We’ve had lots of cable news charts on the site recently showing dramatic declines for both individual cable news show and cable news network ratings as a whole compared to their October 2008 election period. Many have asked about a comparison of Fox’s results with those of CNN and MSNBC, and reader MikeS has come through again, compiling the charts below showing the relative audience for each network compared to its October 2008 average for both adults 25-54 and average viewers.
It’s pretty clear that the election year ratings hangover being suffered by both CNN and MSNBC initially struck Fox News as well. Their ratings declines on a percentage basis were similar through early 2009, but beginning in February CNN and MSNBC audiences continued falling relative to their pre-election levels and Fox News’ ratings stabilized at about 90% of their election period levels. CNN did have a Michael Jackson death ratings spike in mid-summer, but that has now entirely dissipated.
Beginning in mid-summer, Fox News’ ratings began climbing and are now at or near the levels for October, 2008 while both CNN and MSNBC are down 50% plus from their October, 2008 levels.
5-11pm Adults 25-54 viewers vs. October, 2008 average:
5-11pm total average viewers vs. October, 2008 average:
You can see our daily cable news ratings here.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
I think its safe to say people are sick of the BS pushed by MSNBC & CNN. The numbers tell the story!
When you talk bad about the people who are watching calling them stupid or radical we will turn you off!
You have to earn our respect and with all the bad things you have said you have a whole lotta work on your hands!
Why FOX is winning? They respect us and they don’t treat us like were stupid.
Perhaps this has more to do with people’s priorities in their “off”time than with their political views? In other words, Fox viewers continue to spend their time watching TV, while everyone else has better things to do……………….
Watch MSNBC and CNN and you too can be “To stupid to understand”.
The only ones who are watching FOX all day are those who watch looking for something to hate about FOX. And you haters drive up their numbers just by hating FOX and talking about FOX all the time you make other people look at whats all the fuss about. Thus, driving up the numbers for what you hate more than anything. Keep hating! FOX loves it. Keep pointing the finger at FOX and say “LOOK AT THEM!” And people will!
LMAO at the haters!
There are apparently more nincompoops watching TV than I thought.
I grew up during the Vietnam War, and therefore I know all too well how the news media can slant the news and try to manipulate events. I’m convinced that if Fox News had been around back then, things might have turned out very differently. Maybe those of us who wanted our country to win that war, instead of cutting and running, might have prevailed. Maybe people would have gotten the full story of what our soldiers accomplished, instead of hearing just the opinions of that traitorous c*nt Jane Fonda, and maybe there would have been fewer people spitting on our soldiers and calling them “baby-killers”. Some of you wonder why Fox News is so popular? Because some of us have seen the alternative – where only the views of the biased are presented, where editorializing is substituted for hard reporting of the facts. Fox News IS fair and balanced. Give it a try and maybe you’ll learn something. Now that there’s a radical President in power and a Congress bent on social engineering and control of the populace through “health care reform”, thank god Fox News is there to give us the WHOLE story, instead of the puff pieces spouted by a fawning media. THAT is why Fox is so popular – because people want to hear the truth!
The average CNN, MSNBC viewer has no need for current events or other news that effects or may effect their life. They prefer goverment to mange their life and send them a paycheck each week so they can spend their time watching some reality show instead of being productive and contributing in some way to society. It is a shame that there is not a test to determine if you are smart enough to vote.
Before everybody goes into a panic over this, let’s put the FOX News network into proper perspective. My understanding is that it averages about 3 million viewers a day. What that really adds up to is only 1% of the total U.S. population. And the probability that most, if not all, of those viewers are of a conservative bent anyway who only have FOX News to turn to for “informational” solace and comfort is quite high. So I think I’d advise the whole country not to get too concerned about what 1% of the population is watching. They may be making a lot of noise, but they’re still only 1% and they should only be given 1% attention, if every one of the other 99% was smart about it. As to why the other networks have slipped, well, that’s because everybody else has simply gotten on with their lives after the election and they’ll only tune back in again when there’s actually something of value happening.
lmao@ Robin_Salter…
BTW, wolfster38, your comment about numbers being “driven up” by the “haters” is probably a little inconsistent with reality. Your television doesn’t magically tell every polling agency in the biz how much time we’ve spent watching FoxSpews…. and I doubt any “hater” of yours is willing to record twenty minutes of watching billo-the-clown’s head explode on their Nielson-ratings report.
