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.




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