News Programming Analysis
If you believe the headlines, news viewers watch nothing but cable news these days. In truth, network news and local news programs deliver many more news viewers than their cable counterparts. Below you will find two reports: one tracks the quarterly ratings trends for the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC, while the other tracks the quarterly ratings trends for the cable news networks for 6PM-12M, M-F.

Broadcast Networks Evening News Ratings Trend
Monday-Friday 6:30-7PM – 3rd Qtr 2004 – 2nd Qtr 2008

Networks/Demographic 2Q
08		 1Q
08		 4Q
07		 3Q
07		 2Q
07		 1Q
07		 4Q
06		 3Q
06		 2Q
06		 1Q
06		 4Q
05		 3Q
05		 2Q
05		 1Q
05		 4Q
04		 3Q
04
ABC – World News Tonight
HH US AA% 5.3 6.2 6.0 5.3 5.6 6.3 6.0 5.2 5.3 6.2 6.0 5.7 5.8 7.0 6.4 5.7
A18-49 US AA% 1.3 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.7 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.4 2.0 1.8 1.7
A25-54 US AA% 1.9 2.3 2.1 1.9 2.0 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.9 2.6 2.3
CBS – Evening News
HH US AA% 3.9 4.6 4.5 4.1 4.3 5.0 5.3 5.1 4.9 5.4 5.3 4.8 4.7 5.4 5.1 4.8
A18-49 US AA% 1.0 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.6 1.5 1.3
A25-54 US AA% 1.4 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.6 1.9 2.0 1.9 1.8 2.0 1.9 1.7 1.7 2.1 2.0 1.8
NBC – Nightly News
HH US AA% 5.5 6.3 6.0 5.2 5.3 6.4 6.3 5.6 5.7 6.8 6.9 6.2 6.1 7.4 7.3 6.4
A18-49 US AA% 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.4 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.6 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.7 2.2 2.1 1.9
A25-54 US AA% 2.0 2.3 2.1 1.8 1.9 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.6 2.6 2.4 2.2 2.9 2.8 2.4
Noticiero Univision
HH US AA% 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.3 - - - - - -
A18-49 US AA% 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 - - - - - -
A25-54 US AA% 0.8 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 - - - - - -
Noticiero Telemundo
HH US AA% 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - - - - - -
A18-49 US AA% 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 - - - - - -
A25-54 US AA% 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 - - - - - -

Cable News Networks Demo Trends
Monday-Friday 6PM-12M – 3rd Qtr 2004 – 2nd Qtr 2008

Cable Networks/Demo 2Q
08		 1Q
08		 4Q
07		 3Q
07		 2Q
07		 1Q
07		 4Q
06		 3Q
06		 2Q
06		 1Q
06		 4Q
05		 3Q
05		 2Q
05		 1Q
05		 4Q
04		 3Q
04
CNN
HH US AA% 0.7 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6
A18-49 US AA% 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1
A25-54 US AA% 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
CNBC
HH US AA% 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
A18-49 US AA% 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
A25-54 US AA% 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2
FOX NEWS                                
HH US AA% 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.5 1.0 1.1 1.4 1.2
A18-49 US AA% 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.3
A25-54 US AA% 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.5
HLN
HH US AA% 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1
A18-49 US AA% 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
A25-54 US AA% 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
MSNBC
HH US AA% 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3
A18-49 US AA% 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
A25-54 US AA% 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Galaxy Explorer
Note: Nielsen began reporting Univision and Telemundo beginning 2006.


  Ask TVB   Back to Top