CNN’s Ad Revenue Down On Weak Ratings – Time Warner CEO Wants To “Fix” Problem

by Steve Krakauer | 9:04 am, May 7th, 2010

» 7 comments

CNN has consistently claimed all is well even as ratings have fallen off significantly.

But according to Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes on yesterday’s first quarter conference call, CNN has declined financially as well as ad revenue is down – and he wants to “fix” the ratings problem.

Here’s a look at how various outlets on the call categorized Bewkes’ comments on the cable news network and ad revenue:

From the Wall Street Journal:

The company’s cable networks, which include TNT and TBS, posted a 9% ad-revenue jump, even as the U.S. news networks CNN and HLN saw a drop in advertising mostly due to weak ratings.

So while TBS enjoyed a strong quarter – ahead of what is likely to be an even stronger quarter as advertisers find themselves part of a cycle that includes self-promos for Conan O’Brien‘s imminent arrival – the 9% gain came despite losses from CNN and HLN.

From the New York Times:

Mr. Bewkes said ratings at some of the networks’ channels were lower than he wanted. He cited CNN and said Time Warner was “working to fix” it.

No one on the conference call reported on any specifics Bewkes offered in terms of ‘fixing’ the problem with CNN ratings, but the fact that it was asked is telling. CNN executives have long held the belief that journalism-over-ratings was the end of the conversation. But with Bewkes hoping to “fix” what he identifies as a problem, it opens the door to potential changes at the network.

From Businessweek:

Pricing increased for commercials sold closer to air date on Time Warner’s cable channels, offsetting a decline in ads at CNN in the U.S. Advertising growth topped the 2.5 percent gain estimated by Imran Khan, an analyst with JPMorgan Chase & Co.

This news comes on the heels of CNN competitor Fox News enjoying its highest quarterly profit ever – another indication of the vastly different directions the two networks are headed. Maybe until Bewkes begins “working to fix” the issues.

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CNN, Jeff Bewkes, profits, Time Warner

jhonsadins

With Time Warner also owns CNN, and HBO, fell 79 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $ 31.88 04:00 New York Stock Exchange. U.S. stocks sank concern Europe, the debt crisis is worsening, as the demonstrations turned deadly in Greece, and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index tumbling as 1.3 percent.

sumvision cyclone
timzank

Ad revenues down. Hmmmmm….Wonder if “content ” has anything to do with ratings and thusly revenue?

nahhhhh, couldn’t be.
felixw

It wouldn’t be hard to “fix” the problems at CNN. How about this as a start? Hire some people who aren’t Democrats? Allow frank, open discussion of real issues without the current filter of political correctness? Cover all of the news, including those stories (Acorn, ClimateGate, etc.) that you usually try to hide?

Those are the real solutions to the problems at CNN. And they are all easy to fix. A honest network would regain he trust of viewers. But who really believes that CNN — which was infused with bias by Ted Turner at the network’s birth — will ever address get its house in order? Meanwhile don’t be surprised if the audience migrates to a channel where they get to hear all the news, without the ideologically-driven filtering and purifying that CNN imposes.
Moderate

CNN put their money on Anderson Cooper and after his making fun of “teabaggers”, his audience dropped dramatically, which carried over to the other shows. Never ever piss off half of your audience.
libra blue

I thought Klein said that he and CNN don’t care about ratings?

Try practicing what you preach and start keeping yourselves honest for a change and stop disrespecting your viewers by giving them only the part of the story that agrees with your pro-Obama, pro-illegal immigrant , anti-white agenda.

Forget the bells and whistles and hire a few unbiased qualified anchors, not just teleprompter readers who push the cnn “all bias, all bull” BS every chance they get. Dump your “expert” commentators, the only thing they are expert at is pushing that same agenda.

Oh yeah, and next time a disaster hits a part of the country that you don’t like try not to ignore it.
Liberty – Not Redistribution

When you hire people like that “Lemon” cat, what do you expect. According to CNN, via Lemon, a group of college athletes that are proven innocent, and persecuted by a corrupt Democrat prosecutor, are part of some sex scandal. The only scandal about that was the lies told by the woman, Sharpton and the prosecutor.
StewartIII

ChickaBOOMer: CNN’s Foul Movement
http://chickaboomer.blogspot.com/2010/05/cnns-foul-movement.html