David Gregory's "Meet The Press" Ratings Hit New Low — The Sunday Morning Horse Race Is On

If the Sunday morning TV throne is empty, then the race for the crown is on.

NBC's "Meet the Press" suffered its lowest ratings since David Gregory became moderator last week, dipping below the 3 million viewer mark for the first time since August 19, 2007*.

"Meet" averaged 2.97 million total viewers for the May 10 broadcast, which featured Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, Steve Coll and Andrea Mitchell.

Meanwhile, CBS' "Face the Nation," which featured an interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney, averaged 2.74 million total viewers, and ABC's "This Week," which featured interviews with National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Senator John McCain, averaged 2.62 million total viewers (its lowest delivery since August 17, 2008). "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace averaged 1.32 million total viewers.

Compared to this same week last year, "Meet the Press" is down 28% in total viewers, while "Face the Nation" is up 17%, "This Week" is up 4%, and "Fox News Sunday" is up 14%. And compared to the May 3 show, "Face the Nation" has slashed its viewing gap with "Meet" by 69% (230,000 viewers compared to 740,000 viewers), while "This Week" has cut its viewing gap with "Meet" by 38% (350,000 viewers compared to 560,000 viewers)

In the Adults 25-54 demographic, all four shows were down compared to the same week last year, with "Meet the Press" averaging 1 million viewers (-35%), "This Week" averaging 800,000 viewers (-16%), "Face the Nation" averaging 760,000 viewers (-6%), and "Fox News Sunday" averaging 454,000 viewers (-4%).

Last month, Wallace told the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz that "the throne is empty" (in regards to Tim Russert's successor as the Sunday morning TV king). The LA Times that same day focused on Stephanopoulos as the main threat to NBC's ratings dominance. Last week, the LA Times wrote that "Meet the Press" may soon lose the top spot in the Sunday morning ratings.

*"Meet the Press" did average 2.17 million total viewers on June 8, 2008, but it was only at 86% coverage then and thus is not a fair comparison.

Comments

[Manx]

David Gregory is a bore. I'd rather watch weeds grow.

[smg007]

Too funny! (-:

[ACMallet]

I don't think people dislike Gregory so much as they really like and feel comfortable with Bob Schieffer. I hope he never retires.

[sheaintsayin]

No, we really do dislike him, for the simple reasons of his laziness and his taking us, and our time, for granted. If he'd do the job of a truly interested and intellectually curious journalist, trying to uncover truth and expose it despite the resistance instead of simply providing a platform for any amount of spew, he'd at least have our respect. But no, he is tired and lazy and doesn't give a da&* about asking the questions we want to know the answers to. We dislike the boss at NBC news even more for disrespecting the legacy of MTP with this crap. For real interviews, give me Ray Saurez, Gwen Ifill, David Bronccacio, David Shuster, or for the simple ability of holding my attention, I'll take Kermit or Elmo...

[JerryLevy]

Are you serious? Ray Surez? One of the worst interviewers and totally PC. He has the job on PBS for one reason................his last name fills a quota.

[Derelict outlaw]

The liars are still on the air.

The MSM that brought us the disinformation campaign of lies about WMD and were embedded in the farce and touted the war so vigorously and were the TOOL of the Bush/Cheney/Rove/Rumsfeld cabal and lied tot eh Ameican congress and people are still in place?

These old fools are now supposed to bring us an unbiased reportage of the NEW administration?

That's ludicrous and the biggest problem I have in watching the networks today. CREDIBLITY.

All of these talking heads were just pimps for the talking points of the day just 6 months ago, they ARE the problem. Their producers are the problem. Lying to the people is the problem and these folks have NO integrity, we have the results of the Investigations in our lives today and its disgusting to see. How can we bring about change with such a climate of liars and fools?

[trinidadgirl]

Derelict outlaw........Nailed it word for word. Thanks!

[Wozzeck]

Good point about the invisible producers, who arranged the appearances of the DOD "Rent-A-Generals and neocon think tank pundits, and the writers, who put the neocon talking points on the teleprompter. The mouthers are rather low on the disinformation totem pole.

[HoydLowell]

biggest problem: he is a loser, that's all.

[HoydLowell]

I object to that label.

[Wozzeck]

Rachel Maddow is not the brilliant interviewer that some posters seem to believe she is.
The Daily Howler dissects some of her recent shows here:
http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh051509.shtml

[ladyskeptik]

Wozzeck she's much better than that ditz David Gregory.

Could she be even more substantial? Yes, but you have to remember that she only has one hour on cable tv. She can't cover everything that's happening in an hour. As far as the dailyhowler's criticism about Powell's right hand man...there's bigger fish to fry in the form of Dick Cheney and if Wilkerson is going to tell the public what went down I say give him the platform.

