Fox News on Top of Ratings
Fox News is number one in the ratings, and it has made history (sorta of) by beating all other basic cable nets since CNN did it with their Gulf War coverage in 1991. There is a story below as well as info. on other cable ratings.
Fox Takes First
News Channel Leads Basic Nets' Surge
By Mike Reynolds
Multichannel News
4/7/2003
Buoyed by viewer interest in the Iraq war, Fox News Channel edged past Turner Network Television in the quarterly household ratings race. The performance marked the first time a news network had sat atop primetime since Cable News Network held that distinction during the Gulf War in 1991.
Fox News scored a 2.01 rating, edging out a 1.99 for TNT, from December 30, 2002, through March 30, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
With a larger subscriber base, TNT held the top spot in delivery with 1.72 million households on average, versus 1.65 million for Fox News.
Fox News, which averaged a 1.2 (eighth) and 1.7 (a tie for third) in January and February, respectively, led the way in March (Feb. 24 through March 30) with a 2.9 household average, easing past TNT in the process.
Fox News's rally culminated with a 4.0 household rating in the month's final week (March 24 through March 30).
Before the war started in Iraq on March 19, many observers had expected that CNN, with its reputation for breaking news, would be able to narrow the gap or pass Fox News, which succeeded it as the news-ratings leader back in the fall of 2001.
Fox News's prime primetime perch comes 12 years after CNN — at that time, the only all-news channel and the only network with reporters in Baghdad — averaged a 4.0 household in first-quarter 1991, according to Lifetime Television vice president of research and TV historian Tim Brooks.
"CNN was in Baghdad by itself and had by far the best coverage [compared with the broadcast networks]. Everybody was tuning in. There were nights when they were getting 15, 16 [household] ratings," Brooks recalled.
CNN and MSNBC also both saw significant increases in the first quarter, boosted by their ongoing coverage from the Middle East. CNN, enjoying its best quarter since the aforementioned period in 1991, posted a 56 percent rise in household ratings to a 1.4, from a 0.9 in first-quarter 2002.
MSNBC's rating jumped 75 percent, to a 0.7 from a 0.4.
"TV usage is up overall, but not uniformly," said MTV Networks research guru Betsy Frank. "A lot of it has been driven by older men. It's not surprising that's further driving ratings for the news networks."
Basic soared
Aided by all the eyeballs turned to Iraq, basic cable enjoyed its highest-ever first-quarter viewership. Lifted by a season-high performance from March 24 to March 30, the industry was in a virtual dead heat with broadcasters.
Ad-supported cable averaged a 29.8 rating, up 8 percent from a 27.6 in first-quarter 2002, according to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data. The seven broadcasters earned a weighted gross rating of 29.9, down 4.9 percent from a 31.4 the prior year.
Gauged on a share basis, cable grew 6.3 percent, from a 44.8 to a 47.6 in the most recent period, versus a 6.3 percent drop for broadcast, to a 47.5 from a 50.7.
Cable's primetime household delivery surged 9 percent to 31.8 million households, while the seven broadcasters declined 3.9 percent to 31.9 million.
"Cable's performance was impressive because first quarter is always a strong one for broadcast," said Frank. "The benchmarks are higher in the first quarter."
Brooks also was impressed, noting that the broadcast networks were busier than usual in bowing series. "There was a lot of activity at the top of the quarter. The broadcasters debuted 13 series, versus seven last year."
Other nets' counts
On an individual basis, Nickelodeon was third, up 6 percent, to a 1.8 household average in the first quarter, followed by Lifetime Television, which slid 23 percent, to a 1.7. There was a three-way tie for fifth among Disney Channel (ahead 14 percent), TBS Superstation (flat) and USA Network (down 6 percent), all with a 1.6.
Cartoon Network (off 13 percent) and CNN (up 56 percent) were both at a 1.4.
There was a four-way logjam for 10th place among A&E Network (down 9 percent), ESPN (even), Sci Fi Channel (up 25 percent) and TLC (flat) all closed the span with a 1.0 average.
