONE hot chick. Even Geraldo has hot chicks on the weekend.
10. Bill Gorman says:

    October 17, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    Charlie, I agree that might be a bit more interesting. If I can figure out a way for Excel to do that easily, I will implement it.
11. babawire says:

    October 18, 2008 at 3:06 am

    MSNBC has taken cue from its nemeses Fox news and decided to be opinionated. It is has aligned left just like the more established Fox aligned Right. CNN (we report you decide) is a centrist media. Their ratings will always be fair. It is however boring because they can be too serious at times. Fox has better ratings because it attracts older people who are conservative in nature and pay attention to news even when there is no news. This demography has made Rush Limbaugh (the comedian) a multi millionaire for his 3 hour radio show that airs in rural America on AM radio. He lies to them all day and most of the time keeps it interesting by saying despicable things. He makes $38m a year and that is why he vouches for the republicans. Can you imagine his tax cut? This election is a clear indication that things are changing in America. Imagine the young generation that is paying attention to the elections. MSNBC’s style is connecting with this generation and with time they will be a force to reckon with.
12. Chris Merrill says:

    October 18, 2008 at 8:09 am

    I think that MSNBC is taking a huge risk with making itself a partisan mouth piece. FNC has no connections to any long established news service. MSNBC is a division of NBC News, an organization whose two other news networks (NBC and CNBC) rely on being centrist. And because of that, my hope is at least, that MSNBC will never be as bad as FNC. Their parent and sister should reel them back in.
    I disagree with the characterization that centrist news is inevitably boring. I will grant you that CNN is boring, as they cycle through the same couple of stories all day, some of which are important, some on which is just partisan so-called analysis and the rest of which is stupid celebrity stuff. But If you look at news services that have a focus beyond America’s borders (BBC World, Al Jazeera English, CNN International) they keep the news moving and they can get a huge variety of stories.
13. Sal G says:

    October 18, 2008 at 8:56 am

    Babawire-
    “We Report. You Decide” is clearly and obviously NOT CNN’s tag line but rather is that of FOXNC and there is nothing centrist about CNN (that’s why it is/was (still) called the Clinton News Network). When you say “older” folks are “conservative in nature” it is a completely ridiculous declaration because there are clearly plenty of “older” Lefists of one degree or another (Wm. Ayers, Bill, Hill, Grandma Nan and Kennedy just to start). FOXNC appeals to folks more than the (any) other channels because America is a Center-Right country and that’s the way it is.
14. Laurence Glavin says:

    October 18, 2008 at 12:21 pm

    Last July, Comcast took MSNBC off basic cable and moved it to a digital tier, even if viewers didn’t order digital service otherwise. I acquired a box so I could continue to watch MSNBC (but I needed a signal splitter to watch one show while taping another, and unless I’m doing it wrong, it won’t work for MSNBC). I’ve observed on several media internet sites that MSNBC is absent from many cable systems while Fox News Channel is ubiquitous. I understand that Mr. Murdoch is a hard bargainer; NBC Universal, which also owns many broadcasting and cable channels, not so much. I wonder if anyone has made a comparison of Fox’s cable penetration vs. MSNBC, and if that could partially account for FNC’s dominance.
15. Bill Gorman says:

    October 18, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    our regular cable news posts have channel penetration numbers, the differences are tiny.
16. babawire says:

    October 19, 2008 at 4:07 am

    Bill O’reilly, Hannity, Humes and Graham are centrist Right?? No way. How come they like puddling too much in mud….. fanning rumors like Acorn and belaboring on issues like Bill Ayers? I used to watch them but they have pushed me away.
17. Sharon M says:

    October 20, 2008 at 7:12 am

    I have been home recovering from a failed back surgery for the past 6 months, so I have had plenty of time to watch all the different broadcast & cable news & programs. While I may agree that FNC may slant right, but no more than CBS, NBC, ABC,& CNN may slant left. MSNBC is blatanly left. FNC is definatly “FAIR & BALANCED” Wait, before you start calling me names, let me explain, from what I have seen, O’Reilly, although he can be tough on his questioning, he is tough with EVERYONE. He ALWAYS two different views on a subject. Yes, Hannity is definitely a Conservative – he is BALANCED by Colmes who is definitely a Liberal. Greta,until lately with the Election she usually just reports on different crimes & trials going on, but still, gives DIFFERENT VIEWS on the election. I tried to watch Keith O & Rachel, but all they said is, “..it’s Bush’s fault..Bush stink..Republicans stink..it’s Bush’s fault..Bush sucks..” They only show PORTIONS of a news tape so that supports THEIR VIEWS. They are not very honest. In my opinion, I have also noticed on MSNBC especially, they aren’t very TOLERANT to people with different views. If you voice a different opinion, then you are an idiot.
18. Ward says:

