What is Going on with the Ratings at CBS Evening News?
As a rule of thumb, it's never a good thing to have a picture of your news organization's managing editor at the top of the Drudge Report.
But last week, that's exactly where CBS found themselves. To wit: On Tuesday, June 9, Mr. Drudge posted a photo of Katie Couric at the top of the Drudge Report along with a link to a TV Newser story about the evening news ratings for the week of June 1.
"[W]ith an average of 5.18M Total Viewers, the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric had its lowest viewership yet," wrote TV Newser's Chris Ariens. "In fact, it's the lowest viewership since at least the 1991/92 season, as far back as Nielsen records track."
But wait—wasn't the CBS Evening News enjoying a nice little upswing? That was the impression given just one week earlier when on Tuesday, June 2, CBS News sent out a press release touting itself as the "ONLY NETWORK NEWS DIVISION TO GROW AUDIENCES FOR EVERY PROGRAM."
At the top of the press release, CBS gave a nod to Ms. Couric's game-changing interview with Sarah Palin; touted a slight gain on ABC's World News Tonight with Charles Gibson; and stated that The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric was the "only network news program to gain total viewers" during the previous season.
So what happened to the supposed momentum?
Over the weekend, The Observer went back and took another look at the ratings data from the previous prime-time season. Sure enough, as stated in the press release, The CBS Evening News did increase viewers. But the gain was Lilliputian. Between Sept. 22, 2008, and May, 20 2009, The CBS Evening News went from 6.43 million viewers to 6.44 millions viewers. Overall viewership was essentially flat. And at the same time, in the key 25-54 demographic, The CBS Evening News actually lost viewers compared to the previous season, dropping from 2.02 million to 1.97 million.
In other words, the momentum in the ratings wasn't really lost. It didn't so much exist in the first place. Luckily, Ms. Couric has subsequently received some serious advice on how she might turn around the numbers.
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Couric needs CBS' support
We're not quite sure what's the reason why it was that low but I noticed that when they changed the graphics, it definitely turned away some viewers. Personally, I don't like the new graphics. It was actually good but it doesn't fit the Evening News set. They should have atleast also change the set. Katie deserves better support from CBS News. Another thing is that the set isn't as good as to the debut version.. the orangey-brown theme. They still uses that election backdrop.. it doesn't fit the evening news atmosphere. Also, Katie is regularly absent of the program... she needs to be there always. Also if Moonves wants to win, he should invest to CBS News... it is the only news division that has the oldest equipments.. and strengthen the affiliates. It's not Couric's fault.. she's fine in the Evening News!
CBS' support
It was actually good but it doesn't fit the Evening News set. They should have atleast also change
Couric needs CBS' support
We're not quite sure what's the reason why it was that low but I noticed that when they changed the graphics, it definitely turned away some viewers. Personally, I don't like the new graphics. It was actually good but it doesn't fit the Evening News set. They should have atleast also change the set. Katie deserves better support from CBS News. Another thing is that the set isn't as good as to the debut version.. the orangey-brown theme. They still uses that election backdrop.. it doesn't fit the evening news atmosphere. Also, Katie is regularly absent of the program... she needs to be there always. Also if Moonves wants to win, he should invest to CBS News... it is the only news division that has the oldest equipments.. and strengthen the affiliates. It's not Couric's fault.. she's fine in the Evening News!
Couric's Ratings
Ratings for all three of the Bigs decline each year at this time. A little more each year, and they don't come back as strong. But Couric's all time low only reflects the summertime fall off of ratings that occurs each year. All three nets decline in the summer. For the last two years, ABC has taken over for NBC as number one during this period. But Couric's and everyone's ratings will rise in the fall. If ABC forges ahead for a time, perhaps into the fall, NBC will reclaim its top spot later as it always does. There's nothing big happening here. I never watch Fox because it has no news. If any of the Big Three drops its Evening News program, its ratings generally will plummet. They can take off the awful angry old man at the end of Sixty Minutes and even the whole show if they like. Its too long at the tooth. But if they pull the plug on the half hour news, the Net that does it will lose viewers in other dayparts.
CBS, ABC, NBC
All three are going the way of the newspapers. And that's a pity. Even the dumbest Americans are finally figuring out that network news is a joke and totally political.
They just never seem to learn...
I heard no reports on Obama's Annapolis commencement speech and the requirement that all guns and swords be banished at the US Naval Academy during his visit.
SEE: http://www.rense.com/general86/disarm.htm
Nothing on the uproar over his birth certificate, little on the recent tea parties, and again zip on Mrs Obama's sweet raise once her hubby became a Senator. A part time, 20-hour-a-week job at $317,000.00 per year!
Rarely do we hear any opposite viewpoints on a litany of topics. And now ABC has elected to refuse any ads expressing opposition on his upcoming WH sermon on health care. SEE: http://www.drudgereport.com/flashaot1.htm
I'm neither a Republican (Bush Jr. was a joke) - or a Democrat, but I'm not so stupid that I can't see what's going on. It's a shame that "The Fourth Estate" has lost all creditability.
Network News
All three are going the way of the newspapers. And that's a pity. Even the dumbest Americans are finally figuring out that network news is a joke and totally political.
They just never seem to learn...
I heard no reports on Obama's Annapolis commencement speech and the requirement that all guns and swords be banished at the US Naval Academy during his visit.
SEE: http://www.rense.com/general86/disarm.htm
Nothing on the uproar over his birth certificate, little on the recent tea parties, and again zip on Mrs Obama's sweet raise once her hubby became a Senator. A part time, 20-hour-a-week job at $317,000.00 per year!
Rarely do we hear any opposite viewpoints on a litany of topics. And now ABC has elected to refuse any ads expressing opposition on his upcoming WH sermon on health care. SEE: http://www.drudgereport.com/flashaot1.htm
I'm neither a Republican (Bush Jr. was a joke) - or a Democrat, but I'm not so stupid that I can't see what's going on. It's a shame that "The Fourth Estate" has lost all creditability.