Household gains were also recorded by: Court TV, up 13 percent, to a 0.9; FX, ahead 13 percent, to a 0.9; HGTV and AMC, both improving 14 percent, to a 0.8; and Hallmark Channel, up 17 percent, to 0.7.
Others on the downside over the three-month span: Discovery, a 25-percent decline, to a 0.9; TNN, a 20 percent decrease to a 0.8; ABC Family, off 33 percent, to a 0.6; and E! Entertainment Television, down 20 percent to a 0.4.
19 up, 12 down
Of the 47 networks tracked in both quarters, the ABC Cable analysis showed that 19 registered primetime household ratings advances in the first quarter, while a dozen sustained erosion.
Sixteen maintained the status quo versus the year-earlier period.
On a total-day basis, perennial leader Nick finished first again, with a 1.6 household average (up 7 percent), according to the ABC Cable analysis, ahead of Fox News's 1.3 (an 86 percent advance).
Lifetime (down 8 percent to a 1.2) was third, while Cartoon Network (flat) and TNT (up 22 percent) were next, each with a 1.1 average.
Turner Broadcasting System Inc. sibling TBS Superstation (even) and Disney Channel (ahead 25 percent) were tied for sixth.
CNN (showing a 50 percent improvement) was eighth on the 24-hour measurement at a 0.8.
USA (down 11 percent) followed in ninth.
A&E (down 25 percent), ESPN (ahead 20 percent), FX (even) and TLC (flat) were all knotted in 10th with a 0.6 average.
CNN: March's no. 2
For March, CNN registered a 2.1, to finish second to rival Fox News.
TNT and Nick were third, with a 1.9 apiece, while Disney and TBS were tied for fifth, with a 1.7.
Rounding out the top 10 in March: Lifetime, with a 1.6; USA and Cartoon, each with a 1.5; and Sci Fi and TLC, both at a 1.1.
MSNBC, which has also benefited from interest in the war, was tied for 12th with A&E in March, each with a 1.0, according to the ABC Cable analysis.
While most of the top 20 shows for the period were war-related, TNT's coverage of the NBA All-Star on Feb. 9 (10.8 million viewers) and the premiere of the service's original film Monte Walsh on Jan. 17 (7.52 million) broke through.
Fox News's March 19 edition of The O'Reilly Factor (7.25 million), which aired before the bombing began, and a trio of SpongeBob SquarePants installments also made the grade. Nick scored its most viewers ever for the kids' series on March 21 at 9:30 p.m. as "a lost episode" attracted 7.64 million viewers.
Looking ahead, both Frank and Brooks expect a reversion to more normal viewing.
"A lot will depend on how the war progresses," said Frank. "Unless things change dramatically, viewership is not likely to be as strong as the first couple of weeks. Viewers are going to want to return to regular habits. They will turn to networks that give them pleasure or provide an escape."
"There has been a much quicker return to regular programming and advertising than had been anticipated," Brooks said. "I think viewers will be open to new shows."
He also doesn't believe there will be the same kind of dramatic falloff for the news networks that CNN experienced in second quarter 1991, when it averaged 0.9.
"When the war ends, there will be a sharp decline, but not to that extreme," Brooks said. "Viewers had already taken to Fox News's talk and contention format."
Basic Cable's Top 10
Top performers for the periods Dec. 30, 2002-March 30, 2003 and Dec. 31, 2001-March 31, 2002.
Network 2003 2002 % Change
Fox News 2.0 1.2 67
TNT 2.0 1.7 18
Nickelodeon 1.8 1.7 6
Lifetime 1.7 2.2 -23
Disney Channel 1.6 1.4 14
TBS Superstation 1.6 1.6 0
USA Network 1.6 1.7 -6
Cartoon Network 1.4 1.6 -13
CNN 1.4 0.9 56
A&E 1.0 1.1 -9
ESPN 1.0 1.0 0
Sci Fi 1.0 0.8 25
TLC 1.0 1.0 0
Source: ABC Cable Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data.
