"Meet The Press" Ratings Lowest Since David Gregory Became Moderator

Updated to include Super Bowl note

"Meet the Press" posted its lowest ratings since David Gregory became moderator this past week, with the show airing Sunday, Feb. 1 averaging just 3.9 million viewers. The show, which featured Senators John Kerry and Kay Bailey Hutchison, as well as a roundtable including Erin Burnett and Steve Forbes, was Gregory's first as moderator to average less than 4 million viewers (he came close on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year's, but he still crossed the 4 million threshold).

NBC notes that its Super Bowl Sunday coverage — which started with Matt Lauer's interview of President Obama and carried through to what the network described as the most-watched television event of all time — bumped "Meet the Press" to irregular start times in most markets and and meant that the public affairs program only aired in 96% of the homes it normally does. Because "Meet the Press" has become "appointment television," this may have contributed to the lower ratings for the week, as would many Super Bowl fans turning to pre-game coverage on, say, ESPN, between "Today" and the game. And were the program shown in 100% of its households, it would likely have crossed the 4 million viewer threshold.

Still, the gap between "Meet the Press" and its competitors — CBS' "Face The Nation" and ABC's "This Week" — is closing, as the below graph shows. This week it was down to just under 600,000 viewers. "Face The Nation" averaged 3.33 million total viewers, while "This Week" came in just behind with 3.32 million total viewers. "This Week" even beat "Meet the Press" on January 11, when George Stephanopoulos interviewed President-Elect Barack Obama (though the margin of victory, 40,000 viewers, was disappointing given the enormity of the interview).

Gregory's highest-rated broadcast — apart from his December 7 handover from Tom Brokaw, which averaged 6.6 million total viewers — came on December 21, when he hosted Condoleeza Rice and averaged 4.8 million total viewers. Since then, his total viewer averages have slid:

"Meet the Press" ratings (total viewer average)
December 21: 4.779 million
December 28: 4.060 million
January 4: 4.715 million
January 11: 4.300 million
January 18: 4.450 million
January 25: 4.190 million
February 1: 3.900 million

While general interest has waned as the fever over President Obama's inauguration has calmed, "Face the Nation" did grow each week between January 11 and January 25, though it did not match its January 4 high of 3.6 million total viewers.

"Face the Nation" ratings (total viewer average)
December 21: 3.124 million
December 28: 2.709 million
January 4: 3.633 million
January 11: 3.010 million
January 18: 3.180 million
January 25: 3.340 million
February 1: 3.330 million

See the graph below, depicting Sunday morning ratings since David Gregory was named moderator of "Meet the Press."

Comments

[ebanks84]

Gregory is no Russert and that's all there is to that. He was just on MSNBC and his guests were all Bush henchmen. He is so in tuned to the Bush era that he can't possibly pull himself away. He needs to go ask Bush for a job, not MSNBC.

And CNN is the pits also. All of these Bushmen are pathetic and can't let go. We need to let THEM go so WE can move on.

[thinkcarefully]

One of the comments pointed out Bill Moyers Journal - I love Mr Moyers show - so informative and rewarding, with wide variety of guests and subjects. The last show was especially compelling - with Glenn Greenwald and Jay Rosen. I do hope David Gregory makes an effort to see this interview. I think it should be requirement for all the media members to see this interview - everyone of them needs a new prospective on today's journalism and reporting.

President Obama's message of change was embraced by America on November 4. The change needs to happen not only in Washington but in/with the media as well.

As Jay Rosen - professor of journalism at New York University and author of PressThink - pointed out on the Journal "...That idea, that the institutions of Washington have failed and need to be changed, doesn't really occur to the press, because they're one of those institutio­ns."

[MarionWatts]

What totally turned me off for DG was, during the New Hampshire primary last year, when everyone was beginning to talk about economic hardship, he went out of his way to display a pair of $800 patent leather 'running shoes' he was wearing that his kid had picked out. WTF? This guy has got to go. But, mind you, NBC is short on the sort of talent they have who could monitor a programme like MTP. Everyone's bigging up Chuck Todd, but as the White House correspondent, he sucks too.

[Jezreel]

Gregory simply cannot continue Russert's legacy of objective, factual journalism. Unlike Russert, who managed to consistently remain non-partisan, Gregory continues to phrase his questions in a way that characterizes him as a political partisan. Consequently, Gregory cheapens the quality of journalism that used to be characteristic of MTP.

John King who replaced Wolf Blitzer on CNN comes across the same way, only worse.

[NoahVail]

I watched today, and Gregory did not seem to have control of the debate- it seemed like The View.

[ciscobean]

good. he stinks. he's shallow.

[apoyo]

What will be the excuse this Sunday?

[bascombe]

gregory is the worst

[NoSillyName]

I prefer to watch FTN rather than MTP.

Schiefer is good; Gregory is horrible.

Don't get ABC or satellite. PBS news shows and BBC are always good, but no Sunday morning news.

[yellowdogminnesotan]

Well it could be worse the could have put in Joe Scarborrow!

[2garen]

Gregorie is just a bush boy

[imsosure]

The problem is his personality. . .the I'll do whatever you say attitude. You need an independent spirit to do that show well, not a corporate suck up dweeb.

[Xylem44]

DUH! Who didn't see this coming. No one can fill Tim's shoes, so they shouldn't try. However, I think this would be a perfect time to start a new type of dialogue. Bring on Gwenn Ifel !!!

[Bulbul]

I am suprised to see MTP did good as the projection says, I thought Georgie, ABC , took over long time ago. I was wrong I guess..
But hang in there Gregory, remember Katie, the lady already proved her endurance and passed in flying colors, show yours now !

[nefariouschafe]

Any week in which you have John Kerry as your guest is one in which you've clearly elected to punt the ratings column.