Once again, Fox News brings up the rear in the cable news-stakes. With an increase in total viewers of just 16% from February 2007 to February 2008, Fox trailed MSNBC (up 62%) and CNN (up 133%) by wide margins. CNN’s numbers may have been inflated by an unusually large audience for its debate telecast. But that would not account for the bulk of the disparity. Note that MSNBC’s increase occurred without any such special event programming.
This is becoming so redundant that I think I’ll just quote myself from the last ratings report I wrote:
“For those seeking an explanation for the disparity between Fox and the rest of the news purveyors, you need look no further than the content and style for which Fox has become famous. The influence of rightists in the government and the media is dissipating. As it does so, the noise level on Fox News is swelling to an earsplitting shriek. They are descending (and condescending) into a desperation fueled by their own crumbling credibility. They are finding it increasingly difficult to lure fair-minded commentators and public figures to appear on their tainted air. The refusal of Democrats to participate in Fox-sponsored debates is having a real impact on both the network’s performance and their perception as the Republican house organ. That effort must continue and broaden to include ANY appearance by Democrats or progressives (see Starve The Beast) The result of this cold shoulder is an over-reliance by Fox on plainly biased personalities like their newest contributors, Tony Snow, Rick Santorum, and Karl Rove. I expect we will also be seeing a lot more of Dick Morris, Ann Coulter, and Bill Kristol, as the Foxians resort to just interviewing one another.”
Still true. But wait…There’s more!
I did an analysis of the televised debates this election cycle that reveals some interesting trends. Since April 26, 2007, there have been 30 debates split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Four of the top 5 rated broadcasts were Democratic debates. Fox News had only one debate in the top 10. All of the Fox debates were Republican affairs as the Democrats have sworn off debating on the network. That strategy appears to have paid off in a couple of significant ways. First, it denied Fox the opportunity to cast more of its slime onto Democrats. Second, Fox missed out on the higher revenues they would have received from the more popular Democratic debates.
It’s a win/win.
Stop The Presses: Bill O’Reilly is patting himself and his network on the back for their ratings performance:
“…just about everybody else on FNC had a good month, because we are patriots.”
If they are patriots because of their paltry 16% gain, then CNN and MSNBC must be candidates for sainthood with national holidays pending. I sure hope I’m not in the vicinity when his ego bursts.
Really, this what you are so excited about. CNN and MSNBC are still last. Them Dems are cowards for not going to Fox and actually getting hammered. The rest of the media has been hammering Bush 43 during his entire tenure. He can stand the heat. I fight in Bagdhad and Afgahnistan because I go toe to toe with the enemy (they are called terrorists). I want a President who will stand in there and take the media abuse and still be gracious (unlike Bill Clinton throwing around his bony finger). Until CNN and MSNBC are number one and two for the next five years straight then stop the spin.
That’s precious…Someone supporting Fox News asking to stop the spin.
And Bush has had it so hard. Gee, I don’t remember him getting impeached. Would you say now that Clinton can stand the heat?
What’s more, it’s the Repubs that are cowards. They invade a 6th rate country with a useless army instead of going after the real terrorists. Dems don’t want to waste their time in Iraq when that isn’t where the enemy is. And Al Qaeda in Iraq is not the same Al Qaeda that attacked us on 9/11, despite McCain’s disinformation.
And Dems are not afraid of Fox News. They just don’t want to waste their time there either.
First, Cavsarge11, thank you for your service.
Second, all the ratings-envy is understandable. Compared to Fox News, next to nobody watches those lesser media outlets.
The Dems are cowards, both in their actions and their policies, so nobody should be surprised.
I see this blog must be very popular (excuse the dripping sarcasm), this post has been up since Feb, and has a whopping 15 comments? Wow, keep it up and you might have Olbermann-like numbers. Keep reaching for the stars, libs.
(And just for the record, I only stumbled upon this site looking for cable news ratings for my lib friend, and I don’t intend to view it regularly….but that should be nothing new to you)
I’ll miss you.
too many blonde bimbos on fox news
Why I switched to Olberman:
I used to be a loyal viewer of O’Reilly, but as the days went by it seems a new dingbat mostly blonde would join the commentary.
