Final 2006 Cable news ratings

[DOGS THAT BARK]

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/original/2006ranker.pdf

Would like to have cut and pasted but only thing I could find was pfd format

the most amusing thing was in doing search--all I could find intially was liberal blogs making skewed comparisons and failing to just give us the facts.
Olbermann interview was probably funniest where he was ranting about his increased viewers (if you have one and add one you've increased 100%)
--but funniest part was his gigging Gibson(who I don't care for either) for no viewers but come to find out no viewers Gibson still tounced Olberrmann for viewers in 06--wonder if he informed his viewer/viewers of that? nah prop not.

Bottom line -- FOX cables news occuppied 14 out of top 16 timeslots of all cable news in 06.

 

[smurphy]

I've never been in denial of Fox's overwhelming success. They are brilliant in their ability to captivate the masses. They took the talk radio format and simply put it on TV. They are entertainment, but I can hardly call them a news channel.

My main issue is the way their talking heads and viewers refer to all of the less popular networks as the "mainstream media". If Fox is the overwhelming post popular network, doesn't that make them the mainstream? Isn't Fox the most 'msm' of them all?

 

[djv]

I don't have time to look. But did they say as in USA. CNN down 6% Fox Down 14% MSNBC up 12%. Of course those with most still have most. But once a trend like this starts it can get out of hand. Fox advertisers In fact all advertisers watch these numbers.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Thats exactly the spin the data was suppose to alleviate DJV. Sheez

Whats the chances of Yankees winning % going up next year compared to Tampa Bays chances.

Now tell me which team you would wager to win pennant in that division.

 

[djv]

I understand if you have 2 million and it's down 14%. And if you have 200000 and its up 12%. It's a play on numbers. However it keeps up that way they will mt along the way. In fact it was said that NBC with it's large evening news numbers, added to there CNBC, MSNBC has largest viewer ship for there hard news program. I guess and it would make sense most shows on all cable network are mainly shows not hard news. They also said for total world penetration CNN leads the way. That's called giving everyone a bite of the pie.

 

[smurphy]

I would wager that Fox has seen it's peak. It's still #1, but the margin over the others is becoming more slight.

Now what would turn this thing upside down would be if Fox had competition. If there was another flashy conservative infotainment channel to draw some viewers away, then Fox would settle back to earth like CNN and MSNBC.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

"I would wager that Fox has seen it's peak. It's still #1, but the margin over the others is becoming more slight."

You did mean margin of others combined-didn't you.

 

[smurphy]

Dogs - I'm not sure what your point is. Are you gloating? I do not deny Fox's dominance. - I never have. They know how to market themselves and tell people what they want to hear. So what? They are a product - a very trendy, loud, partisan, annoying product.

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

If Fox is the overwhelming post popular network, doesn't that make them the mainstream? Isn't Fox the most 'msm' of them all?

Whoa, let's stop making sense before someone catches on and realizes the crutch is a figment of their collective imaginations.....or just a BS scheme that has little to no truth to it.

 

[smurphy]

Whoa, let's stop making sense before someone catches on and realizes the crutch is a figment of their collective imaginations.....or just a BS scheme that has little to no truth to it.

Seriously - aren't people severely contradicting themselves when they complain about the MSM but then turn around and parade Fox's dominant ratings? ....Or even better, when Fox heads like Hannity and O'Reilly make comments about the MSM. They dominate their timeslots, yet are able to convince their billion viewers that someone else is the mainstream. Just takes I tiny bit of thought to calculate who the actual mainstream is.

