Business News Tops Among TV Viewers

Post courtesy of Mary Rogus, OU Faculty.

By David F. Carr -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/4/2009 2:05:07 PM MT

Amid all the worries about the health of the TV news business, dozens of local newscasts have managed to achieve year-over-year ratings growth of more than 20 percent, according to an analysis by Nielsen and Broadcasting & Cable.

In November, the Associated Press reported that tough economic news is good for evening newscasts, noting that in January the CBS, ABC, and NBC newscasts each captured their highest ratings in years as viewers tuned in for the start of a new presidency and to get the latest on the state of the economy.

We asked whether local newscasts were sharing in that ratings boost, and Nielsen produced a custom ratings report comparing newscasts in 56 metered markets for the “early fringe” time of the evening during November. The chart below is limited to stations that achieved a rating of at least 5 (5% of the total viewing “universe” for their market).http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/189476-Growing_Ratings_Despite_Because_Of_Down_Economy.php