Cable Ratings: Fox News Posts Across-the-Board August Increases
MSNBC beats CNN in demo
By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/1/2009 3:24:26 PM
Fox News Channel posted across-the-board ratings increases during a month dominated by the vitriolic health care reform debate. In August, FNC posted its highest numbers in primetime in news' target demographic of 25-to-54 year olds for the year. A demo increase for FNC is significant because while it is the most-watched news network on cable, its audience generally skews older.FNC averaged 2.29 million total viewers in primetime (Monday through Sunday) up 17% year-to-year and 590,000 in the demo, a 25% increase, according to Nielsen Media Research. CNN averaged 891,000 total viewers and 248,000 in the demo, down 32% and 45% respectively. MSNBC averaged 807,000 total viewers and 276,000 in the demo, down 2% and 14%, respectively. (August 2008 was dominated by election news and the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.).
Of the top-rated programs on cable news, FNC had 11 of them among total viewers and nine out of the top 10 programs in the demo, making it the third-ranked basic cable network in primetime viewership behind USA and TNT. CNN and MSNBC were 22nd and 25th, respectively.
The O'Reilly Factor was once again the top-rated cable news program among total viewers (3.38 million) and the demo (861,000), for year-to-year gains of 33% and up 62%, respectively. O'Reilly also had its five top-rated programs in 2009 in August.
CNN topped MSNBC in total viewers and in total day among viewers and the demo.
MSNBC beat CNN in the primetime demo for the month (Mon-Sun., 8-11 p.m.).
At 8 p.m., Countdown with Keith Olbermann bested CNN's Campbell Brown by 62% in the demo (345,000 versus 213,000) and 43% among total viewers (1,087,000 versus 761,000).
At 9 p.m. Sean Hannity was the top-rated program with 2.64 million total viewers and 719,000 in the demo. The Rachel Maddow Show snuck by Larry King Live in the demo (304,000 versus 294,000). But Larry King prevailed among total viewers (1.08 million versus 996,000).
At 7 p.m. Fox Report with Shepard Smith averaged 1.74 million total viewers and 430,000 in the demo. Hardball with Chris Matthews out-rated Lou Dobbs Tonight in total viewers (647,000 versus 642,000) and in the demo (198,000 versus 175,000).
At 10 p.m., On the Record with Greta van Susteren easily prevailed averaging 2.14 million total viewers and 590,000 in the demo for year-to-year gains of 34% and 45%, respectively. Anderson Cooper 360 prevailed over a rerun of Countdown (866,000 versus 693,000) among total viewers and also eked out a win in the demo (260,000 versus 242,000).
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I am a middle of the road kinda guy who lives outside the U.S. fro the last 11 years because of my job. I was in a restaurant the other day having breakfast and noticed that the restaurant had an american satellite system and MSNBC was on. Being hungry for a little news in english, I asked the waitress to turn it up. I was actually stunned to note that the whole program was dedicated to Fox News clips. For an hour I watched newspeople, or I suppose they were, show clips of Fox on MSNBC and have a bunch of gusets who I'd never heard of talk about the Fox news programming. Don't get me wrong, but it had the net effect of making me want to get Fox to see the rest of the clips. I saw one on MSNBC talking about an armed white protester in Phoenix. Now having lived in AZ I know that it is legal to carry a gun in the open (and concealed too I believe) I was in agreement with the commentator that it did seem a bit intimidating. I googled the video and found out that MSNBC only showed the gun..and stated an armed white protester...and stopped there. The guy was BLACK! I almost choked. Is that legal? I came away after one hour with the net feeling that maybe I should try to get more info from fox. And the Van Jones thing? I found out about it a week after it happened in the same restaurant. I have since gone to the Fox website and learned about the ACORN thing. How come you can't find any info about this stuff anywhere? Where are the newsguys? This whole thing is too weird. I guess one should watch both sides. I'll watch the MSNBC and then go double check on fox..to see the rest of the clip. I thought there might be some kind of copyright infringement involved with them basing their whole program on news from another network, but I am starting to notice that nothing new is coming out of MSNBC that I can't get a few days earlier on FOX. Just an observation.
Lance - 9/20/2009 4:07:05 PM EDT -
ChickaBOOMer: Cable News Ratingzzz August 2009
chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2009/09/cable-news-ratingzzz-august-2009.html
StewartIII - 9/2/2009 12:02:26 AM EDT
Ratings Good News for Fox News, NBC
05/28/2008Cable News Ratings: Fox News Still Tops
02/24/2009
