Just Like Old Times in the Rating Game

Now that Michael Jackson's passing on has passed on, the cable news network ratings are pretty much the same as they used to be -- although FoxNews seems to be better than ever.

Thanks to Cynopsis, I've learned that last week, FoxNews had more viewers than CNN and MSNBC combined in primetime, and in total day. In prime, Fox averaged just under 2 million; CNN and MSNBC totaled 1.68 million. Total day, Fox averaged just over a million, and CNN/MSNBC had 966,000. In the key demo, adults 25-54, Fox edged out the combo by 11,000 viewers in prime, in total day, the combo won by 33,000.

If these numbers sounds small to you, it's because it's the midst of summer, everybody's out at the beach, and television viewing is way down, and pretty old. Well, more than half of Fox viewers are over 54, with CNN and Headline News slightly under. By now it's clear to all of us that cable news is an old person's game.

I am slowly going back to my belief that cable news viewing does reflect popular attitudes about the left/right split in the US. The decline in CNN/MSNBC viewing probably does reflect the feeling among liberals that President Obama is not living up to the promise embodied in his campaign. FoxNews rating performance similarly may reflect conservatives' hopes that Obama was a just a flash in the pan, and they may well make major gain in Congressional elections next year.

I know the President has a primetime news conference tonight, but I have a feeling he's been more than somewhat overexposed, so I don't know how much good that will do him. I'm eager to see this week's ratings next week.

Comments

[BOin08]

We didn't abandon MSNBC-they abandoned us. Thanks to bomb throwing anchors like Keith Olbermann, MSNBC gave up the fight as a source for breaking, investigative and unbiased journalism. When we're looking for the five W's MSNBC is now the last place to turn. MSNBC is trapped in rehashing old stories from the Bush era while ignoring successes and challenges of the current administration. MSNBC is now irrelevant and -worse-boring. The ratings simply reflect reality.

[Dunbar]

I really hope this means nothing. Because if, in fact, these people think they are actually getting "news" on FOX, then they are the problem. These people are so brain-washed, selfish, self-centered, close-minded idiots. And unfortunately, they are large in number.

We're doomed.

[AhnAmuru]

Where does that leave all those poor " ... working class" folks in Miss., WVA, KY, ALA, TN ... sitting around their transistor radios waiting for the news.

[Julio Almanza]

i think liberals have social lives and also are most likely to rely on the internet for news

[coolchange]

Your article is filled with grammatical errors. Why should I believe anything you have to say?

Why would Obama have anything to do with up or down ratings? You mean to tell me that people are just watching the news all day long just to hear about Obama?

What about all the other news of the day?

As for your friends over at Fox News, carnivals usually are good entertainment.

[cbat]

What is your point. ! I know people who watch Fox news just to get their laugh on for that day. Bless their racists little hearts.

[PKatherine]

wait...they have hearts, how?

[Reese Schonfeld - Huffpost Blogger]

The point is, my friends, that there are more of them than there are of you, and that their number seems to growing. They report--you deride. Your derision does not affect the numbers in any way. Obama supporters ought to think about why viewers have abandoned CNN and MSNBC, why they seem to be falling for the anti-health insurance propaganda and what you can do to change that.

[Dunbar]

Because they are stupid and selfish?