by Brent Baker
Morning news ratings. In an unusual event, a story last
week in the Atlanta Constitution listed morning news show viewer
numbers for both the broadcast and cable networks. They
illustrated both the domination of the broadcast networks in the
morning, even by CBS's Early Show, over the cable networks as well
as how on cable the Fox News Channel is well ahead of CNN and
MSNBC.
While CBS's Early Show, the least-watched of the three
broadcast network morning shows, has an audience less than half
the size of NBC's Today, three times more people tune into CBS in
the morning than watch the highest-rated cable news program, FNC's
Fox & Friends, which itself has three times the audience MSNBC
attracts.
Something to remember when making fun of CBS's troubles with
The Early Show. Cable networks, especially FNC, are gaining
audience, but many, many more watch the broadcast networks —
which is why CyberAlert concentrates on them.
The September 25 Atlanta Constitution story included this table listing viewership for the third quarter through September 22:
NBC's Today: 5,626,000
ABC's Good Morning America: 4,226,000
CBS's Early Show: 2,338,000
FNC's Fox & Friends: 705,000
CNN's American Morning: 464,000
CNBC's Squawk Box: 271,000
MSNBC Live: 218,000
The newspaper added these two qualifiers: “Early Show numbers
are for the 7:47am to 8:34am block; Squawk Box numbers are for
the 9am to 9:30am block. Source: Nielsen Media Research.”
The Early Show time is different than for ABC and NBC, I'd
guess, because so many CBS affiliates only carry a few minutes of
the show's 7am half hour, which means that CBS's viewership number
would probably be a bit higher if the 7am viewers were added in
given that is the most watched half hour in the morning.
An excerpt from the Atlanta Constitution story pegged to CNN's
ratings rising in the morning, a piece reporter Mark Kempner began
by relating how FNC bought a billboard for Fox & Friends at a
location CNN executives see when they go out for a power lunch in
Atlanta:
From her perch in New York, CNN morning anchor Paula Zahn can't
see the billboard. But her bosses in Atlanta can.
Every time they get a window seat at Prime Meridian restaurant in
CNN Center, they can't avoid Fox News Channel's latest billboard
taunting them from across Marietta Street.
The current one is for “Fox & Friends,” which goes head-to-head
with Zahn in the morning. “Fox & Friends,” the billboard claims,
is the No. 1 cable news morning show and is “Warmer. Younger.
Smarter.”
But the sign doesn't ruin lunch for CNN executives. “American
Morning With Paula Zahn” is on a ratings tear in what had been a
dismal time period for the network.
It's CNN's fastest-growing show. More than twice as many viewers
watched Zahn's 1-year-old show in the third quarter compared to
the same period a year ago.
Both networks have invested heavily in their morning shows, and
both get lots of promotion. CNN shelled out more than $2 million
to hire Zahn away from her prime-time slot on Fox News last year.
And last week Zahn moved into a new streetside New York studio
with glass on three sides. It cost more than $15 million.
There's a reason for all the spending: More and more people are
watching TV news in the morning, and cable networks want a piece
of the action.
Neither Fox News nor CNN is anywhere close to catching up to the
top morning shows on the big broadcast networks. NBC's “Today”
show gets an audience about 12 times larger than Zahn's….
CNN had anemic morning ratings a year ago. Then came a push to
provide bigger-name personalities.
Zahn jumped from Fox News. She already had lots of name
recognition from her years as co-host of “CBS Morning News” and as
news anchor for segments on ABC's “Good Morning America.”
Despite her experience and high profile, Zahn pulls in an audience
only two-thirds the size of that for “Fox & Friends” and its
triumverate of anchors who came in with far less national clout.
E.D. Hill was a local daytime anchor in New York and a
contributing reporter for “Good Morning America” before coming to
Fox News. Steve Doocy did morning newscasts at another New York
station. Brian Kilmeade was a free-lance sports anchor for a
station in Hartford, Conn….
Zahn waves off comparisons with “Fox & Friends.” “It really is an
apples-to-oranges comparison. We are a show that is doing
objective news coverage.”
In fact, Zahn says her show is very different from what she
considers her main rivals — the morning shows on NBC, ABC and
CBS. “We don't cook,” Zahn says. “We don't marry people on
television. We do the news.”…
END of Excerpt
For the entire story click here.
(This update courtesy of the Media Research Center.)
