New Record Low For CBS Evening News

Last week, the week of May 19, CBS News set a new record low in ratings, taking in a mere 5.33 million viewers. Its previous record low came the week of April 21, where it recorded 5.34 million viewers (the previous week's 5.39 million was also a new low, thus giving the CBS Evening News three weeks of record low ratings this spring).

NBC won both total viewers and the coveted 25-54 demographic. Full ratings appear below.

Ratings for Week of May 19, 2008 (via TVNewser)

Total Viewers: NBC: 8,100,000 / ABC: 7,840,000 / CBS: 5,330,000

25-54 demo: NBC: 2,570,000 / ABC: 2,360,000 / CBS: 1,540,000

25-54 rating: NBC: 2.1/9 / NBC: 1.9/8 / CBS: 1.2/5

Comments

[rbenjamin]

Oh, you mean their rating, not what they actually said.

[drblack]

Corporate Media, cable or broadcast is not capable of presenting real News.

[deadbolt]

People still watch that cr@p?! That bewilders me. No wonder we get involved in unnecessary wars and elect spoiled little brats president. We need a mainstream medium to replace the mainstream media.

[mellene]

Unfortunately, the network news has become so sanitized and controlled by it's big corporate owners that the public is just tuning out to listening anymore. The network news is now probably the most boring and therefore predictable about it's tailored news that the public gets to hear. I don't think CBS is any less interesting to listen to than ABC or NBC. By the time it gets reported in the evening it's already old news as it's most certainly been on the internet for hours already. Then there's the question of which news commentator you want to see. Well it doesn't matter much as none of the three are really any good anyway except from an entertainment perspective. I don't think the public believes that any of the three have unquestioned integrity because it's all dictated from the moral compass of their greedy owners. As long as the corporate perspective dictates what's aired, the network news will continue to fade into the past and one day be gone.

[elo]

I don't think that Katie Couric was a good choice of a nightly news anchor--but I also don't think that CBS' failures can be blamed on her. (Even the choice of Couric is really CBS' fault.) The networks are all becoming such dinosaurs, resistant to change (in the way people watch tv and technology) rather than reacting and adapting to it. Sure they've adapted somewhat--but they're barely keeping pace rather than anticipating or leading in the field--which, with their strong brand names, they're clearly in a position to do.

Dr. Tantillo ('the marketing doctor') drew a great comparison between the approach that networks should be taking and the Fisher Cab Company--when it realized that horses and buggies were on their way out, the company partnered with automobile companies - "Bodies By Fisher" - Perhaps not the direction you dream of your product (and brand name) going, but better than burying your head in the sand to the changes around you. (link to Tantillo's post: http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv/2008/05/28/tantillo-on-the-news-2.aspx)

Over a month ago, he also posted on Couric and how it was crazy of CBS to take her obviously morning show personality and 'talent' and stuff her into a nightly news scenario. I think he also talked about this on Fox Business News (oh how we all heart Fox). Here's a link to the Couric post: http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv/2008/04/11/dr-tantillos-30second-how-to.aspx

[PigLipstick]

I recently started watching CBS News again because they have started taking a hard line on stories concerning the current establishment. I can't be surprised that CBS has become the administration's newest punching bag, verification that they must be turning up the heat and doing something right for a change. I don't waste my time with FOX and the other two network good news groups are not much better. Rosy scenario human interest stories are good propaganda for the current group of Nazis in power, but they don't deliver on the mission of a free press to inform the citizenry and to shine a light on the cockroaches in the White House and in Congress !

[ADVOCATE4ZPG]

Yes, CBS News attracted considerable POSITIVE comment when it reported on the bankrupting effect ILLEGAL ALIENS were exacting on the Texas health care system. Of course, the "politically correct" were appalled, but most SENTIENT, U.S. citizens who saw the segment, recognized it as the kind of journalistic REALITY......which is effectively IGNORED by other new channels.....!

[stokely]

So NBC is back in 1st place ... was wondering why Billo & fixed noise haven't mentioned Brian Williams lately. Two pts. 1) nobody gives a f*ck about primetime nightly news anymore w/24/7 cable news picking up the slack & 2) as has been previously mentioned, Katie is a MILF ... carry on

[1gr]

THE TRUTH IS, CBS SHOULD FIRE THE HEAD HONCHO FOR MAKING THIS BLUNDER. IT'S NOT
KATIE'S FAULT THAT CBS EVENING NEWS IS IN THE DUMPS.
LES MOONVES SHOULD BE FIRED, NOT ONLY FOR THIS MISTAKE, BUT ALSO FOR NEPUTISM
FOR GETTING HIS FALSE EYE LASH WEARING ASIAN WIFE THESE LUCRATIVE CBS NETWORK
HOSTING JOBS ON TWO DIFFERENT SHOWS. FIRE HIM NOW CBS!

[briel]

Unfortunately, it is also Katie. And, yes, whoever put her there is lacking in brains. I remember thinking, "Katie Couric?, that makes absolutely no sense." It's what happens when you put agenda before common sense.

[InofTouch]

amazes me how there more comments on a daily bases about Couric...I just laugh that when things are down in the post around...but a couric storyline and watch the eyes flock right in.

and they say were not corprate media around here haha

[Querent]

"Katie" the seamy old hag with the little-girl name, used her first opportunity to introduce her audience to new and important voices to genuflect to Rush Gasbag. She couldn't have damaged her credibility more if she had chopped it up with a fire ax. She is post-menopausal, so the male 15-38 demographic is gone. Unlike other female reporters who can actually spell journalism, she has nothing to offer but her looks, which, if not permanently gone, have at least gone on extended vacation. She's just a right-wing dimbulb with expensive crowns. CBS's ratings are in the toilet because they wasted so much money on her that they are now stuck with her. And that remark someone made about her having reconsidered her place in the pantheon of CBS greats? She can only look at that pantheon from the outside. She's only a footnote to it.

[amanda85]

Edward Murrow is spinning in his grave...

[kinmin]

I watched Couric the first day or two of her much-ballyhooed debut, and that was the last time I watched her. And I'll never watch her again. Ever. She's embarrassingly awkward, there's no substance to her reporting, she appears more interested in her own image than in reporting the news, and I simply don't trust her. If CBS wants me back, they'll have to find someone else. For me, Brian Williams and Anne Curry are the most respectable and trustworthy news anchors.

[ResearchGuy]

Small world. I watched once in her first couple of days, too, and never turned on CBS Evening News again. The broadcast was that bad.

[mickyx65it]

Anyone has noticed that less than 10% of the population watch the evening news garbage? Who are they? The elder and some uneducated people that votes for Hillary?

[Rockerbabe]

That is uncalled for. Most women I know who support Senator Clinton are hard working, well educated, professional, engaged in their communities, tired and disgusted with the younger generation; even though we do love them most of the time. I'll have you know that I watch PBS News Hour regularly as I don't care much for the broadcast or cable news networks. And with good reason, given all the recent reports of critical reports being squashed by the White House and all the overt sexism I see on TV.

[Querent]

Waaaah!

[mickyx65it]

Rove's "Left-wing bloggers" are beating zionist neocon mainstream media.

[ahsaki80]

NBC has always been my favorite because of it's detailed coverage and accurate descriptions. I no longer watch ABC after Gibson pulled that stupid debate stunt with Georgie last month. And CBS just reminds me of old people... no gripes about Katie.

[philinburb]

I like my news perky.