Keith Olbermann’s New Countdown Premieres to Strong Ratings

[babylonsister]

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=4712

Keith Olbermann’s New Countdown Premieres to Strong Ratings
Posted by Mark on June 22, 2011 at 3:42 pm.


Monday night marked the return of Keith Olbermann to television. His new program on Current TV was closely modeled on the old MSNBC version. What everybody has been waiting to find out is whether or not his previous audience would find him farther up the dial.

Well, they did. The new Countdown pulled in 179,000 viewers in the key 25-54 demographic. Of course that is not as much as he was drawing at MSNBC, but Current is in only about two-thirds the number of homes (60 million vs. 95 million). Nevertheless, Olbermann drew in excess of two-thirds of his prior viewers. And he handily beat CNN’s “In the Arena” with Eliot Spitzer (89,000).

More importantly, Olbermann increased Current’s average audience for the time period by 600%. That’s significant because the move to Current has always recognized the need to build the network’s audience and distribution. It is interesting to note that when Olbermann began on MSNBC they were in roughly the same number of homes as Current is in now. Olbermann was a key factor in putting MSNBC on the map, and Current is hoping that he will do the same for them.

It’s important, however, to keep these numbers in perspective. They represent a single day of programming – the premiere day. That could mean that subsequent days may fall off. Or it could mean that fans who haven’t yet found the homestead may do so and the numbers will rise. The only numbers that will have any real meaning are those released after the first year so that a longer-term trend can be observed. And in that time Current promises other schedule changes that will have an impact on future performance.

Today Olbermann and his fans can enjoy this morsel, but the main course has not yet been served. So be patient and stay hungry.

[Syrinx]

1. I was hoping the new Countdown would do original reporting

Maybe one day.

[Shagbark Hickory]

8. I think countown should remain opinion/commentary but Current has a lot of potential for becoming a

real force to be reckoned with the rest of the day with unbiased news and field reporting. I'm very impressed by those Vanguard episodes that have been airing lately.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Vanguard is about to start season 5

And Current does not just air them, they make them. Sorry, but I am a huge fan of Vanguard, and now that KO is present, it is possible to get people to watch.

[backscatter712]

22. I discovered Vanguard as I was watching KO on Current. GREAT SHOW!!! n/t

[Shagbark Hickory]

24. I know. Wheren't those reporters that got arrested in N. Korea there for a Vanguard piece? nt

[Ninga]

2. I imagine the brainstorming at Current carefully decided how to roll out Countdown and

Imagine that for now, it is important that viewers feel familiar and comfortable with what they are watching.

I am hungry for Current to do a morning show.

[108]

10. what about Tom Hartman's show at noon

like he does with Free Speech TV

[Casandia]

3. I record each show

but watch live it at the same time. I am lucky to have Current on the Dish network.

[Bombtrack]

4. Good, maybe now they can get some better advertisers

They've been having pretty low rent daytime trash tv/Fox News type products.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. I sure didn't notice any such thing. What 'type' products do you

mean? Things you don't buy? I saw no Fox/Hartmann/Shultz 'gold coin investment' ads. "What would your friends say if you told them you owned gold?!?!?!?" I saw nothing like that at all. The only ad I can remember was for Free Speech TV.
I always like the word 'type'. Means nothing.

[rwork]

13. I saw good ads.

Such as Dodge, Lexus and Ford. My wife commented, they have more classy ads then Current has been used to.

[Bombtrack]

21. Maybe I just caught it at a bad one. It was for some gimicky thing called a gyro-bowl or something

It seemed like it was from the same people that sell Head-On and Billy Mays products.

[malaise]

5. K & R

for Keith and Current

[bluedave]

7. Can't anything be done

to get this show available on the net?I signed 1 of those Comcast petitions to get Current added to their channel lineup but I'm sure they'll pay no attention to it.

[Loge23]

11. It's on in my Concast area.

Not to defend Concast, which I loathe, but I do get Current on my lineup in SE FL.

[mwooldri]

12. If lots of people watch Current then Current will get added.

That is assuming that Current isn't carried on your Comcast cable system at all.

Number of viewers will drive a channels' popularity and will drive demand from cable customers to have access to a particular channel.

[bigdarryl]

15. I have Comcast and it is available see below LINK

http://current.com/shows/countdown/channelfinder-check/08065/

[bluedave]

18. Available where you are-not so for me

[starroute]

20. Olbermann keeps saying the cable networks won't let them webcast

They can put up podcasts of certain segments but not entire shows. This is built into Current's contracts with the cable and satellite networks that carry them and can't be altered -- at least not unless Current develops a whole lot more clout.

The best approach at this point is probably to keep up the pressure on the cable networks and hope that Current develops sufficient viewership to be added to more lineups, at a better location in the numbering, and not just on premium tiers.

[bpositive]

9. Number of viewers

Does anyone know how this number of viewers compares to when he was at MSNBC?

Never mind-- after a further read, I see the answer.

[bigdarryl]

14. Current TV should have more news on the Progressive side

I would like to see Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell both on Current.Also bring back Ron Reagan to do a 2 hour news show followed by Cent

[BlueCaliDem]

17. This is excellent news for progressive news! I love that Countdown hasn't changed

too much. It's as entertaining as always, and I watch it multiple times! It's my 5 o'clock show. Vanguard is pretty durn good, too!

I'm hoping Rachel, Cenk, and Lawrence move from MSNBC to Current, or give Anthony Weiner a show as commentator lashing out at the backbiting in Congress. Thom Hartman would be an excellent addition, too.

Perhaps CurrentTV is the station we progressives have been yearning for, for so long? I sure do hope so.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. Current has the potential to be amazing

Thank God KO went there. Vanguard has been on for four years, and finally it will be seen. I'm also a big fan of Infomania.

[cyberpj]

23. Vanguard IS amazing. And the type of reporting that USED TO BE on 60 minutes, 20/20, etc....

As for Infomania - I'm a Brett fan and all but I don't believe it's better since they made him the host; husband and I think it's worse and much sillier. For us it used to be more like Daily Show - now it's more like Tosh.0 show.

I hope Olbermann brings more long term eyes though and I'll bet he does.

[glinda]

25. Charter needs to add them. I would drop Charter but need the reliable weather reporting.

[Kingofalldems]

26. K and R

[moondust]

27. Probably does not include online viewers.

Which could be a significant number for KO's show.