Fox News Back On Top, Wins Second Quarter Ratings After Q1 Loss To CNN

NEW YORK -- Fox News is poised to reclaim the title of the most-watched cable news network in the key advertising demographic in the second quarter of 2008.

The cable channel attracted the most 25- to 54-year-old viewers in prime-time this quarter, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, drawing an average of 346,000 in that age group through Tuesday.

CNN, which was buoyed to first place last quarter by the presidential primaries, is back in second place with an average of 301,000 viewers in the demographic most sought after by advertisers. MSNBC is in third with 269,000. (Final numbers will be available next week.)

CNN's win in the key demographic in the first quarter of 2008 marked the first such victory for the cable news network in more than six years, and its success with political coverage animated executives.

Bill Shine, Fox News' senior vice president for programming, said his network regained the top spot in the second quarter because "we do better television than anybody else."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[noamjunior]

FOX DOES NOT HAVE MORE PEOPLE WATCHING
the have a small group of people that watch obsessively - which boosts their ratings

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2005

[Raymondf]

They may be back on top , but they have disappointed me on some of the changes they have made. Now I not TV news savy like Rupert, and Roger is, but I think they have made some mistakes this time, although I will continue to watch bucause no of the others come close.

[ProfessorDuh]

CNN just had a breathless report about the efforts of Ken Starr, that eternal friend of freedom, to draft a law that would permit photographers to be banned from Malibu beaches. Apparently it wasn't enough that a bunch of thugs teamed up to beat up photographers who were taking pictures of Matthew McNobody.
CNN made a vague, passing reference to some silly thing called "the First Amendment," but apparently it's some technicality that should never stand in the way of our protecting America's treasured celebrities from the slightest possibility of inconvenience.
And on Faux News, Meme Roth pointed out what a good thing high gas prices are, because they will mean that working class families will no longer be able to afford cable TV and internet, and so the children in those families will be forced to go outside and play instead. High gas prices fight obesity!
Victimized celebs. Poor people with too much money. Gee, I wonder what economic class controls the corporations that control the broadcast news channels?

[JerryTheAngel]

The cable news ratings have to be put in perspective. Overall Fox has 2 million viewers nightly, CNN has 1.3 and and MSNBC 800,000. If you add CNN and MSNBC, they beat Fox. Conservatives go to Fox and Moderates/Liberals go to CNN and MSNBC for a total of 4 million viewers.

The only impact is on advertising. Nothing else.

The 4400 on USA drew 5 million viewers on avg for a few years and that show was canceled.

Twice as many people subscribe to Sirius radio.

4 million viewers. 100 million Americans voted in 2004.

In the bigger scheme of things, not many people watch cable news.

[Probus]

Fox Noise is not a real news network. They are a propaganda network and nothing more. A mouth piece for the GOP and Bush. They have no integrity. They spin lies and smears as the news.

[ProfessorDuh]

You are correct. Their mission is to SUBVERT news, not to provide it. They are the Fourth Estate's Fifth Column.

[noamjunior]

yea even their ratings are a lie
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2005

[noamjunior]

love the con logic on this board
so cons- Since McDonalds outsells Whole Foods that must mean that McDonalds food is more nutritious

Since rap music outsells classical that means that Rap is more musical

Since wrestling beats boxing in the ratings- that must mean pro wrestling is a real sport too, huh?

[Redrover666]

Nope.

What that means is that when people want a burger, they choose McDonalds.

When they want Rap music, they buy Rap.

When they are interesting in watching wrestling, they tune to a channel that is airing wrestling.

And, when the right, the center and most democrats are looking for honest, straightforward news reporting, they tune to FOX.

Now, see how easy that was.

[noamjunior]

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2005
and actually CNN has more viewers

[noamjunior]

more like simplistic than easy
if FOX is "honest straightforward news" why are people who watch it misinformed on the issues
http://www.outfoxed.org/

[Soysie]

I guess it goes to show that women with short skirts and no brains along with a homely looking version of George Clooney which happens to be Sean Hannity, A giant talking head that is a wanna be moral police, race hustler even calls him A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity (he's a bold fresh piece of something alright), then you have the two dumb males Steve and Brit. Along with the other journalist or anchor rejects that found work at that toilet bowl call Fox s*** Channel.

[noamjunior]

I love the cons that act all pumped because FOXNEWS gets good ratings - as if that somehow justifies their vapid, false propaganda masquerading as news
I got news for you cons
Pro Wrestling gets better ratings than Boxing- does that make it more "real" than boxing?
T- PAIN is the #1 pop artist - Think that is his "real" voice?

[Redrover666]

Goes to show what?

