So the Big 3 networks sent their evening news anchors on the road to follow Barack Obama around last week on his Excellent Overseas Adventure.
If the nets' managements harbored any hopes that doing so might significantly increase their overall audience, or meaningfully increase the number of viewers in the key 25-54 demographic, those hopes were dashed when last week's ratings were released Tuesday (Source for all ratings info in this post - Media Bistro Newser: July 21, 2008; July 14, 2008; July 23, 2007; July 16, 2007):
Total viewers during the week of July 21 increased a "whopping" 0.6%, or 117,000 viewers, compared to the week of July 14. The improvement in the 25-54 demographic was barely better at 1.1%, or 66,000 viewers.
Given that there appears to have been no meaningful financial return for the extra travel and other costs the nets incurred on their "tag along with Barack" projects, perhaps what they spent towards giving the presumptive Democratic nominee a week-long exposure advantage targeting their existing audiences should be treated as Obama campaign contributions.
While I'm looking at the evening news, in comparing the past two weeks' results to the two comparable weeks in July 2007, it's clear that the long-term decline in total audience continues unabated, while there have been slight but overall unimpressive pickups in the 25-54 demographic (000s omitted):
In 1980, the combined evening news audience for all three networks was about 52 million. Their weekly audience -- in the low 20-million range even during non-summer months -- has declined about 60% since then, while the country's population has grown 34% (currently 304.7 million vs. 227.2 million in 1980) in the same period.
Based on their current form, content, and audience, it might not be too cynical to suggest that the three evening news operations have, in essence, morphed into daily half-hour persuasion exercises designed to convince otherwise naturally conservative senior citizens and near-senior citizens to vote for Democrats.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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Time to say goodnight Katie, Charlie and Brian.
July 30, 2008 - 05:57 ET by Red JeepTime to let the local stations read the national/world news and retire Katie, Charlie and Brian.
In 1980 the US population was 227 million and the networks had 52 million watching the evening news, 23% of the country. In 2008 the US population is at 300 million and the networks have 20 million watching the evening news, 7% of the country.
Some game show
July 30, 2008 - 06:04 ET by Tom Blumer..... would probably draw more people, and better advertisers.
Evening News
July 30, 2008 - 06:09 ET by allanfFrom these ratings, only children and the elderly watch these newcasts. The numbers for the 25-54 age bracket are appalling.
so very proud
July 30, 2008 - 06:29 ET by CatherwoodLet us pause in the day's busy activities to observe for a moment this accomplishment: I have not watched an evening newscast by the big three nets since July of 2006. Monday marked is my second anniversary without being exposed to the distortions. My other record of note is that I have not watched a single moment on CNN since 1995. Some of us just have talent.
so very proud
July 30, 2008 - 06:47 ET by larry on LIditto,and it wasn't on the advice of my cardiologist!
so very proud
July 30, 2008 - 06:47 ET by larry on LIditto,and it wasn't on the advice of my cardiologist!
"My other record of note is
July 30, 2008 - 06:55 ET by MrShy"My other record of note is that I have not watched a single moment on CNN since 1995."
Isn't that, like, before Aaron Brown? And they were solely stationed in Atlanta? And Blitzer's beard probably didn't have a speck of grey in it. I believe the Rockets were NBA champs that year, as were the Atlanta Braves, oddly enough.
Wait, also, that was the year I last had a normal girlfriend. Okay, TMI.
1995. Congrats, that's a very loooong time.
* * * SOCKS THE CAT '08 * * *
For REAL Change
You are to be congratulated!
July 30, 2008 - 08:21 ET by ThalpyYou are to be congratulated! Some of us recognize greatness when we see it.
Congratulations! I've also
July 30, 2008 - 10:27 ET by DarkCurrentCongratulations!
I've also managed to get by without watching CNN for 2.5 years. Here in China I have 3 options for TV news: CNN or BBC via satellite, or state-run CCTV on cable. I find that I get a better signal for CCTV and its less anti-American than the other two.
3 Amigos to to EU
July 30, 2008 - 07:37 ET by GoodieWhat is amazing is the Cost of sending these 3 morons with all the crew for a week. With the cost of Travel and the ratings/revenue decline how can Corporate justify travel approval? Losers all around.
SO if
July 30, 2008 - 09:16 ET by Delsamostly liberals watch the network news, and if there was almost NO bounce in ratings, could it mean SOBama is not as popular as the media is saying he is?
They really are the
July 30, 2008 - 09:35 ET by Chris NormanThey really are the "Dino-media", if they think that, in this age of information everywhere, that anchor coverage of a trip like this would increase their ratings. For all their talk about how out of touch McCain is, they themselves must be stuck in 1972. What's next, sending Katie to cover a worlds fair?
McNotObama '08
And imagine
July 30, 2008 - 09:56 ET by kdizzydazehow many homes blindly have one of these channels on as background noise while they are doing something else.
Regardless, with the growing population and sinking overall numbers, this magnifies their losses that much more. Pathetic.
And yes, how can the bigwigs at any of these networks justify the "investment" of sending these yokels and their crews overseas?