 

[djv]

Were all safe when you talk main stream. Total cable news viewers estimated at 5/6 million a day. 60 minutes a older then most here and over the hill news show. Still get's 8/9 million in one night. O'Riley get's his club of same 2 million a night.
That's why his show is not growing any more.
American idle will get 25/30 million.
Dancing with stars was getting 19/20 million.
Now that's what you call numbers.
Point is not many give crap about any news.
Heck even old 20/20 knocks down 7/8 million.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Seriously - aren't people severely contradicting themselves when they complain about the MSM but then turn around and parade Fox's dominant ratings? ....Or even better, when Fox heads like Hannity and O'Reilly make comments about the MSM. They dominate their timeslots, yet are able to convince their billion viewers that someone else is the mainstream. Just takes I tiny bit of thought to calculate who the actual mainstream is.

Good point and well said Smurphy. This is one of many idiotic fallacies propagated by the right. Love to hear a response from DTB (or any others), but doubt we will.

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

One of the things that always cracks me up is how Hannity and Rush complain about the mainstream media....meanwhile, the conservatives DOMINATE the medium they operate on (radio). If they dominate radio airwaves, and dominate cable news , they can't bitch about the MSM because THEY ARE THE MSM. Their crutch is a myth, and they know it.

 

[dawgball]

There are two contradictions at play, smurphy. The one you pointed out.

The other is that some on here are pointing out that there is no competition to Fox because it is the only "flashy conservative infotainment channel ", but they still want to call it mainstream. I know I am being picky with this one, but if they were more like others wouldn't that be more "mainstream".

I don't really give a flip about any of these stations. They are all pretty worthless. I'm waitng for the MJ News Network to hit my local cable provider.

 

[smurphy]

The other is that some on here are pointing out that there is no competition to Fox because it is the only "flashy conservative infotainment channel ", but they still want to call it mainstream. I know I am being picky with this one, but if they were more like others wouldn't that be more "mainstream".

Fox has competition, they just don't have competition with the same partisan mindset. I guess I see the pont you are making, but it doesn't really hold up when (As Dogs so humbly boasts) Fox viewers outnumber everyone else combined.

Also (I have no numbers to back this up), it SEEMS like Fox viewers don't stray from their network. They feel they are betraying America or something if they bother to check out news from other networks. But viewers of the other networks appear much more willing to see what's going on at Fox on a given day. Again - I have no proof of this other than general observations. That's probably due to other viewers having more of an open mind and Fox's ability to generally be more shocking and entertaining.

 

[dawgball]

That's probably due to other viewers having more of an open mind

that's a very open-minded point of view.

 

[smurphy]

Hey - I could be wrong, but it's certainly the general impression I've received. They reported, I decided.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Interesting opinions the facts of the ratings bring out.

Main reason I like fox--you generally have both sides-few canned interviews--

If you doubt it--considering its the top network--why do-Bill Hilliary-Kerry-Jessie ect avoid it like the plauge--they can't get their canned pitches out without being questioned?
They will occasionally slide in with Greta for a few soft ball interviews--but other than that--

 

[Jabberwocky]

Seriously - aren't people severely contradicting themselves when they complain about the MSM but then turn around and parade Fox's dominant ratings? ....Or even better, when Fox heads like Hannity and O'Reilly make comments about the MSM. They dominate their timeslots, yet are able to convince their billion viewers that someone else is the mainstream. Just takes I tiny bit of thought to calculate who the actual mainstream is.

the response is "I like FOX because it is fair and balanced." As demonstrated by the fact that Clinton avoids it like the plague. Makes sense to me. Well, not to me, but I am sure that makes sense to somebody.

Really would like to hear a response to Smurphy's point, but as I said, I doubt we will get one.

 

[StevieD]

Interesting opinions the facts of the ratings bring out.

Main reason I like fox--you generally have both sides-few canned interviews--

If you doubt it--considering its the top network--why do-Bill Hilliary-Kerry-Jessie ect avoid it like the plauge--they can't get their canned pitches out without being questioned?
They will occasionally slide in with Greta for a few soft ball interviews--but other than that--

The opposite could be true. Why do Cheney and the rest of the neocons love Fox? Could it be the softball canned interviews?

In the spirit of being Fair and Balanced of course.