(And NO, techies, the user-feedback system incorporated into digital cable/satellite receivers does NOT get reported to outside agencies, so don’t waste your time bringing it up.)
Fox news and Fox.com are keeping the spirit of the fourth estate alive while the rest of the simpering, whiny, gutter-snipes of the press gobble down the pap & smear from WH. We watch the other four cable and the three networks just to see what they miss or how they buy the WH “spin”.
President (with all due respect to the office) Obama and his cronies must think we ARE all stupid or will not do anything about their destruction of the financial condition of the US and their continued attempts to increase our moral degradation and reliance upon the government.
Well just wait until the upcoming elections and those following in 2010 and 2012!
We will not only kick out the Democrats but we will usher out the “do-nothing” Republicans with more than one term in office and replace them with independent citizens this time, with term limits and a requirement of fiscal responsibility.
WY, statistics disagree with virtually everything you said except the 1% part. I’ve posted them plenty here.
But we aren’t suppsoed to get to much off the topic of cable news ratings and into politics/personal insults. So people, don’t get yourselves banned or comments deleted. User/contributor Mike B created a forum that has been endorsed by the people that run this site for us to talk politics etc:
http://www.voyagertrans.com/forum1/index.php
Not sure why the Liberals and MSNBC fans don’t want to come to our forum and talk on a level playing field. Scared to I guess.
OH! Don’t forget, Glenn Beck drops the “Blue Curtain” tonight! Will discuss “for the full hour”!
Set your DVRs!!!
Regarding the drop in MSNBC viewers to half of what it was around election time: I think that gradually people are getting tired of hearing the two prime time anchors talking about former President Bush and former presidential candidate Palin. Ironically, the conservatives acknowledge that Obama has the power of the presidency to solve problems, while the liberals keep making excuses, as if he has little power.
Please liberals, please tell me how this is win-win for CNN and MSNBC. I’m very intersested being I hear that MSNBC is proud of Olberman’s ratings.
I’ve noticed over the last few days that CNN seems to be stepping up their game and calling the Obama admin out. They put Valerie Jarrett on the hot seat the other day by getting her to blather about how biased FOX is and then the reporter asked her if she felt the same way about MSNBC and Jarrett started spinning her wheels just like Richard Heene after balloon boy called him out on Larry King.
Then last night, Jeff King, filling in for Anderson Cooper, actually broached the subject of Obama paying off financial donors with special favors at taxpayer expense. It was pretty great.
My bad: I meant former VICE-presidential candidate Palin.
Do we really have to do this exercise on a daily basis?
Ya, ya…Fox “news” is really popular with the ultra radicalized right wing base of the Republican party (at least what remains) and the more they are sidelined by progressive America, the more rabid they become in their viewing habits. This is a surprise?
In other news: The earth travels around the sun in an ellipse…
YZNN
You must realize that now that Liberal Democrats are in charge, sooner or later their policies of socialism would come to light. You can’t dress up a turd.
YZNN, FOX is far more mainstream than MSNBC. It’s the MSNBC viewers who are extreme and radicalized. Not to mention in denial. Deep denial.
I hardly think any group that feels the need to change their name from “liberal” to “progressive” in order to avoid the stigma of their own disgraceful ideology is in any position to sideline the dominant ideologies of this country — those of the conservatives and moderates.
>You can’t dress up a turd.
Did it take you a while to come up with that or do you jot down Glenn Beckisms on Flash cards while smacking your head against the wall at night? Just wondering…
>YZNN, FOX is far more mainstream than MSNBC. It’s the MSNBC viewers who are extreme and radicalized.
I watch MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, PBS News, BBC America et al in a constant rotation, depending on the mood I am in on a given night. I like a broad spectrum of news sources.
The radicalized wingnuts only watch Fox because it is the only channel on the dial that will tell them what they want to hear (not what is happening.)
Take it as you will.
i watch fox along with cnn. why? all these networks has a bias and so to get to the truth, i watched both and decide for myself where i stand. i think the reason fox ratings are high is due to supplies and demands. Since most other networks and the msm are so left leaning, folks, like myself tune into fox to get the ‘OTHER’ point of views and perspectives. I think its dangerous to participate in ‘GROUP THINK’ and Fox is the only network left that allows us to avoid this dangerous concept of ‘Group Think’. Right or wrong, i think its healthy to question question question and question the decisions made by our governing party/person/body.
“The radicalized wingnuts only watch Fox because it is the only channel on the dial that will tell them what they want to hear (not what is happening.)”
