I just discovered why FOX is beating the major cable channels

[keithyboy]

They all make the mistake of going to commerical at the same time while FOX is airing program. If you flick the remote, you will only be able to catch program on FOX while CNN. MSNBC, CNBC, CBS, NBC, and ABC are all on commercials....and long commercials at that.

[Political_Junkie]

1. That's sharp!

Makes a lot of sense. Most people in America have the attention span of a gnat, they wont sit through commercials for long.

[mmonk]

2. I thought it was because

for a fairly large percentage, they get to hear what they want to or agree with.

[chimpymustgo]

3. Here's another reason:

http://www.fair.org/extra/0404/fox-ratings.html

-snip-

When an outlet reports that CNN is trailing Fox, they are almost invariably using this average tally, which Fox has been winning for the past two years. For the year 2003, Nielsen's average daily ratings show Fox beating CNN 1.02 million viewers to 665,000.

But there is another important number collected by Nielsen (though only made available to the firm's clients) that tells another story. This is the "cume," the cumulative total number of viewers who watch a channel for at least six minutes during a given day. Unlike the average ratings number the media usually report, this number gives the same weight to the light viewer, who tunes in for a brief time, as it does to the heavy viewer.

How can CNN have more total viewers when Fox has such a commanding lead in average viewers? Conventional industry wisdom is that CNN viewers tune in briefly to catch up on news and headlines, while Fox viewers watch longer for the opinion and personality-driven programming. Because the smaller total number of Fox viewers are watching more hours, they show up in the ratings as a higher average number of viewers.

CNN regularly claims a cume about 20 percent higher than Fox's (Deseret Morning News, 1/12/04). For instance, in April 2003, during the height of the fighting in Iraq, CNN's cume was significantly higher than Fox's: 105 million viewers tuned into CNN compared to 86 million for Fox (Cablefax, 4/30/03). But in the same period, the ratings reported by most media outlets had Fox in the lead, with an average of 3.5 million viewers to CNN's 2.2 million.

Even among Fox's core audience of conservatives, CNN has an edge in total viewership. A study by the ad agency Carat USA (Hollywood Reporter, 8/13/03) found that 37 percent of viewers calling themselves "very conservative" watch CNN in the course of a week, while only 32 percent tune to Fox.

-snip-

[Toots]

8. "ratings show Fox beating CNN 1.02 million viewers to 665,000."

And the Daily Show has 7.5 million viewers. :-)

[robbedvoter]

11. And Air America had 3 mill streams in its first 3 days

[Eric J in MN]

19. where did you get that figure? nt

nt

[rman]

27. from AAR, based on Realaudio's statistics

2 million simultanious streams in the first day alone.
a world record for non-breaking news streaming.

[not systems]

26. The Daily Show is great!

Best thing on TV except Democracy Now on FSTV.

[w4rma]

15. It's too bad CNN sucks, now, too. Ted Turner knew how to run it.

The freepers running it now only know how to copy Faux, imho.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. It's no mystery why Fox does well in the ratings

It's really the same reason that porno films make money.

There is a core audience that comes back to get some kick they can't get anywhere else. Murdoch and Ailes know exactly what needs to be done to keep that audience returning. They know what to say, what to show and just how much money to put out. They have it down to a very profitable formula.

FoxNews makes money, just like porno films. Also, FoxNews has as much to do with good journalism as a porno film has to do with fine art.

[Junkdrawer]

9. "Your country in wonderful and your fearless leaders are making...

it even more wonderful. If there's anything wrong at all, it's those terrible Liberals who want to control you and take away your guns and SUVs."

For people who hate to think, it's an easy sell.

[sendero]

17. They ...

... MAKE IT ENTERTAINING. It is SO FREAKING SIMPLE!

[Imperialism Inc.]

5. Americans have become so dependent on their propaganda

that now, you can actually (and many people do) choose to have straight propaganda if you so choose. Fox will insulate you from any nasty facts that might cause you to deviate , however briefly, from the "American poo doesn't have a bad aroma" view of the world.

[keithyboy]

6. Well, I'm not saying this is the 'sole' reason for FOX's ratings BUT

in today's era of high tech, if you don't program for the remoters you will lose an edge. I don't like sitting through assinine commercials so I begin to flick when they come on. The only place to flick to when the majors are all on commercials (which they all seem to time in sync) is one of the FOX stations..either local or network. Once there, I usually continue to watch until a particular story line is completed. All I am saying is that it seem stupid to me for CNN to time their commercials at the same time as MSNBC and the network stations. But that's my opinion.

[displacedtexan]

12. Ted Turner invented that. It works.

Ted Turner knew that by starting his network's shows 5 minutes after each hour he would get a separate TV Guide listing, which called attention to his shows. He also scheduled his commercials at different times from the other networks.

While CNN and MSNBC are running those canned CNN Presents and National Geographic 'specials,' FOX is live.

Live trumps canned any day.

[mistertrickster]

7. I agree . . . I'm watching "Meet the Presstitute" right now and it seems

like it's more flipping commercials than it is show.

[KharmaTrain]

10. Old Tuner Trick...

In the 80's, Ted Turner took advantage of the networks being jammed in commercial breaks by starting his shows 5 minutes after theirs. This way at the top of the hour when stations would go into 4 minutes of commercials and station breaks, Andy was putting Otis back in Jail or McGarrett was making Hawaii safe once again. Or, if you didn't like the show on the networks, most people would tune out during the first commercial break...usually about 6 minutes into the show and that's right when Turner would start his next one. It worked very, very well.

