Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? I just don't get it....

[jillan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/30/cable-news-ratings-top-30_n_630984.html#s108353


Life is full of change, but one thing we can always rely on is Fox News' continued domination of the cable news ratings. The Nielsen ratings for the second quarter of 2010 were released Tuesday, and yet again, Fox News is way ahead of with the competition, claiming the top 10 programs in cable news. The #1 cable news show not on Fox News? MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann."

The list is at the link - Rachel is way down there :banghead:

[DJ13]

1. News for people who dont want to think

If Fox didnt exist the Cartoon Network would rule cable TV.

[Roscoe Filburn]

4. I know I watch cartoon network more than FOX/CNN/MSNBC combined!!!

[Lars39]

2. Because they make deals to have Fox on public teevees.

[global1]

16. I Travel A Lot And Fox News Is On In Almost Every Airport In The Country.....

at the bars, restaurants and book shops in the airports. I don't know how they swing that.

[flamingdem]

24. Check out airports in the South! nt

[Dulcinea]

35. CNN is on in the Atlanta airport. eom

[lonestarnot]

3. Somehow I don't believe this list.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. ditto

[Sebastian Doyle]

6. Because Nielsen ratings automatically count ANY television tuned to FAUX

It's something that can now be done with digital technology. They don't need the little boxes anymore, or anybody actually writing down the shows they watch in some log book.

And what this means is that all those TV's you see.... in your doctor's office, at the Jiffy Lube, or McDonalds, in the airport terminals or whatever that are all tuned to FAUX, are counted as "viewers" by Nielsen. Regardless of whether or not anybody is actually watching.

Not coincidentally, the technology that Nielsen uses to extract this information from the digital televisions is owned by....


drum roll please......








Rupert Murdoch's "NewsCorporation".

[jillan]

7. Interesting about Murdoch and Nielsen Ratings. That explains ALOT!

[Sugarcoated]

12. I thought that was a myth

Do you have a link that backs up what you're saying?

[Bluenorthwest]

18. This is obviously a myth

Why obviously? Other businesses buy ad time based on Neilson ratings. If this was done, it would be hyper secret, not internet gossip because it is really hugely illegal, and the victims are giant corporations. It would be fraud, misrepresentation, and market fixing. It is selling a quart in a gallon container.
Not that they would not, not that such things might not happen. But it simply can not exist as a 'this is how we do it' basis. Because that would be criminal, and GE has lawyers, as do all who buy those ads.
Everyone who has ever sold ad time would love to control those numbers. Everyone who buys is extremely, to the tune of billions, cautious about any such possibility.
It would be more like election fixing or casino rigging, not like an open and known policy. It would be covert. Because it would be wildly, multiply illegal, and the targets are hugely powerful entities.
Just my thinking on it. Fixing the Nielsens would be huge. Proving that would be huge, and extremely profitable. Anyone who can do so should go get a show business attorney and let it rip.

[Egnever]

8. Because fox is free

on many cable systems you have to sign up for higher level packages to get msnbc or CNN. Its that simple.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. someone needs to buy out News Corporation - simple

[Bluenorthwest]

10. If it really bothers you, here is what you really need to do

You need to get on the internet and look up the numbers for Network News programs, ABC, CBS, NBC. Learn how many people watch them. Then look at the number of people watching all of these cable shows. Now, look up numbers for local affiliate news in major markets, like Los Angeles or NY. Learn how many people what those broadcasts. Then take another look at the Hannity audience. I swear to God you will feel better.
While I also think the FoxNews numbers are pretty contrived for various reasons to detailed to go into here, I am really asking that you do this research and hear me when I say that 'domination of cable news ratings' is so very much not the same as 'news ratings'. Cable news is small time. Their largest audiences are pitiful by actual TV News standards.
I think people fall for FoxNew's conflation of 'cable ratings' with 'TV ratings'. Not the same. There has never been a FoxNews show that had even one time the very worst rating of any network nightly news. Katie Couric has more, way more, on her worst night than anyone in cable has had on their historic high night.
I urge you to do this.

[newfie11]

11. In my area any public place with a TV has it tuned to Fox news

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[Booster]

13. I find it interesting that most places I go in where there is a TV on

they almost always have it on Fox. I have never understood this at all.