Give me an example of what a radicalized wingnut is. Also give an example of FOX not reporting what is really happening.
I constantly read allegations without any examples. This can’t be good for the country. How am I supposed to react to a series of negative generalizations that have no merit?
>Give me an example of what a radicalized wingnut is.
A good example would be anyone who uses the word socialism to define the current administration and has no idea what it really means in historical or present context.
>Also give an example of FOX not reporting what is really happening.
There is an entire movie about this called Outfoxed or just head over to http://mediamatters.org/ and dig through the daily distortions. Yes, it is a liberal watchdog group so take the commentary with a grain of salt – but make sure to read the contextual documents/videos and decide for yourself.
Last night a snarky story about Sarah Palin, out of everything in the news now, was the #1 story on Keith Olbermann’s show. Could that have anything to do with why his show specifically, and MSNBC in general have sunk in the ratings by more than 50%? How can you take them seriously?
>Could that have anything to do with why his show specifically, and MSNBC in general have sunk in the ratings by more than 50%? How can you take them seriously?
Nahh, the majority of Americans dislike if not hate Sarah Palin. She is good fodder for slow weeknights in liberal circles – although I do see where you are going with this…Making a joke the focus of your show in effect turns your show into a joke. You could be right on with that point.
Anyway, since you bring it up – KO was NOT EVEN ON his show last night. He has been away quite a lot over the last month or so…
“Not sure why the Liberals and MSNBC fans don’t want to come to our forum and talk on a level playing field. Scared to I guess.” – Charlie
I’m not sure I can take any site seriously that posts in its poll that FOX News is the favorite news source for 89% of respondants when only 1% of the American population tunes into the network.
>I’m not sure I can take any site seriously that posts in its poll that FOX News is the favorite news source for 89% of respondants when only 1% of the American population tunes into the network.
Actually, it was higher than that but stopped by and threw in a token vote for MSNBC to see if I could get them to start suspecting each other of sedition…
Oh I see why everyone on this thread so angry, because Keith Olbermann makes fun of Fox and the rest of them!!!!
Oh boy…
“they don’t treat us like were stupid.”
Oh, the irony.
MSNBC and CNN show only one side of every story. (the liberal side) Fox gives you both sides of the story. It’s as simple as that. Americans with half a brain in their head want balanced reporting and that’s something they can’t get with MSNBC and CNN. Hence, Fox’s dominant ratings…
>Fox gives you both sides of the story.
Riiiiight, and the tooth fairy is real, haha.
American’s do want balanced reporting, but Fox is not an option for said balance. It very predictably “reports” the news making sure to spin everything to intersect the daily RNC talking points. It used to be the White House talking points as Scott McClellan embarrassingly shared, but when the Elephants got booted from that residence, they lost their script.
So yes, if you are a conservative – Fox “news” reports all the sides of the story you want to hear. Just don’t actually believe there is anything fair and balanced about Fox “news.” Fox “news” is specifically tailored for Republicans, which is why you all like it so much…
It’s obvious from the comments on this post that the popularity of Fox News has nothing to do with the quality of content, but everything to do with politics and ideology. Just scroll through the comments of the Fox News supporters and you will see that their focus is on ideology and how Fox News is superior based on that criteria. People want to hear their own ideology spoon fed back to them, especially when the other side is in power. MSNBC does the same thing on the left, but since the left is in power right now, they feel less need to rally around those programs and MSNBC isn’t doing as well. Since Fox News speaks for the far right and spins their news from the far right, people who are comforted by that rally around it. It’s just human nature.
Keith Olbermann is unable to say radical, homegrown islamic terrorist. He refuses to report on the many instances in recent weeks of extremist radical muslim men arrest for plotting acts of violence against US citizens on US soil.
Keith Olbermann’s vocabulary is : Palin, Cheney, Palin, Cheney, Palin, Cheney. Move ON, grow up, Keith Olbermann and his boyfriend, Rachel, need to grow up. They are both psycho.
Beck is rocking again on his show again right now, man that guy is on it, he has all the facts together. Shows exactly what this WH is up to.
Thank God for the Becks of the world.
The only reason fox news has the highest ratings is that the right wing wackos, tea baggers, birthers, deathers,and racist need something to cling to for satisfaction and relief…after the 2008 election all the sane people in america have gone back to their normal lives
Hate and anger sells and after the election the left lost Bush to hate but Fox News was just getting their hate engine warmed up.
there is only one real reporter left in the whole country.
he’s on FNC every weekday at 4:00pm CST
thank god for TiVo!
