The gap is closing. Remember, the host of "Face the Nation" has done this once before, taken a show from third to second.
"CBS EVENING NEWS" NARROWS THE GAP WITH "WORLD NEWS TONIGHT" BY NEARLY ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION
THE "CBS EVENING NEWS" IS THE ONLY NETWORK EVENING NEWSCAST
TO INCREASE SEASON-TO-DATE IN VIEWERS AND HOUSEHOLDS –
CBS GAINS 190,000 VIEWERS, WHILE NBC LOSES 710,000
AND ABC DROPS 890,000
The CBS EVENING NEWS WITH BOB SCHIEFFER has narrowed the gap with ABC's "World News Tonight" by 1.43 million viewers compared to the same period last year and is the only network-evening newscast to post season-to-date gains in total viewers and households. The CBS EVENING NEWS average for the week of March 13, and the same week last year, is a three-day average due to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
For the week of March 13, the CBS EVENING NEWS increased its total viewers by +450,000 (8.06 million from 7.61 million) and its household delivery by +6% (5.5/11 from 5.2/10). During the same period, NBC gained 60,000 viewers (9.74 million from 9.68 million) and decreased -3% in households (6.7/13 from 6.9/14), while ABC lost -980,000 million viewers (8.68 million from 9.66 million) and decreased -12% in households (6.0/12 from 6.8/13).
The CBS EVENING NEWS has increased its total viewers in more weeks than any other evening newscast during the 2005-06 television season:
· The CBS EVENING NEWS is up in 17 of 26 weeks this season;
· NBC's "Nightly News" is down in 24 of 26 weeks; and
· ABC's "World News Tonight" is down in 24 of 26 weeks and the last 23 weeks straight.
Season-to-date, the CBS EVENING NEWS increased its total viewers by +190,000 (7.70 million from 7.51 million) and increased +2% in households (5.4/10 from 5.3/10), While NBC and ABC decreased in total viewers and households compared to the same period last year. NBC's "Nightly News" lost -710,000 total viewers (9.83 million from 10.54 million) and decreased -8% in households (6.8/13 from 7.4/14). ABC's "World News Tonight" also showed season-to-date losses: it lost -890,000 total viewers (8.76 million from 9.65 million) and decreased -9% (6.1/12 from 6.7/13) in households.


Hell, skip the lightweight (Couric)...keep Bob!
Posted by: Soonerthought | March 21, 2006 at 04:00 PM
Pretty misleading.
CBS's numbers last week were wind-aided by not having newscasts on Thursday and Friday due to the basketball tournament...those days being the lowest rated of a typical news week...ABC and NBC got no such "deletion assistance."
As far as season to date gains, they're all coming from older viewers...those older than 55, and outside what some call the core news demo of 25 to 54.
--roy
Posted by: roy | March 22, 2006 at 07:44 AM