[Codeine]

14. Still less than 1% of the population watching it.

Seriously, nobody watches cable news in the big picture.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. And that is so very true

These clowns have tiny audiences, all of them, even combined.

[Jennicut]

28. Glenn Beck does not even have as many viewers as Spongebob does.

There is absolutely no doubt that FOX News dominates the world of cable news. The top ten political infomercial/programs on cable TV are all aired on FOX. MSNBC's top rated show, Countdown With Keith Olbermann, comes in at number eleven, and only draws one half of Beck's audience and one third of FOX News leader Bill O'Reilly.

Glenn Beck's audience of 2 million viewers, especially during the 5:00pm Eastern time slot, is actually quite remarkable... that is until you compare his numbers to those of another cable TV icon, SpongeBob Squarepants (D-Bikini Bottom).

Mr. Squarepants' show, at 3.8 million viewers, draws almost twice the audience that Beck does and about 25 percent higher than "The O'Reilly Factor."

In addition to SpongeBob Squarepants, The Glenn Beck Show also loses handily to WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), iCarly, Penguins of Madagascar, True Jackson VP, and South Park. http://open.salon.com/blog/rogerf1953/2010/06/30/world_cup_soccer_spongebob_crush_glenn_becks_ratings

I am watching Spongebob and iCarly with my kids when Beck is on. There is no domination other then over CNN and MSNBC, which are not all that great aside from Rachel and KO (and maybe Ed).

[depakid]

17. A lot of Americans like being lied to

and enjoy the outrage.

Not hard to see why the nation's in decline.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Not one of cable TV's top 25 is a news show

So the top of cable news is not the top of news, nor is it even the top of cable.

[SunnySong]

20. Here is the viewership breakdown...

Fox News... people in Nursing homes.

CNN... Hotel Breakfast Buffets


MSNBC... Min security prisons.


Seriously that is it. Most people I know have a thing called the Internet or netflix or Xbox or heck other people and as a result don't watch endless coverage of a fire in Texas or a missing white girl they don't know.

[Codeine]

21. As many people watched a RERUN of Family Guy last week as watched O'Reilly. nt

[Blue Owl]

22. Turdock's vomit-vision is broadcast in most McDonald's restaurants

Millions served.

[Riftaxe]

23. You could look at it this way,

Rachel will be moving up, if Keith continues his plunge down the ratings in total viewers and target demo....

[Swede]

25. I don't think their viewers read much.

IMHO.

[Blue For You]

26. The solution is very simple. Drop cable/satellite TV service.

Stop feeding the beast. Why in the hell pay for news? All the news a person needs on any given day, can be seen within the first 15 minutes or so of an evening news program (w/Katie, Diane, or Briana...oops, Brian).

[go west young man]

34. Did that a year ago and I feel great. Plus I save a small fortune and spend

more time with my wife and son. Everything I used to watch is on the internet anyway. Daily Show, Colbert, and Keith and Rachel. Netflix helps too for great foreign films and the Tudors miniseries!

[Bitwit1234]

27. I will say this....most of the other cable news do not show much news

Fox during the day does show news from all over the country. It is the commentary that is false and misleading. You know how Nielsen does a lot of the rating. They get the mailman to drop off a questionnaire with five dollars in it. That was back in 2003 when we got one. And then you mark what you watch and send it back. Maybe a lot of people keep the five and don't bother to send it back. And the republicans are the only ones who do. Because I don't care what anybody says Fox's views and their mis-interpretation of the news can not be number one.

[LLStarks]

29. Fire Keith and put TRMS at 8pm. nt

[uponit7771]

30. Fox has non cabel channels dont they?

[earth mom]

31. Faux news is popular with people who want to hate other people who are different than they are

blame other people for their own problems and who rejoice in the misery of others.

There are millions of sociopaths in this country. :puke:

[apocalypsehow]

32. There are a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the widespread appeal of conservative beliefs

among the middle class, particularly the white middle class.

Most liberals/progressives do not fit into that broad middle class, being among the most educated and wealthiest on the one end, and among the more financially distressed lower middle class, which includes a broad swath of largely minority communities, on the other.

The former listen to NPR; the latter are largely struggling to survive and don't have time for cable news - if they even have cable.

These results should surprise no one.

[grantcart]

33. Its still a miniscule number of people - less than 3 million watch Fox