The real reason more people watch Fox is because both MSNBC and CNN are self admitted Obama lovers. News organizations are suppose to report to the people what is going on, not be just another outlet for the white house. People don’t watch MSNBC because of hacks like Oberman and Mathews. Fox has their fair share of nuts (i.e. Beck) but most of the commentators make an effort and question the administration, that is suppose to be their job.
>most of the commentators make an effort and question the administration, that is suppose to be their job.
Sure…except Fox “news” did not do that during the Bush Administration and now 100% of their programming is devoted to discrediting, not questioning the White House.
It is one thing to ask questions. It is another to ask questions and then provide answers convenient to your corporate agenda.
>He refuses to report on the many instances in recent weeks of extremist radical muslim men arrest for plotting acts of violence against US citizens on US soil.
How many white Christian men killed Americans in America last year? I am guessing a lot being there is an average of 45 murders a day and this is a majority Christian nation. So while you were taking a few minutes to design out your post on how “teh muslems r plotten” it is quite likely there was a white male Christian murderer that killed another American in this the United States.
Why doesn’t he stoke racial hatred and fear at every opportunity like the commentators on Fox “news?” Clearly they have the racial and cultural hatred niche covered…
“How many white Christian men killed Americans in America last year? I am guessing a lot being there is an average of 45 murders a day and this is a majority Christian nation”
That must explain why the majority of a prison populous is black and Hispanic…because most of the white Christian males are killing everyone. You’ve been on this thread all day…progressives must smoke a lot of weed.
Mindy,
Yep, Overbite makes fun of Fox. Mentions them all the time.
And they continue to ignore him.
And they continue to trounce him.
He’s like a guy who trash talks while getting skunked in a game of one-on-one. There’s a comical element to it…but in the final analysis it’s pretty pathetic when all the other guy has to say is one word:
SCOREBOARD!
Ed
What the heck drove that bump for CNN in July? Michael Jackson maybe?
Ed
>That must explain why the majority of a prison populous is black and Hispanic…because most of the white Christian males are killing everyone. You’ve been on this thread all day…progressives must smoke a lot of weed.
Ahh, I knew it would only take so much time to smoke out the racists being the Republican heavy readership in these parts.
You’re right. All killers are non whites and they all smoke a lot of weed. The good news is they are not as scary as non whites from another country…Right? We “agree” on that point? Non white and non Christian = terror! Scary! Run!
Oh heck, I have lots of time. Just waiting for my welfare check and the local shelter happens to have broadband. “Lucky” me…
FOX is kinking @ss and even the President can’t stop them! All you libtards really hate that. Don’t you?
LMAO
>FOX is kinking @ss
Yes they are. They are the kings of kink: http://foxnewsporn.com/
But more different people tune in to CNN, MSNBC, and HN than Fo…
(oops, that was a cancellation excuse. sorry, i’m posting in the wrong story.)
I laugh when liberals make lame excuse after lame excuse to explain Fox’s ratings away. How pathetic! Really, calling Fox’s viewers stupid? That’s so childish. When CNN and MSNBC stop kissing Obama’s butt and stop demonizing conservatives (40% of the country), then people will start watching. Hell, Joy Behar just said on her show that “Obama is too smart for this country”. WTF??? The media lovefest with Obama is sickening. If the media did its job and exposed Obama’s past (like Beck has), the American people would never have voted for him.
Glenn Beck has the best researched program! He is a true journalist than any other so-called “journalist”. Glenn is a true scholar, everything he puts out are backed by facts, listening to him like listening to a real good professor.
His number proves it. Actually ever since Glenn joint Fox in Jan 16 2009, Fox’s number has gone up, largely is because Glenn.
Thank you Glenn!
Thank you Glenn Beck program’s research and production team!
You guys are doing Americans a huge service.
Robin Salter: Yes that millions of others have “better things to do”…now that’s a good ’spin’! I would imagine we can expect a losing candidate to say that he/she didn’t win because people were just to tired to vote…..it makes as much sense!
>The only reason fox news has the highest ratings is that the right wing wackos, tea baggers, birthers, deathers,and racist need something to cling to for satisfaction and relief.
James, consider that 50% of the polled Fox watchers are self-identified independents and Dems. So unless you believe independents and Dems are racists or “birthers,” you’re just making unfounded emotional statements. Insults like yours are typical, expected, and boring. Please bring factual numbers to make an argument.