Even though I do not share the ploitical views of Olberman, I find him very entertaining and informative.
That’s an interesting take, Gregg.
Fox News is pretty well known for their exploitation of news babes in short skirts. There was even a study that showed that Fox would remove their ticker whenever they did a long shot so the anchor’s legs could be seen – they only did it when it was a female anchor. I still see this happen.
All liberals do is complain and hate. Like little angry children in a sand box. A sand box, is about as far as they are willing to look around to gain an opinion. No, I’m sorry, they take the opinion of whatever seems to be the “cool” thing at that time. Just like the politicians and “voices” that they love. They love George Clooney, Bill Maher and the very narcissistic Keith Olberman. They hate America and everything that we are founded on. At least O’Reilly isn’t afraid to “call it like it is”. It all comes down to basic beliefs, which many liberals don’t value at all.
Wow. You actually took the time time to write that little rant containing zero substance but lots of juvenile stereotypes? I’m honored.
Come again.
Quint – who are you kidding, O’Reilly is as angry a little kid in a sandbox can get – just because one claims to be a Patriot doesn’t make it so, if O’Reilly was, he wouldn’t have to keep reminding people day in and day out. Facts are facts – and Fox News has none, facts that is. Fox has taken Spin to a whole new level, and now, as with Bush and his administration, no one is listening any more.
Oh wait,there still is a good portion of America listening to O’Reilly and his rhetoric – that’s why this country is in such good shape, because O’Reilly is a Patriot and so are his listeners….like I said, SPIN….now look around – the vision that was created almost 8 years ago has been disastrous for the U.S., our allies, almost a million dead innocent men, women and children, our environment, the economy and the list goes on. It is time to change the vision and the direction, and O’Reilly and Fox news are not part of that future.
Gregg Hummer: Give me a break!!!
Olbermann was an idiot when he was on ESPN, and he is still an idiot on MSNBC.
When he first went to MSNBC, it was right at the time of the Clinton-Lewinsky brouhaha. He was assigned to cover it, said “no”, MSNBC said “you can go back to ESPN if you like”, and Olbermann the Coward decided to cover the Lewinsky Affair, but did so like someone writing for The Onion (but not as professional).
Unfortuantely for the public, his journalistic skills have gone down over the last 10 years (I don’t think that was related to Monica, but who knows?). To see him as a Debate Host was truly laughable.
I think it says a lot about you (mostly negative) for you to actually admit, in public, that you enjoy Olberman.
Are you really yhat stupid. Anyone with half a brain knows that when you start out with a low number of viewers it takes very little increse to create a large percentage increase. For example, if a show has only one viewer and adds one more that’s a 100% increase. What’s it like being a nimrod? If I had your intellect, I’d probably want to rely on the government, too. I’m just thabnkful that I am intelligent enough to take care of myself
Anyone with half a brain knows…
Apparently you haven’t even got half. We are not talking about one viewer. CNN and MSNBC have hundreds of thousands of viewers. Other than that, your analysis, which consists mostly of juvenile insults, still sucks.
Mark,
You are a joke. You only tell us about the gains, but you ignore the actual ratings. FOX News blows CNN & MSNBC out of the water in overall viewership. FOX shows in general have at least 4 times the overall viewership of CNN & MSNBC combined. Dude! Get a life. Lies, damn lies, & statistics.
You’re living in the past. CNN beat Fox this past quarter in primetime. And they have been beating them consistently in cume ratings. Another quarter like the past one will put Fox in 3rd place behind both CNN and MSNBC. Fox is rapidly becoming irrelevant. Get used to it.
THe ratings are so much higher on fox keep living in a fantasy world. people are getting tired of the hate and blame America first crowd. Keith O is so liberal he makes Jane Fonda look like Rush Limbaugh. A little balance on the network would probibly help there ratings, but they are to stupid to know that. Fox will still rule as long as they cover both sides of the aisle.
If “Fox will still rule as long as they cover both sides of the aisle,” then Fox already doesn’t rule – and never did.
Face it…they are in a steep decline that will only get worse.