Nancy Grace Ratings Success Signals The Return Of "Murder And Mayhem" Style Cable News

Those thinking that the most exciting race for the White House in modern history would lead to a higher level of discourse on cable news should think again. Less than two months after the election and only weeks away from the inauguration of Barack Obama, the number one news personality among the 25-54 demographic is...CNN Headline News ambulance chaser Nancy Grace.

Pounding away nightly on the Caylee Anthony murder case, where the two-year-old victim's mother, Casey Anthony, stands accused of taking her daughter's life, Grace has hit a ratings jackpot. Fox News's Bill O'Reilly may bring in more total viewers, but Grace is chipping away at his lead as of late and besting O'Reilly's nemesis, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, too.

Grace's ratings ascension is evidence that we're back to the good old bad days of cable news-a steady diet of murder and mayhem. Indeed, Grace's recent resurgence may be our post-election reality check. Instead of talking about where this country is headed and what the challenges are, we're being fed gruesome details about how a little girl's life ended, with Nancy Grace playing judge, jury, and executioner.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ailbhe]

She is only popular because of her coverage of the Caylee Anthony case. It is silly to look down on shows like that, if you want politics, you know where not to tune in.

The focus on this one child allows people to care on behalf of all children. The focus on one, by humanising her encourages people to think about how better to promote social policies which can prevent further tragedies. It reminds people that evil exists and often the greatest evils perpertrated on innocent children are committed against them in their own home.

The focus on one, means that people are able to place themselves in the victim's situation, to empathise with the victim or their loved ones. This is not an American phenomenon, it is a human one. People are social creatures and it is in their interests to care for the protection of those in their communities.

To try to focus on everybody at the same time, is overload, to ignore it because you cannot focus on everybody equally can blind people from areas of concern, the most powerful face is one that can represent all.

[solarian]

how many times was grace centured in court

[LITNUP]

and her ratings are better than Olbermann and Maddow

[TheBaffler]

And what do you think that proves?

[Redtom]

Take Headline News off your channel lineup. It's the only way to lose this kind of crap on a "news" channel.

[TheBaffler]

When her head finally explodes, it will be a lovely sight.

[HARVIN]

The size of the planet Earth may be limited but the stupidity of the American public is not.

[faretheewell]

CNN joins Fox in a race to the bottom of the barrel.

[2008FedUP]

It is great to live in a country that has ONLY one child murder case going on. I am relieved that nightly Nancy reminds us of this. Oh....there are more??? NO WAY.

[HARVIN]

The home of the brave,the land of the free is the most murderous police/prison/corporate/military state in the entire world.This fact is common knowledge and a source of jokes everywhere else on the planet...like our government and schools and health care.

[WestcoastSteve]

It's simple. Don't watch the mainstream media. You'll get nothing but the corporate agenda and non-stop spins. There's plenty of other alternative sources of news.

You know what I also suggest. Watch the 1976 movie Network. It's really prophetic. It nailed TV news' lack of integrity and obsession with things like the Caylee case.

[WaimeaWidow]

Network is a great portrayer of the background machinations of the news. Check out "Ace in the Hole" also.

[WestcoastSteve]

Thanks, I will

[LRM216]

While I suppose she is "good" at what she does, I still cringe at how she belittles and puts down all the professionals she has on her show that either don't agree with her, or may have a different answer than what she had hoped for. She sure can be nasty. They couldn't pay me enough to ever go on her show!

[abatalks]

Hey, people: if you don't like Nancy Grace, guess what? You don't have to tune in. The Big Bad Cable TV police aren't standing over you w/ a gun. Try using your remotes. Change the channel. Or... oh, this is a shocking suggestion... turn the darn thing off!!!

[2008FedUP]

OK "Nance", calm down, the babies might hear ya!!

[faretheewell]

Better yet, join me in getting rid of the darn thing. It has been over 5 years since we have had any form of broadcast TV in the house. At least once a week I am reminded why that is such a good thing.

[coyote4]

Proof that folks with any sort of intelligence are NOT watching television.

[sightseein]

Sigh.

[senorlou]

Oh God! Get this woman's show off the air, already.

[newsmctado]

I truly truly truly cannot stand Nancy Grace! I think she is a shining example of what is wrong with the 24 hours news cycle; she accuses before evidence (hey Nancy, you're not in the jury box and you're not wearing a Judicial robe, so I dont care how many times you say someone is innocent or guilty, or that you were once a not very well regarded prosecutor for that matter), she is as arrogant, smug and condescending of others' opinions as Rush Limbaugh and (this is a cheap shot) she's really not pleasant to look at. She is a female version of Geraldo, except without the years of experience, the funny looking mustache (though she may wax or bleach?), or the attempt at integrity. I'm pretty convinced that those twins of her's were really two parts of triplets, she just got hungry and ate the third in the delivery room. If I want concocted and wildly exaggerated stories about murder, rape and drugs, I can watch The Wire on dvd any time.

[GeeBee]

WTF? That thing has actually BRED? Oh the horror!