>If the media did its job and exposed Obama’s past (like Beck has), the American people would never have voted for him.
People still voted for a former drug addict who skipped out on his “military” service… twice. So maybe, maybe not.
@AK
Good lord AK. Come on! Grow up will you. GB never “skiped out” on his military duty. In case you didn’t know, CBS was DEAD WRONG and had to apologize. And GB did try an illegal narcotic before, but who cares what happened 40 years ago! If I’m not mistaken, Obama experimented with drugs too. But I guess thats fine with you. Because he’s Obama!
The fact that you immediately go after Bush when I mentioned BO socialist past shows that you can’t defend him. Sure you can spew childish insult and say racist and stereotypical remarks, but everything Beck has exposed of BO past is true, and you know it.
People watch FOX for entertainment and not for News. Most of my friends are Liberals and they watch it because they love to hate Beck, Hannity, and OReilly. It’s like watching TMZ or Entertainment Tonight.
Also, keep in mind that very few people actually watch Cable News…only 1% of America actually watch FOX News.
@steve perry
Excuses, excuses. People watch OPINION SHOWS (Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly) foe entertainment. Clearly you’ve never watched thier News programs. Typical ignorant liberal.
As unemployment #s rise. More and more folks are home watching TV. Those that choose to watch cable news are picking FNC over the other two.
This is the reason why high unemployment is bad for the current administration. More folks at home watching FNC, more votes lost for the next election.
So…when you don’t have any logical points, you can resort to the ever mature name calling tactic. Great, I hope that’s working for you. I think Barney and Friends has an on-line thread you might be interested in.
If we must delve (We must! We must!), I’m probably as racist as you. My point: murders aren’t only committed by white Christians (Whom I suspect you may be a bit racist against). This is called logic. Logic is something you use to differentiate yourself from a clown. I’m racist against clowns, not blacks or Hispanics. You’re not a clown, are you YZ?
Interesting how heated this debate is. I don’t have a TV/prefer to get my news from the radio or the newspaper (when I’m paying attention at all, which I’m often not.)
Fox News is or used to e constantly used as a reference point, a case in point for something ridiculous, biased, right-wing. Whether or not that’s true, it’s worth noting that that’s the Image its brand hand, at least in the more left-leaning sectors. (I’m really thinking more The New Yorker rather than CNN.)
I’d be interested to look back (read: i’d be interested in having someone else look back and tell me what they find) at what was going on in february and then through this summer…The Obama Administration I think has been very vocal about their distaste for the network, and I wonder if this vocalization might not correspond with the rise in Fox News’ ratings.
When Bush was in office and Obama was running for President, possibly getting unfair coverage on FOX, FOX was on the inside. Now with Obama in office, they’re on the opposite side of the political power spectrum.
A news organization Should be critical of whatever the current administration is. Maybe this change in political dynamics accounts for their boost in ratings. John Tantillo did a post on his branding blog, arguing that the Obama Admin’s opposition to the network has brought out the fact that Fox is a “brand winner.”
How about this:
You, (pronoun) your(posessive of you) you’re (you are)
to,(preposition) too (also, excessive) two (more than one)
were (past tense verb) we’re (we are) where (location)
they(pronoun) there(location) their(posessive of they) they’re(they are)
it its (posessive of it) it’s (it is)
Fox news is just that. They report the news. They also do a great job of having both sides presented. I know that ticks off a lot of folks but you can’t be slaughtering the competition ALL THE TIME if there wasn’t a product to do just that. The problem is when there is corruption on the left the other news stations don’t report it or do as little as possible. They lose all credibility when they do that.
Also, when I hear and read the white house is angry at FOX, I’m reminded of an enemies list a certain President had. This is why FOX slaughters it’s competition because the American people know a conman when they see one. The so called press of CBS-ABC and NBC are not being honest with America and America knows it.
So good for FOX, keep angering the Administration, call them on every point you can, hold them accountable, question their motives, do what the press is supposed to do…go after the facts, report on what is known regardless of who gets angry.
- Also, keep in mind that very few people actually watch Cable News…only 1% of America actually watch FOX News.
Maybe true…and what percent actually watch CNN, or CBS, or MSNBC? If there is 1% watching Fox, then the viewership of any of the others doesn’t even register in single digits, right?
IMHO, it’s a little convenient how anybody bashing on Fox pulls out the “1% number, but conveniently leave out the really low percentage of any of the competitors, which don’t even register as a whole number on the percentage scale.
where’s the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert nexus? How about blogs?