Not surprising that cable news networks have seen overall ratings declines vs. last year’s pre-election period. Non news cable ratings were flat for the same period.
In the first three weeks of the season — September 21 to October 11 — cable lost 5% among its three major demographic groups: 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54 viewers, according to new research from media agency group Group M using Nielsen Company data.
Cable network viewers 18-34 dropped to a collective 15.34 million, down 5.2%; the 18-49 audience went to 16.95 million, off 4.7%; and 25-54 viewers sank to 4.6% to 18.08 million.
Virtually all the loss came from cable news networks, which are witnessing lower ratings as a group versus that of the big upswing in viewers a year ago, due to the presidential election. Cable news networks have lost a massive 61% of their 18-49 viewers as a group and 54% of their key 25-54 viewers as a group.
Taking out those news networks — Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, and Headline News — other cable networks are seeing virtually flat viewership with a year ago.
“Looking at the first three weeks of the season, this only happened once in the last six years, and that was in 2006-2007,” says Lyle Schwartz, managing partner and director of implementation research and marketplace analysis for Group M. “But by the end of that 4th quarter [ratings] had rebounded to basically flat, which is probably what will happen again this season.”
Broadcasters don’t have much to cheer about in all of this. The five-network average shows declines as well — 4% slippage in each of its main view categories — 18-34, 18-49, and 25-54 — sinking to 9.29 million; 11.23 million, and 13.12 million viewers, respectively.
via MediaPost.
But with Fox News leading with strength and the others sliding so far down, what would the average be like if only MSNBC, CNN, CNBC and HLN were counted? Does anyone have numbers on that?
I would really like to know that too.
Me, too.
Me three…
Me, four!
Me five. Wait. I already posted in this thread. Just as an eyeball view of ratings in the news threads probably at least 75% of the drop (if not more) is MSNBC and CNN, though it’s expected that people who were watching news during the presidential race probably still have cable and watch it. Is broadcast so appealing that cable viewers actually would switch back? I’d need someone with more charts but it looks like Fox held relatively steady compared to the other news channels.
Why then is the Obama administration at war with FOX News? If the other networks are so far ahead of Fox in viewers it would seem a waste of time fr the administration to key negatively on Fox. Or could it be that Obama and Company want 100 pro news coverage fro all MSM>
Your theory is a good one Greyfox. Why else would he take time out to interview on MSNBC to reach all three MSNBC viewers? Okay, 600k.
The reason why Obama at war with fox news is because fox news is the only network out there reports the truth and the WH doesn’t like that.
Fox news-fair,balance and unafraid.
OBAMA-Last year ‘YES WE CAN’ but now ‘No You Can’t', Chicago style politics in Washington.