Debate Backlash: ABC Feels It In The Ratings

The ratings for last week's evening newscasts are in — and it appears that the angry viewers claiming that they would no longer watch ABC after last week's poorly-received debate made good on their promise: NBC beat ABC by over 600,000 viewers last week — an unusually wide margin for the dueling newscasts.

One reason for that wider-than-usual gap — averaging out Friday's numbers: On Friday, NBC beat ABC by 1.1 million viewers — a practically unheard of margin for an otherwise random Friday night. But it wasn't so random — by Friday, the post-debate backlash was in full swing, with reviews castigating moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulous for their performance, and viewer complaints racking up over 17,600 and counting on ABC.com alone.

Here are the numbers:

What will this bode for this week? The ABC comments are now at 19,425, suggesting a drop-off after the initial outcry, so who knows if this was a flash rejection out of momentary anger or a larger-scale defection. ABC must be feeling it — why else was their lead story last night on gas prices, followed by food prices, on the eve of the first primary in over six weeks? (Politics finally showed up on the broadcast 6:55 minutes in). Update: As it turns out, according to a source with access to preliminary Nielson data, ABC actually beat NBC last night. See above re: the "who knows" factor.

To that end, let's put this in context: Last year at this time, the gap between the two broadcasts was actually larger — in ABC's favor (see here, here and here). You will recall that the NBC ratings jumped over the Virginia Tech story (see here), and then slid in relation to ABC in the weeks following. Many things can go into ratings — lead-in numbers, sporting events, daylight saving time, who was on Oprah — so a number of factors could have contributed to the overall numbers, and will going forward. Still, 1.1 million viewers is a pretty significant block, and worth noting.

A note on CBS' viewers: The total viewer number of 5.39 million is even lower than the 5.4 million figure for Labor Day week which I cited recently as the ratings low for CBS. It is, in fact, a record low. This means that in the week before the much-ballyhooed Pennsylvania primary, with viewers leaving ABC in anger over the debate, CBS actually lost, not gained, viewers. What this says: The recent reports and/or rumors about Katie Couric 's impending departure from CBS have had an effect on viewers, old and potentially new: They don't want to spend their time with a lame duck anchor.

All of which means that this was a particularly good week for NBC.

Related:
A Record Low For 'CBS Evening News' [TV Decoder - NYT]

Update, Cont'd: Here are the prelim numbers for Monday, April 21st: ABC 8.32 million, NBC with 7.98 million. Interesting.

Comments

[whatevertoo]

I no longer watch ABC news and never will again, I now turn to NBC for news. I used to watch CBS however my local CBS station has become so bias, for Hillary, that I know longer watch CBS either. I never watched Fox news to begin with so no loss there.

[vandegrasse]

Oh po TBF. I so tad to hear of deir pwoblems. NOT! And the rest of the media go to blazes as well.

[DefeatAllNeocons]

Boycott Corporate Media
The people HAVE the power

[victoriajubilee]

Continue the boycott of ABC. No let ups.

[peacebro]

I usually watch all the Sunday AM news shows as if it were my church. Could not stomach it to watch ABC last week and still feel sick about the idea of watching them. Especially George S and George Will.

[jakie]

I HAVE STOPPED WATCHING ALL THERE PROGRAMS AND NEVER WILL GO BACK

[racom]

I'm sure I'm not the only person tired of trying to sit through some so-called news production, watching and hearing a report that is either in-accurate, incomplete or down right fabricated and walking away. I have just given up on all the so-called news shows. Actual news can be found on the international news agencies web sites, IPS as example. Evenings and Sunday morning are free of past wasted time spent on fraud, deceit and propaganda.

[TheSecularist]

I stopped watching ABC evening news after their Iraq "documentary". After their attacks on Obama during the "debate", I stopped watching any of their programming. Day before yesterday, I deactivated their channel from my TV. Since they want to be Fox, let them fight Fox to the bottom of the heap for their shallow-minded conservative viewers.

[SFreeborn]

With an infinite choice of things to do with my time, why would I watch such buffoonery as Gibson and Stephanopoulos offer yet again?

Another commenter here said that they felt a whole lot better after turning away from CNN and MSNBC too. After working to support the Obama campaign, blogging my self silly for fifteen months, I feel like I have earned a break.

The so-called "pundits" all seem to repeat the same thoughtless drivel and their judgment appears to be as crap-a-licious as any montage on Comedy Central's Daily Show or Colbert Report shows them to be. I think alot of those people ought to dock their own wages for failure to demonstrate the acumen that the label "pundit" would require.

Anyway, I think I will watch some Food Network, DIY, HGTV, History Channel, or ANYTHING that doesn't require a political opinion. I know that I am not the only one that is sick of the piling on of the punks we've been calling pundits.

The New York Times had it right about Hillary Clinton Wednesday. The fact that the media doesn't really call her on her disingenousness is a sign of their complicity. Why don't they use the word "lie" when one is committed? It's cynical.

[Manx]

I will never watch ABC news again. Both Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopolous have lost their credibility - and their dignity. I now consider both to be buffoons.

[missette]

I was a regular watcher of "This Week." No more. Steph clearly set out to embarrass Obama with his questions which, contrary to his beliefs, were degrading, not tough. All he forgot to ask is where he keeps the bodies. No serious journalist talks to Hannity, much less carries his water. And he knew that the McCabe woman was a setup. Finally, what was the remark to HIllary regarding her tantrum with Richardson, "I know you don't want to talk about that," all about? It's just a matter of time before we learn Hillary was fed the questions in advance and the whole thing was a setup.

[falcao]

Stopped checking in occasionally on General Hospital which I've been watching off and on for more than 30 years. Stopped checking in on their evening news when Peter Jennings died. Used to watch George S's Sunday gabfest with my husband on Sunday mornings but have stopped. Also, cutting way way back on the dreadful CNN and MSNBC scene. It's amazing how much better one feels after just a few days away from this stuff. I hope ABC really feels the burn on this one.

I agree with the person above who noted that this last debate hurt Senator Obama in PA. And that was clearly the intent.

[dagnew]

'Also, cutting way way back on the dreadful CNN & MSNBC scene'

I'm with you, I've gone back to my scrapbooking. And that Campbell Brown on CNN REALLY gets on my nerves....as well as most of the rest of them.

[jimchap]

Gibson is dead as an anchorman. His credibility is gone. Brian Williams is both likable and seems fair.
Gibson showed us he was a lightweight and should be back on the morning show with Katie. (and George)

[brabry]

Now lets get Fox

[armadillious2002]

Good deal. I've taken ABC off my list - probably for good.

[Mollye]

I'm sure they gained as many as they lost. My household switched from NBC/MSNBC over to ABC months ago. Charles Gibson is the best News Anchor onTelevision.

[Justtellthetruth]

Yes. Sure. Charles "Pin Head" Gibson is ALMOST the best news anchor on T.V., only slightly surpassed by the cartoon news casters that occasionally appear on the Simpons, and South park,

[Siren]

You must be in that 'middle income' bracket Charlie was talking about in the debacle caleed and ABC debate. Are you in that $200,000 group? Or maybe your a prof at a small northeastern college making the so called big bucks Charlie referred to that got him instantly laughed at by those profs during that debate.

So clearly you love Charlie because your as clueless about the real lives of real people outside a news office as he is.