Network newscasts still dominate
RATINGS RACE | Fox has big edge on cable rivals but lags NBC, ABC, CBS
A handful of news and opinion-focused cable channels are vigorously fighting to pull in more viewers looking for their news fix. But by far the most significant chunk of television watchers still turn to the networks' nightly newscasts for their daily news summary.
Nationally in October during the traditional evening news slot (5:30 p.m. Chicago time), NBC's "Nightly News with Brian Williams" led the pack, reaching 6.3 million homes, while ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" was watched in 5.9 million. CBS' "Evening News with Katie Couric" was seen in another 4.6 million homes, according to Nielsen research.
In Chicago, the ABC network news report drew 238,000 households, compared with 116,000 for NBC and 77,000 for CBS.
Among cable news outlets, the feisty national Fox News Channel has emerged as the one to beat. Even so, nationally and in Chicago, Fox News is watched in fewer households than the least-watched network newscast. Nationally at 5:30 p.m. in October, Fox News Channel was on in nearly 1 million households. That is nearly double the number of households tuned in to CNN, which, in turn, is seen in slightly more than 200,000 more households than up-and-coming cable competitor MSNBC.
In Chicago, national Fox News was by far the dominant cable outlet. Fox News is seen in 63,000 local households, more than four times the number of Chicago households that are watching CNN, which has relentlessly promoted itself as the go-to outlet for breaking news coverage and analysis. In fact, CNN is rapidly turning into a ratings disaster.
Many observers say they think the networks' nightly newscasts will continue to slowly lose their sizable audience base as viewers age and die off. That will take a long time to happen, however, as network news shows now are available to 113 million households, while Fox News Channel and CNN are accessible to about 95 million households.
In the meantime, the network evening news digests are an attractive option for TV viewers who want a concise roundup of the day's news, rather than the often-rambling, opinion-infused news product found on most cable channels. "The networks have spent many years developing news brands that are highly respected and trusted," said WLS-Channel 7 General Manager Emily Barr.
Still, the battle for viewers among cable news channels is expected to remain fierce. Both of CNN's principal competitors -- the national Fox News Network and MSNBC -- have staked out platforms at opposite ends of the political spectrum, leaving CNN to cultivate a shrinking audience interested in a more centrist take on the news. Even CNN's sibling HLN (formerly "Headline News") has often commanded a larger audience than CNN in recent months.
CNN was still a contender when Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election a year ago. That historic moment, and the campaign leading up to it, concluded a particularly newsy period in American politics that CNN used to bring in viewers.
But a year later, CNN has no news story of similar magnitude to play with night after night. So the cable news channel has been left with some underwhelming talent heading up prime-time shows that regurgitate every detail of melodramatic events, such as Michael Jackson's death and the balloon boy hoax.
The strategy isn't working for CNN. That most likely means CNN will be forced to rethink its programming and talent lineup.