Though, I can answer it for you. It goes to show.... all those things you described, are far and away better than any other cable news channel .

Stick with Huffpost and MoveOn.Org. You'll feel much better if you stay in your comfort zone and only listen to opinions that mirror your own.

[HotATL]

I watch Fox for a couple of months. But I couldn"t answer yes to the question that they kept asking me every night. "Who are you going to believe, us are your own lying eyes?"

[americanalien]

The only reason Fix news is on top is because they decided to "porn up" our news. They would do anything to get ratings, they have no morals.

[noamjunior]

everything except tell the truth

[chronic]

Bingo!!

[ChescoMom]

Sad...completely, utterly sad.

[Andman0121]

This isnt surprising in the least. The American public is, in general, quite uninformed and stupid when it comes to politics and news. Let's face it. Fox News is consistently wrong in their facts, heavily slanted right, and disguistingly pro-Bush on just about everything they "report" on. Many Americans are just too bored to simply read the news anymore. Now they need about twenty American flags in their face, loud rants by Hannity and O'Reilly, lound graphics every ten seconds, and sensationalized crap with absolutely no journalistic substance. Fox News is where they turn.

Who can we bto blame for their high numbers? Ive said it before and I'll say it again: the 65 and older generation. They are incapable, as a generation, to formulate their own political opinion so they have these mindless conservative nutjobs make them for them. Just because someone yells doesnt make them right! GOD its like im talking to my brainwashed grandparents.

[Redrover666]

You just keep right on rationalizing.

As more and more Americans tune in to FOX, they tune out the left.

Must be because they are all old, not smart and independent thinking like you. LOL.

[noamjunior]

more people watch wrestling than Boxing
do you think that pro wrestling is real too?

[Pollitrix]

I have to admit I have watched from time to time in sheer stupor for the stupid crap they spewing out of their mouths. Hannity and Holmes is a joke, so Fox gave a bigger laugh with Hannity's America (shows he is bias, he got an America all to himself)

O'Rielly is a racist narcissist, and I did even say mf'er being black and all.

They pull most of the male ratings in with the human barbie dolls, that coall themselves journalist. On fox and friends they even annoy each other didn't the little gay one walk off one morning appauled.

FOX News is a joke and a great place for people who their hate feed.

[MacBoy]

Wow, do you guys realize how batshit crazy you sound?

[darthdarcy]

This is in part because of the volume level they broadcast at so the elderly can hear them, and how they keep the momentum of the shows rolling over one into another..MSNBC as all these wishie washie women talking drivel all day until Hardball and David Gregory's show sucks..totally boring..

[fishsandwichesr2good]

Ah, the universe is back in balance. Of course, it was no surprise that liberal CNN & MSNBC had gaudier numbers during the height of the BO & HRC drama.

In any event, the liberal TV MSM continues to be dominated by the likes of CBS, NBC, ABC, NY Times, LA Times, etc., etc. (You'll never hear buggy eyed Pelosi acknowledge that fact when she screeches about reviving the Fairness Doctrine.)

[Andman0121]

hahaha the "liberal media" myth indeed never gets old with you conservative nutjobs. Btw, if you ever read political books fishsandwiches, which I SINCERELY doubt you do, you will have noticed that the very stations you mentioned favor Republicans in their political ads over Democrats. See: 2000 Election. The best part is that although the "liberal media" nonsense can be debated there is absolutely no debate about the sheer numbers of conservative AM radio! HAHA with the FIVE things you mentioned as strongly liberal I can spout off a HUNDRED nutjob right-wing radio shows. I cant drive down my own road without hearing one!

and the universe is back in balance? So are you saying that Fox News is a conservative news program that "balances out" MSM in our country? Why is that good? That isnt journalism its literally a news channel that purposely skews its reporting to the right! WAKE UP NUTJOB

[chronic]

Amen!!

[Redrover666]

"hahaha the "liberal media" myth"

Of course it gets old for you. I have been reading Huffpost for some time now. You people come unhinged over this network like no other. FOX is mentioned here pretty much every day. I don't see you folks vilifying any of these other networks fishsandwichesr2good mentioned. It's because they are liberal and they provide you with affirmation and a nice ooky feeling when you watch.

[indypete]

Ah, the old "Liberal Media" myth again! My favorite fairy tale!

[fishsandwichesr2good]

I thought liberals believed in Fairy Tales -- heck, that's what all their policies are based on.

[Christopher1]

Love Fox CNN sucks with it's lies and slanted reporting.... Yes CNN we do see it.....

[noamjunior]

That was almost a coherent sentence.
Keep reaching for the dream!