Countdown Tops CNN Again, But Rates Better Without Olbermann

ratings

by Steve Krakauer | 1:23 pm, March 30th, 2010

» 22 comments

MSNBC continues its dominance of CNN during prime time as the 2nd place cable news outlet, while CNN remains ahead during dayside hours (with Fox News dominating in 1st place in both categories).

But a strange thing happened in the first quarter of 2010 – the 8pmET landmark show Countdown fared better without regular host Keith Olbermann than with him.

Olbermann was out all but one day during March before returning Monday due to the illness and death of his father. During that month, with Lawrence O’Donnell serving as the fill-in anchor, Countdown averaged 262,000 in the demo and 1,052,000 in total viewers. In January, the program averaged 1,000 more in the demo but 49,000 less in total viewers. In February, the program had 255,00 in the demo and 963,000 in total viewers. The year-to-year difference was also least in March than January or February. Overall though, the show is down 42% in the demo and 26% in total viewers year-to-year in the quarter.

The March ratings are likely helped by the health care debate, which upped ratings across the board on cable news. And no one would say MSNBC is better off with O’Donnell instead of Olbermann at 8pmET. But it does raise the question whether Olbermann still commands the audience he once did, particularly as Rachel Maddow‘s stock continues to rise (her 9pmET show performed better than Countdown in March – but that was when Olbermann was out).

As for the 2nd place comparisons, MSNBC reached several new milestones. The network beat CNN in total day in the demo during the month of March for the first time since August 2001. Also, it was the first quarter ever that Morning Joe passed CNN’s American Morning in total viewers.

The battle between CNN and MSNBC has really heated up as Fox News is now out of the picture. Look how MSNBC described their win in the release sent out today:

MSNBC beat CNN in primetime in the first quarter of 2010, finishing well ahead of the formerly dominant news network among both total viewers and in the key adult demographic.

Our emphasis added – and what a shot!

Other notes:

• The Ed Show beat The Situation Room at 6pmET for the first time in total viewers during March.

• Hardball‘s repeat at 7pmET beat John King, USA in its first week in total viewers and the demo by more than 20%.

• Besides winning at 8pmET, the Countdown repeast topped Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pmET in the demo in March.

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keith olbermann, msnbc, Ratings

http://www.anonymousfinch.com AnonymousFinch

That’s a “strange thing”? It’s no surprise to me.

And, by the way, did CNN primetime lose to Red Eye again?
Olby Sucks

Couldn’t happen to a “nicer” person. ;)
Caryson

My question is: How long will Comcast let this moron continue to be the face of MSNBC?
timzank

Perhaps the bloom has fallen off of the rose? When even the most rabid kossacks start avoiding the Olby circus, it’s time for a change probably…even at MSNBC….
writer

It’s the same old same old. Interview Marcos Moulitsos, then vote O’Reilly the worst person. He could phone it in.
Cecelia

“…But Rates Better Without Olbermann”

Oh, that’s TOO sweet!
valkyrie101

The half a million or so people that watch KO greatly appreciate him, and his influence among progessives goes well beyond the numbers.
roxsteady

We love Keith. He doesn’t lie to us just so that we’ll keep watching the way those idiots at faux news kept cheering on the GOP and Teabaggers who were going to defeat healthcare. By the way, how did that whole healthcare thing turn out?
TylerDurdin

Not a surprise. KO is the biggest liar the left has.
Moderate

Fox News Channel continued its dominance in the cable news universe becoming the second most-watched basic cable channel for the first three months of this year, only behind USA Network. FNC also had the top 13 programs in cable news in both Total Viewers and younger viewers.

All the far left blogs devoted to Fox News as been great for ratings.
credible sources

“By the way, how did that whole healthcare thing turn out?”