Posted by Josh at April 8, 2003 02:41 AM
Fox News on Top of Ratings
Fox News is number one in the ratings, and it has made history (sorta of) by beating all other basic cable nets since CNN did it with their Gulf War coverage in 1991. There is a story below as well as info. on other cable ratings.
Fox Takes First
News Channel Leads Basic Nets' Surge
By Mike Reynolds
Multichannel News
4/7/2003
Buoyed by viewer interest in the Iraq war, Fox News Channel edged past Turner Network Television in the quarterly household ratings race. The performance marked the first time a news network had sat atop primetime since Cable News Network held that distinction during the Gulf War in 1991.
Fox News scored a 2.01 rating, edging out a 1.99 for TNT, from December 30, 2002, through March 30, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
With a larger subscriber base, TNT held the top spot in delivery with 1.72 million households on average, versus 1.65 million for Fox News.
Fox News, which averaged a 1.2 (eighth) and 1.7 (a tie for third) in January and February, respectively, led the way in March (Feb. 24 through March 30) with a 2.9 household average, easing past TNT in the process.
Fox News's rally culminated with a 4.0 household rating in the month's final week (March 24 through March 30).
Before the war started in Iraq on March 19, many observers had expected that CNN, with its reputation for breaking news, would be able to narrow the gap or pass Fox News, which succeeded it as the news-ratings leader back in the fall of 2001.
Fox News's prime primetime perch comes 12 years after CNN — at that time, the only all-news channel and the only network with reporters in Baghdad — averaged a 4.0 household in first-quarter 1991, according to Lifetime Television vice president of research and TV historian Tim Brooks.
"CNN was in Baghdad by itself and had by far the best coverage [compared with the broadcast networks]. Everybody was tuning in. There were nights when they were getting 15, 16 [household] ratings," Brooks recalled.
CNN and MSNBC also both saw significant increases in the first quarter, boosted by their ongoing coverage from the Middle East. CNN, enjoying its best quarter since the aforementioned period in 1991, posted a 56 percent rise in household ratings to a 1.4, from a 0.9 in first-quarter 2002.
MSNBC's rating jumped 75 percent, to a 0.7 from a 0.4.
"TV usage is up overall, but not uniformly," said MTV Networks research guru Betsy Frank. "A lot of it has been driven by older men. It's not surprising that's further driving ratings for the news networks."
Basic soared
Aided by all the eyeballs turned to Iraq, basic cable enjoyed its highest-ever first-quarter viewership. Lifted by a season-high performance from March 24 to March 30, the industry was in a virtual dead heat with broadcasters.
Ad-supported cable averaged a 29.8 rating, up 8 percent from a 27.6 in first-quarter 2002, according to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data. The seven broadcasters earned a weighted gross rating of 29.9, down 4.9 percent from a 31.4 the prior year.
Gauged on a share basis, cable grew 6.3 percent, from a 44.8 to a 47.6 in the most recent period, versus a 6.3 percent drop for broadcast, to a 47.5 from a 50.7.
Cable's primetime household delivery surged 9 percent to 31.8 million households, while the seven broadcasters declined 3.9 percent to 31.9 million.
"Cable's performance was impressive because first quarter is always a strong one for broadcast," said Frank. "The benchmarks are higher in the first quarter."
Brooks also was impressed, noting that the broadcast networks were busier than usual in bowing series. "There was a lot of activity at the top of the quarter. The broadcasters debuted 13 series, versus seven last year."
Other nets' counts
On an individual basis, Nickelodeon was third, up 6 percent, to a 1.8 household average in the first quarter, followed by Lifetime Television, which slid 23 percent, to a 1.7. There was a three-way tie for fifth among Disney Channel (ahead 14 percent), TBS Superstation (flat) and USA Network (down 6 percent), all with a 1.6.
Cartoon Network (off 13 percent) and CNN (up 56 percent) were both at a 1.4.
There was a four-way logjam for 10th place among A&E Network (down 9 percent), ESPN (even), Sci Fi Channel (up 25 percent) and TLC (flat) all closed the span with a 1.0 average.