Faux popularity, sadly, is real...but also distorted. Of the three cable news channels they are top rated during the evening hours. But now put that in perspective with all of television. Their numbers are a fraction of those of MTV or ESPN...and far less than the major networks.

Another trick that is used is the terms "Cume"...or cumulative...viewers...the rating that is cited most. To get credit for this, all Faux needs is someone to tune in for about 15 minutes (not even the full hour), one day during the week. Thus the same person who watches every night gets thrown in with the casual gawkers...which I think are a majority of Faux viewers.

[robbedvoter]

13. As usually selling wingnut goods. Check # 8 and 11 on this thread please

then re-think "Faux's popularity is real"

[KharmaTrain]

14. Let's Count Apples With Apples

It's so easy to toss numbers. I used to battle Freepers when it was only O'Reilly...who accounts for a majority of Faux's numbers...who was winning.

First, Faux beat CNN (Zahn), MSNBC (Oberman) from 8pm-9pm EST...with O'Reilly and it's not even close. The last time there was real competition was Donahue.

Then Faux now beats CNN (King & dead or dying people) and MSNBC (Debra Nowhereville)...since most rational people are tuned elsewhere...the overall ratings in the 9pm-10pm slot on all three cable networks are among the lowest of major cable stations at that hour. Yep, Comedy Central whips all of their asses.

Last, Faux with Greta Facelift is either even or barely ahead of CNN (Aaron Brown) and MSNBC (Joe Intern).

That's where they win...3 hours out of 24. Oh, and then they repeat O'Reilly & Hannity two other times while the other cable networks repeat their yakkers only once. Hmmm.

I don't count Stewarts numbers against Faux or anyone else...except maybe Letterman and Leno. This is a different audience. My kids can't stand anything Faux or CNN, but love both Stewart and Dave. It's a large audience and one that's firmly on our side and growing. It's fun and hip to hate this regime and getting "cooler" (sorry, I'm an old fart).


Understand how Faux numbers are real...and they are...and in the context they are. Pretending they aren't or painting them with numbers that really aren't truely relevent are a game freepers like to play.

[Paradise]

16. wow, that's true. done it, myself. n/t

[hippywife]

18. For all the reasons...

this is why it is good to say yes when you get the call to be a Nielsen family. We got the call last week and I said yes because I want them to know that there are people that don't tune into network or cable bullshit shows. We watch PBS most of the time, if we watch TV at all. They only thing that we watch on network is West Wing and the husband likes Law and Order (where they have taken more than one swipe at the Patriot Act, BTW)

[supernova]

20. Fred Thompson

I actually like his character on Law & Order. Go figure. :shrug:

[loudsue]

21. Just think of the massive #'s they'd have if they reported REAL news

I think the country is ready for actual NEWS, instead of spin in either direction.....and a great deal of the public still knows the difference.

If it wasn't slanted, but news was actually reported thoroughly, I think ratings for such a news show would go through the roof! If they'd call an editorial an "editorial" and not try to sell "spin" as "news"....the ratings would sky-rocket.

But Nooooooooo!

:kick:

[mouse7]

22. "Counter-scheduling" has it's good and bad points.

Yes, other viewers tune in when the station they are on is in a commercial break. However, the FOX views tune out can tune out and find programming on all the other stations when FOX goes to a commercial break.

There's been LOTS of discussion about this topic in broadcasting circles. There arguments for both sides. Generally, it benefits a station that's behind in ratings and going unnoticed more than a staion that is leading ratings.

[neebob]

23. I, too, have found this is often true

but not always. I have 45 channels, with FoxNews at 37 and the others you mentioned at 3, 5, 8, 12, 28, and 29. I've found I can flip through all the channels when the one I'm watching goes to commercial and find most of the other 44 also on commercials. Fox is usually not; in fact, this is how I find out what's on Fox - just flipping channels, knowing I can stop for 30-60 seconds on a couple of channels and get back to the one I was watching about the same time the commercials end.

Actually, 30-60 seconds is all I can take of Hannity, O'Reilly, and the other idiots who tend to be on Fox when I'm watching TV. But you'd think I watch it all the time. That's how insubstantive and redundant it is - you can stay current by watching a couple minutes an evening.

My mother, amazing wingnut that she has become, calls it "my Fox News" and claims she has it on all the time. Ugh.

[bluedog]

24. another BIG reason

Fox news has news on Sats and Sundays.(if the other networks would get the trash they have on the heck off the air .) they would get a higher viewer input...when people want the news.they turn to fox on weekends.because it is all that is offered......

[sampsonblk]

25. O'Reilly vs Larry King

Your explanation makes a lot of sense. Also, sometimes Fox is the only station with news on at all. MSNBC does some explorer show, and CNN runs these personality profiles on Sundays. Fox at least has SOME news shows. CNN used to be the first place to go for real news. Now its the internet.

Your suggestion doesn't explain why Bill O'Lie-ly beats Larry King head to head. I'd would love to know what you guys think about that. How the hell can THAT be?

[robcon]

28. That's pretty silly, keithyboy.

Even if true, that would mean that the others are airing the program, while Fox is in commercials. How does that improve Fox's ratings?

[dbt]

29. Good point about the commercial placement, keithyboy!

Another thing that Focks has done right, IMO, is to make their "news" shows run a lot like their sports shows. Lots of males sitting around a table, Monday-Morning-Quarterbacking everything, talking about how this decision was right or wrong from whatever standpoint. You also get lots of "whoosh" sound effects when their graphics change, etc.

One more way that CNN and the other Focks wannabes drop the ball is by having their screens WAY more cluttered than Focks. Check the number of crawls, charts and "coming-ups" on CNN, then look at Focks. It's much cleaner, visually.

:argh:
dbt