It turned out badly. Thing is, it’s just as bad for a sheep like yourself as it is for the rest of us. You’re just too ignorant to see it. Probably from watching msnbc and keith olbermann. Nobody ever got informed doing that.
Moderate

MSNBC “finishing well ahead of the formerly dominant news network”

Does that make MSNBC dominant? Hell no.
valkyrie101

The media, as conservatives like to point out, is substantially liberal. The conservatives do have FOX, and they all watch it. That is a good thing. It would not be fair, or healthy for our country, if there was not a strong voice for the right. But MSNBC is only one liberal voice among many, so it is no surprise that it does not compete with the primary conservative media voice over at FOX. However, as I mentioned before, KO and Maddow are important influences for progressives, including progressive politicians, and that influence is more significant than the ratings would indicate. Also important on the progressive side is the Huffington Post, Media Matters, Talking Points Memo, Salon and numerous other websites where much of what KO, Maddow, John Stewart, Colbert, and the rest of the progressive apparatus is referenced. Most people, in fact, do not get their news from any of the cable networks. Even FOX gets only 5M viewers on a good night (out of 300 million). So you conservatives, celebrate FOX, but don’t get confused and believe that those ratings indicate that the general population is going along with Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, because they do not. Otherwise, the Republicans would not have lost both houses of Congress and the Presidency.
fanofamerica

valkyrie, you can spin it any way you like, but I don’t think your logic will give much comfort to the people whose jobs rely on CNN and MSNBCs ratings. They care about the numbers who are watching, not the perception of who ‘the general population is going along with.”
valkyrie101

I am pretty sure that CNN and MSNBC are fine with their ratings. Are they less than FOX, sure. And Fox’s ratings are less than the USA network. What is your point? That FOX makes more money than those others. OK. USA makes more than FOX. OK? All that matters is the impact they have, and my point is that both CNN and MSNBC have an impact beyond their ratings. So does FOX, as far as that goes. There are more progressive networks competing for a piece of the pie. There is just one FOX which services the whole right wing TV audience. Personally, I am happy for that, because as I said, it is important that the many millions of conservatives have a voice. The progressives have their voices too. Everyone is happy.
fanofamerica

Oh, I think they care.
pyrope

OVERBITE has LOST it.
pyrope

As for ratings, one must ask which network’s ratings are going UP and which network’s ratings are going DOWN. The trend tells the tale in its entireity.
valkyrie101

The article mentioned, in passing, that March was the month that the health care debate was going on in full force, so no surprise that lots of people were watching when Keith was away during that time. I doubt if that relates to Keith’s absence

As for ratings in general, as I mentioned before, there are several news programs for progressives to watch besides Keith O., but there is only one FOX News and that is where the conservatives (at least those who watch cable news) go, exclusively.
MarkStr82Hell

He’s so damn angry all the time. It’a awkward as hell to watch a 51 year old man who has never had a wife or children act like an adolescent. As a psychotherapist, I think it would be therapeutic for Mr. Olbermann to reveal his that he is a homosexuality. You can do it. It’s going to be OK!
pyrope

valkyrie101, you make a good point by saying the liberals have all other networks from which to get their news. there is, however, a point you may have overlooked: The former liberals are coming to their senses and seeking the truth that they’re not told on aforementioned liberal networks. In other words, those new Fox viewers are “rehabilitated” liberals.
ganymede

I would like for someone, anyone, to tell me what real information and positive energy Fox is offering its viewers. Watching O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck and Palin is like watching George Bush, i.e. totally disingenuous, inauthentic characters manipulating an all too willing audience. What we’re experiencing now is the collapse of so-called conservatism. Of course, Fox is attracting a large audience with its goofy propagandists, but it doesn’t even begin to equal the total number of people who steer clear of Murdoch’s sleazy media outlets. I equate Fox with the obesity epidemic. People keep stuffing themselves with industrialized fat and sugar laden foods until they get sick and die, which is what’s happening to the right-wing cause. On top of that, demographics is rapidly working against the deniers. The world is changing and, hopefully, for the better. It will be interesting to see what happens this November. The resentment and anger against the Republicans will be much heavier than even that against the Democrats. People are beginning to understand that we need good government and the Republicans have really been hell bent on destroying our government since their hallowed leader, Reagan, told them that government is the problem. Listen, bird-brains, government is what binds us together, so we should all work together to push it towards excellence. Unfortunately, this is much too simple for most right-wing people to understand.