The hottest show we can't see

Every week, I receive from CBS publicity the latest breathless release about the ratings for "Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer."  Apparently, Bob's doing gangbusters in Washington as well as New York.  I'll never know, though -- KCTV-5, our local affiliate, doesn't like "Face the Nation."

Instead of Schieff, we get what local reader Marvin Hollis described to me as "an hour and a half, sometimes two hours of hashed and rehashed local news. I think that somehow, they should be able to work in half an hour of 'Face the Nation.'" I agree.

On the jump: "Face" is tied with Russert in adult demos.

"FACE THE NATION" TIED FOR FIRST WITH NBC'S "MEET THE PRESS"

IN KEY ADULTS 25-54 DEMOGRAPHIC LAST SUNDAY

 

FACE THE NATION is the Only Sunday Morning Public Affairs Program to Grow in

Both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Compared to Last Year

 

Season-to-Date, FACE THE NATION has Gained +140,000 Viewers While

NBC’s “Meet the Press” has Lost -190,000 Viewers

  

For the March 19  broadcast, FACE THE NATION posted double-digit gains in households, total viewers and adults 25-54 compared to the same week last year and was tied for first in adults 25-54 (1.2/6) with NBC's "Meet the Press.”  FACE THE NATION was up +14% in households (2.4/7 from 2.1/6), +23% in total viewers (3.29m from 2.67m) and +50% in adults 25-54 (1.2/6 from 0.8/4), while ABC’s “This Week” was down -1% in total viewers and NBC’s “Meet the Press” was flat in total viewers. Both ABC and NBC were flat in adults 25-54.

 

Season-to-date, FACE THE NATION is averaging more than three million viewers (3.12m). The broadcast is up +5% in both households (2.3/6 from 2.2/6) and total viewers (from 2.98m) and +11% in adults 25-54 (1.0/5 from 0.9/5), while "Meet the Press" is down -6% in households and down -4% in total viewers (-190,000 viewers) compared to last year.  "FOX News Sunday" is down -8% in households, down -10% in total viewers and down -17% in adults 25-54 season-to-date versus last year.

 

The broadcast included Anchor Bob Schieffer’s exclusive interview with Vice President Dick Cheney.

 

FACE THE NATION is broadcast Sundays (10:30-11:00 AM, ET; check local listings) on the CBS Television Network. Carin Pratt is the executive producer.