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CNN comes in first Beats broadcast networks in households and 18-49s Sep 4, 2008 If there were any remaining doubts that this is a cable, not a broadcast, presidential election, CNN erased them last Thursday night. With 11 networks offering live coverage of Democrat Barack Obama’s presidential nomination acceptance speech, CNN topped them all, including all three broadcasters. That simply reinforced a pattern that’s been seen throughout this election, with cable outdrawing broadcast on primary coverage and CNN in particular showing big gains over the last presidential election four years ago. CNN led across virtually every demographic for Obama’s 10 p.m. speech on Thursday night, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Magna Global. It averaged a 4.9 household rating, 0.5 ahead of second-place ABC, and a 2.3 among adults 18-49, 0.2 ahead of second-place NBC. It also bested the cable and broadcast competition among adults 25-54 and adults over 35. The only demo where it tied for first was 18-34s, where it earned a 1.7, equaling NBC. CNN beat at least one of the broadcast networks, and often two, in households and 18-49s on the previous three days of the convention as well. But it was on the most important night, the one with the biggest tune-in for Obama’s speech, that it drew its highest ratings. CNN doubled its 18-49 and 18-34 ratings compared to 2004, the biggest jump for any network, and was up 41 percent among households, also the biggest increase. Undoubtedly CNN earned some ratings increases simply because of the saturation of its coverage. It offered 16 hours of live DNC coverage over the four days, tying MSNBC for the lead and up 6.4 hours from the 2004 convention. By contrast, Fox News Channel offered 5.7 hours of coverage, down 0.4 from the previous election. NBC, the top broadcast network, offered 4.4 hours of coverage, more than double its 2004 tally but still barely a quarter of what CNN offered. CNN has been seeing gains for months because of the elections, giving over much of its schedule to politics and airing presidential-focused specials since January. It sets up an interesting faceoff this fall, in what’s sure to be a much-followed election on Nov. 4. Though MSNBC and Fox News Channel have also seen big gains compared to 2004, it remains to be seen whether the cable networks can actually outdraw the broadcasters on election night. The convention results suggest it may be a real possibility. *** Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Aug. 31:
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