Household gains were also recorded by: Court TV, up 13 percent, to a 0.9; FX, ahead 13 percent, to a 0.9; HGTV and AMC, both improving 14 percent, to a 0.8; and Hallmark Channel, up 17 percent, to 0.7.
Others on the downside over the three-month span: Discovery, a 25-percent decline, to a 0.9; TNN, a 20 percent decrease to a 0.8; ABC Family, off 33 percent, to a 0.6; and E! Entertainment Television, down 20 percent to a 0.4.
19 up, 12 down
Of the 47 networks tracked in both quarters, the ABC Cable analysis showed that 19 registered primetime household ratings advances in the first quarter, while a dozen sustained erosion.
Sixteen maintained the status quo versus the year-earlier period.
On a total-day basis, perennial leader Nick finished first again, with a 1.6 household average (up 7 percent), according to the ABC Cable analysis, ahead of Fox News's 1.3 (an 86 percent advance).
Lifetime (down 8 percent to a 1.2) was third, while Cartoon Network (flat) and TNT (up 22 percent) were next, each with a 1.1 average.
Turner Broadcasting System Inc. sibling TBS Superstation (even) and Disney Channel (ahead 25 percent) were tied for sixth.
CNN (showing a 50 percent improvement) was eighth on the 24-hour measurement at a 0.8.
USA (down 11 percent) followed in ninth.
A&E (down 25 percent), ESPN (ahead 20 percent), FX (even) and TLC (flat) were all knotted in 10th with a 0.6 average.
CNN: March's no. 2
For March, CNN registered a 2.1, to finish second to rival Fox News.
TNT and Nick were third, with a 1.9 apiece, while Disney and TBS were tied for fifth, with a 1.7.
Rounding out the top 10 in March: Lifetime, with a 1.6; USA and Cartoon, each with a 1.5; and Sci Fi and TLC, both at a 1.1.
MSNBC, which has also benefited from interest in the war, was tied for 12th with A&E in March, each with a 1.0, according to the ABC Cable analysis.
While most of the top 20 shows for the period were war-related, TNT's coverage of the NBA All-Star on Feb. 9 (10.8 million viewers) and the premiere of the service's original film Monte Walsh on Jan. 17 (7.52 million) broke through.
Fox News's March 19 edition of The O'Reilly Factor (7.25 million), which aired before the bombing began, and a trio of SpongeBob SquarePants installments also made the grade. Nick scored its most viewers ever for the kids' series on March 21 at 9:30 p.m. as "a lost episode" attracted 7.64 million viewers.
Looking ahead, both Frank and Brooks expect a reversion to more normal viewing.
"A lot will depend on how the war progresses," said Frank. "Unless things change dramatically, viewership is not likely to be as strong as the first couple of weeks. Viewers are going to want to return to regular habits. They will turn to networks that give them pleasure or provide an escape."
"There has been a much quicker return to regular programming and advertising than had been anticipated," Brooks said. "I think viewers will be open to new shows."
He also doesn't believe there will be the same kind of dramatic falloff for the news networks that CNN experienced in second quarter 1991, when it averaged 0.9.
"When the war ends, there will be a sharp decline, but not to that extreme," Brooks said. "Viewers had already taken to Fox News's talk and contention format."
Basic Cable's Top 10
Posted by Josh at April 8, 2003 02:41 AMTop performers for the periods Dec. 30, 2002-March 30, 2003 and Dec. 31, 2001-March 31, 2002.
Network 2003 2002 % Change
Fox News 2.0 1.2 67
TNT 2.0 1.7 18
Nickelodeon 1.8 1.7 6
Lifetime 1.7 2.2 -23
Disney Channel 1.6 1.4 14
TBS Superstation 1.6 1.6 0
USA Network 1.6 1.7 -6
Cartoon Network 1.4 1.6 -13
CNN 1.4 0.9 56
A&E 1.0 1.1 -9
ESPN 1.0 1.0 0
Sci Fi 1.0 0.8 25
TLC 1.0 1.0 0
Source: ABC Cable Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data.