    October 21, 2008 at 3:54 pm

    Bill, unless I’m mistaken, DirectTV only offers Fox news with its basic package, at least in SW Missouri.
19. Bill Gorman says:

    October 21, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    Nielsen’s numbers for the household penetration for each cable news network are in our regular cable news posts. I think I should start putting them in this post too.
20. CA says:

    October 22, 2008 at 6:41 am

    I agree with Sharon M! Could not said it better myself.
21. coops says:

    October 22, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    Stop with the fair and balanced nonsense. Do you watch that morning show it is nothing but neocon propaganda, and always has been. Saying anything less is ridiculous. MSNBC is no more left than Fox is right, but they don’t pretend to be fair and balanced(laughable).
22. Ed says:

    October 22, 2008 at 6:01 pm

    You know I think those numbers are not reflectant of the truth because it looks like Oberman is gaining on O’relly but one of the main reasons people the turn to his program is to see his emphatuation with O’relly. It seams like everytime I turn to his show he is talking about O’relly like he is the most influential person in the world and the world revolves around O’relly and all his antics. I hope O’relly can get a restraining order on Oberman because I believe he might be stalking him.
23. Rich says:

    October 22, 2008 at 6:36 pm

    I agree with Sharon M. In fact I will take it one step further when I see most of Keith’s show is all about hating on the republicans and Fox News. You can almost guarantee that his WORLD’s Worst will feature a conservatives and at least one person connected to Fox News. I think O’Reilly has the record for most appearences on the World’s Worst. Keith also has a segment every day dedicated to insulting John McCain (McCain in the Membrane.) In watching Keith over the past 2 months, I have not seen him say one negative thing about OBAMA….not one. Not even a bad hair style. He gave a 5 minute “special comment” on how McCain has used 9/11 as a fear tactic, referring to 9/11 as 9/11TM….which in my oppinion was plain out disrespectful. His only guest that has a different oppinion is Pat Buchannon and let’s face facts, Buchannon is a weak guest. Point is, Olberman’s show has become one long daily campaign ad for Barrak Obama and has nothing to offer as a news show.
24. darryl says:

    October 23, 2008 at 7:07 am

    Fox is definitly to the right. There is the morning show. neil cuvoto, o’reilly(whose is on slightly bias), hannity and then there combs who pretends to be to the left but never press the issue and always looks like he agrees with hannity in the end. This is not to mention all there guest who are mostly from the right. Fair and balanced is a joke. Cnn is about the most balanced. I love msn but watch all three Sharon M. must not be listening or watching what most people are.
25. juandos says:

    October 24, 2008 at 4:45 am

    Hmmm, people like ‘pink bear’, ‘babawire’, and ‘coop’ are kind of scarey…

    Imagine people with the tenuous grip on reality these three exhibit being behind the steering wheel of a vehicle going in excess of one mile per hour…

    NOT a comforting thought…
26. KWinFL says:

    October 24, 2008 at 9:46 am

    Sharon M…couldn’t agree more. KO and CM are so left and in the tank for oboma that it’s sickening to watch. All they do is discuss their views…they don’t want to hear anyone elses. At least FNC has people like howard wolfson, lanny davis…to an equal degree (depending on night) of dems vs reps. FNC attacks issues more than individuals, IMO. FNC aren’t chearleading for obama as NBC, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and CNN (least offensive, except AC360) are. It’s absurd to say that any other network has as many dems and reps per night commenting and being allowed to speak their peace.