I too would like a more in depth look at the financial crisis and more face time for people like Naomi Klein and Elliot Spitzer. Remember Rachel's had Paul Krugman on many times and she still voices the views that Klein, Spitzer, and Krugman have when they are not on the show.

By far Rachel Maddow is the smartest and most knowledgeable individual on any cable news show. Her ability to ask follow up questions is what David Gregory sadly lacks. The way she contextualizes the topics she's discussing before her guests come on is also great. And she actually listens to what they're saying and responds appropriately if they're trying to pass off some lame talking point.

Her show is my favorite news show and let me the millionth person to say give her the MTP job she will kick some ***. But let her keep her nightly news show too, it is absolutely necessary!!!

[Wozzeck]

Yes. She's way ahead of her competitors. Bob Somerby's article was pointing out how low the bar has been set.

[TurnToTheLeft]

MTP under David Gregory is no longer fair and balanced. Mr. Gregory is a thinly veneered Republican tool - he gives republicans a lot of air time to repeat Rush's weekly talking points and never asks tough questions that seek the truth.

Rachel Maddow would breathe some life into MTP. Though young, Rachel is an intellectually curious nerd who loves politics - LOVES POLITICS! Ms. Maddow is a small "d" democrat liberal; not withstanding she has the courage to pin down the Obama Administration and make them squirm over difficult issues. Rachel Maddow would flourish and as moderator of Meet The Press. She would study all week and get the best out of NBC's vast research library. Let's keep pushing the idea - MSNBC reads the Huffington Post along with every major newspaper.

[TrueThis]

I enjoy watching her weekly.....they need to give it to Lawrence O'Donnell. The man know his stuff!

[Wozzeck]

"MTP under David Gregory is no longer fair and balanced."
It never was.
"Fair and balanced" is a Faux News marketing slogan.

[truthglow]

That's right. Arianna used to do the HuffPost "Russert Watch." Russert wasn't "fair and balanced" either, but he got a little better after Arianna's column ran for a long time.

[EndangeredJackalope]

The only reason MTP still appears to be "watched" at my home, is because the series is still set to record on my DVR.

I wonder how much of MTP's remaining ratings are a result of this same thing.

No one watches Gregory.

[EndangeredJackalope]

Gwen Ifill!

[TurnToTheLeft]

Gwen Ifill is smart and tough. She has an extensive memory of the body politic and is not afraid to ask tough questions with rapid fire follow-up.

[SharpDressedMan]

I agree with that but I don't think she can be pulled away from PBS.

[drec1500Madrid]

I'm not a TV executive...but I saw this coming the moment they announced this guy was getting the job.

Why are they so in love with him...

[TrueThis]

Me too. I can't take State of the Union on CNN including MTP.....so I wait another 30 minutes for ABC This Week, it's more balances.

[truthglow]

It's not at all balanced. The panel is usually very unbalanced, in fact.

[claudiam]

Gregory is too much of a sensationalist for me. I want thought provoking and conversation with substance. I stopped watching MTP when he took over. I am not surprised that the ratings are dropping. George S, ABC, is now the morning political programming I watch. claudiatucsonaz

[Marc Ginsburg]

I've become disenthralled with all of Sunday morning lately. There'll never be another Tim Russert. It seems that once he left this world, quality left Sunday morning. I'd probably go with ABC's This Week if forced to choose but it'll still never compete with Russert's Meet The Press.

[jakie]

CAN'T STAND DAVID GREGORY QUIT WATCHING THE PROGRAM WHEN HE TOOK IT OVER

[Wozzeck]

Jeff Gannon is a probing journalist.
http://www.infowars.net/pictures/news_files/Aug05/310805jeff_gannon_cspan.jpg

[NetProphet]

. . . Is Barbara Walters available? Unfortunately her last resume with THE VIEW doesn't say much - but I think she could tackle the "PRESS" show.

[Wozzeck]

She's currently acting in the role of Mrs. Ida Lowry in a remake of the film 'Brazi':
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/95/226531813_dafd691722_o.jpg

[TurnToTheLeft]

Barbara Walters has become an obsolete gossip chaser. She lost all credibility as an impartial news interviewer by giving Elizabeth Hasselbeck a platform for her daily pit bull style Republican talking points.

[redsongia]

Lawrence O'Donnell!

[claudiam]

I agree - another possibility is Chuck Todd. claudiatucsonaz

[TrueThis]

N O, Nope. Chuck Todd is worst than David Gregory. Uh Uh......