    KO should go back to espn and talk baseball!
27. Matt says:

    October 24, 2008 at 12:03 pm

    I cant agree with the fair and balance approach to FNC. FNC is more like a station trying to being something it isnt. If you look at shows like hannity and colmes and Oreilly youll see fox contributors are a majority republicans. If you also watch hannity and colmes you can tell that Colmes is a weak democratic counterpart to Hannity. Bill calls himself a populist even though he supported a war that many didnt and supported a president uptill a couple weeks ago, who had like a 20% favorbility. I think Keith olbermann is known for bashing bush but its more of a populist view than Oreilly. While Rachel Maddow has a liberal point of view too but she does it in a likeable way (unlike Hannity), but for some reason she gets shut out from Mccain advisors in interviews. If you compare Hannity’s America which is so far right to Rachel Maddow youll notice that atleast Maddow has a more positive look at liberal views instead of using a hour for Radical ties to Obama documentury via Hannity(Wheres Colmes America?). I think in the future your gonna see this idea of America being center right shift to the left. Congress will see a jump of atlest 20 democrats in the house and 7 in the senate because America is shifting the other direction. Your gonna see the numbers shift from FNC to NBC and CNN unless FNC changes it design.
28. prophour says:

    October 24, 2008 at 7:28 pm

    To even attempt to defend Fox news as “fair” in any way, shape or form is an exercise in self delusion. the only difference between FNC and the RNC is one f@cking letter. If MSNBC didn’t serve as a counter-point to Fox News then that would enable those cretins to continue to boast that all main stream media is biased. it doesn’t feel so good when a liberal becomes as enraged and indignant as the repugnant wind bags at Fox News. and another thing that stupid American Carol movie was a lame attempt at trying to prove conservatives can be funny facists. I guess they couldn’t stand the fact that people laugh at the conservatives while we watch Olbermann. all O’Reilly has is rage and name calling. not quite as entertaining.
29. Matt says:

    October 29, 2008 at 6:29 pm

    I can’t believe the people and how blind they are. Fox news, I agree does make Obama look bad at times but that’s because it’s so easy to do. None of the other networks report the truths about obama and that is a crime in itself. Why won’t the L.A. Times release the footage from the conference in question, why won’t Obama go into detail about Acorn, Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, His own wife Michelle who never has been proud of our country, or even the simple fact that he won’t even put his hand on his heart and pledge alegiance to his own country in which he loves so much ( supposedly ). Come on people connect the dots as if it wasn’t so obvious, this man is an anti american semitist. In his own book he makes claims to things that are very controvercial and the other networks won’t mention them, Because they know it would kill his campaign.

    To raise taxes on the rich only means we as consumers pay higher prices on product, so there goes your tax cut he just gave you. The people that will get the wealth distribution checks in the mail will also have to pay higher prices so there goes their welfare check and oh yeah don’t they already get welfare in the form of food stamps, money assistance, and their rent paid for with the section 8 program which will pay as much as 1000.00 dollars in monthly rent, Heck I sure could use that, I got an autistic son which costs me 750.00 dollars a month in private special education. By the way I don’t make between my wife and I a hundred thousand a year or even close. I would love the assistance but you know I sure as heck don’t go around thinking someone owes it to me.

    Get real people this guy is going to spend like crazy, there will be no balanced budget from the liberals, who by the way are proposing another stimulus as high as 350 billion, keep the checks let get back on track with being a nation independent from debt to China and others.
30. MCHAMMA says:

    October 29, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    In the same way Obamaians complain that he’d have a few points more if not for Fox News I state that McCain would have at least 10-15 points were it not for MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, NY Times, LA Times, etc. Fox News claims to be Fair and Balanced to liberal bias and thank goodness we have an outlet to provide another perspective. Keep your big monolithic news sources who pick up the exact same stories from the wires and offer no originality and we’ll stick with Fox. Go McCain!!
31. PalinPower says:

    October 30, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    I agree with MCHAMMA and Matt, both make excellent points. In the mornings I “news shop”,Fox gives equal time to Obama and McCain on the campaign trail, I would not say the same for MSNBC. I can no longer comment on what CNN does, I stopped watching because…I have a brain. I cannot beleive how many Americans do not find it scary that MSNBC has made a clear stance for Obama to win this election, I’m under the impression that a fair and balanced election may also be out of the question. FOX 10 to 1 is the reason ACORN got any attention for voter fraud and the outright bias that ACORN organizers have for Obama.