Election night ended a hugely successful election season for the cable news networks, all of which saw substantial ratings gains over 2004 in one of the most expensive and widely covered presidential campaigns ever.
The question now is whether the networks can sustain some of those gains and remain just as relevant as Barack Obama’s administration readies to take office.
The cable networks all saw their audiences increase on election night compared to 2004. CNN drew the biggest audience during primetime, 12.3 million total viewers, which also marked the network’s best night in its 28-year history. It was No. 2 overall behind ABC and jumped 98 percent from ‘04.
Fox News Channel saw more modest gains, up 12 percent over four years ago, but drew 9.04 million viewers, ranking fourth overall and topping CBS.
MSNBC had the biggest growth from four years ago, up 108 percent to 5.89 million total viewers, and it, too, bettered one broadcaster, Fox.
That came after a huge October for the networks. For perhaps the first time, the three all ranked among the top 10 most-watched cable networks in primetime, all more than doubling their average audience from the previous year.
FNC was second overall, averaging 3.37 million viewers, up 141 percent over October 2007. CNN ranked fifth overall, up 200 percent to 2.14 million, and MSNBC soared 223 percent, to 1.58 million, ranking ninth.
All three also made the top 10 in adults 25-54, the key news demo, with increases ranging from 160 to 241 percent.
No one expects that outrageous growth to continue now that the election is over, and each network certainly has some issues to deal with. But at least until Obama is sworn in, it seems all three will keep up their intensely political focus.
MSNBC would seem to have the most to lose. It built itself up as the liberal alternative to Fox News, with primetime hosts Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow railing for Obama as a conservative president sat in the White House.
Now that a Democrat has won, can MSNBC hold people’s interest without the target of President Bush to rally against? The network seems to be doing its best to remain relevant to an Obama administration, recently changing its tagline to “The Power of Change.”
Fox News would also seem vulnerable with a new administration, as it rose to prominence with conservative hosts like Bill O’Reilly during the Bush era. But the network launched during the Clinton years, and it would seem to relish the new role of championing the underdogs.
Still, the network’s biggest challenge may be replacing well-respected anchor Brit Hume, who is retiring.
CNN, the least politicized of the three, saw the biggest gains among 25-54s in primetime last month, but it will need a big story to keep up its ratings in coming months. The network does best on breaking news, as evidenced during election night, one of the rare times it claimed a win over Fox News Channel.
If America’s focus shifts from Obama to, say, the ailing economy, CNN may hold up better than the others, with viewers tuning there to find out the latest on their money.
***
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Nov. 9:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, CNN, USA, Fox News Channel, TBS.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): Fox News Channel, CNN, ESPN, USA, MSNBC.
Top movie (18-49s): None ranked in the top 50 programs for the week.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Steelers/Redskins” (Monday, 8:30 p.m.) 14.21 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: CNN’s “Election Night ‘08” (Tuesday, 7 p.m.-12 p.m.); ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Steelers/Redskins” (Monday, 8:30 p.m.).
Show on the rise: Comedy Central’s “South Park,” Wednesday 10 p.m. The animated comedy was up 17 percent week to week among viewers 18-34, from 1.68 million to 1.96 million, with its own special election coverage.
Show on the decline: VH1’s “Real Chance of Love,” Monday 9 p.m. The reality series slipped 23 percent week to week among total viewers, from 2.27 million to 1.75 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
FOXN
|
2576
|
NICK
|
1792
|
|
2
|
ESPN
|
2357
|
FOXN
|
1336
|
|
3
|
CNN
|
2333
|
CNN
|
1279
|
|
4
|
USA
|
2217
|
NAN
*
|
1277
|
|
5
|
MSNB
|
1550
|
USA
|
1108
|
|
6
|
NAN
|
1390
|
ESPN
|
992
|
|
7
|
TNT
|
1309
|
TNT
|
905
|
|
8
|
TBSC
|
1239
|
TOON
|
841
|
|
9
|
TOON
|
1093
|
MSNB
|
795
|
|
10
|
HALL
|
985
|
ADSM*
|
760
|
|
11
|
AEN
|
956
|
TBSC
|
735
|
|
12
|
FX
|
934
|
LIF
|
667
|
|
13
|
CMDY
|
907
|
AEN
|
588
|
|
14
|
LIF
|
877
|
HIST
|
563
|
|
15
|
DISC
|
875
|
HALL
|
557
|
|
16
|
HGTV
|
869
|
DISC
|
537
|
|
17
|
SCIF
|
865
|
FX
|
533
|
|
18
|
SPK
|
862
|
TRU
|
520
|
|
19
|
FAM
|
819
|
FAM
|
513
|
|
20
|
AMC
|
816
|
CMDY
|
507
|
|
21
|
HIST
|
800
|
HGTV
|
506
|
|
22
|
TLC
|
795
|
AMC
|
498
|
|
23
|
TRU
|
752
|
FOOD
|
474
|
|
24
|
FOOD
|
662
|
SPK
|
468
|
|
25
|
ESP2
|
645
|
TVLD
|
449
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Steelers/Redskins
|
ESPN
|
10003
|
|
2
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
9453
|
|
3
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
8069
|
|
4
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
7792
|
|
5
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
7021
|
|
6
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
6997
|
|
7
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
6165
|
|
8
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
6135
|
|
9
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
5634
|
|
10
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
5602
|
|
11
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
5593
|
|
12
|
Senator John McCain Concedes
|
FOXN
|
5482
|
|
13
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
5072
|
|
14
|
Special Report/Live Coverage
|
MSNB
|
4768
|
|
15
|
iCarly Movie: Go To Japan
|
NICK
|
4721
|
|
16
|
MSNBC Special Coverage
|
MSNB
|
4248
|
|
17
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
4083
|
|
18
|
Situation Room
|
CNN
|
4041
|
|
19
|
Special Report/Live Coverage
|
MSNB
|
4020
|
|
20
|
MSNBC Special Coverage
|
MSNB
|
3900
|
|
21
|
Special Report w/Brit Hume
|
FOXN
|
3754
|
|
22
|
MSNBC Special Coverage
|
MSNB
|
3734
|
|
23
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3631
|
|
24
|
Senator Obama Victory Speech
|
FOXN
|
3566
|
|
25
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3404
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
796
|
ESPN
|
401
|
|
2
|
CNN
|
673
|
NAN
*
|
393
|
|
3
|
USA
|
624
|
NICK
|
377
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
583
|
ADSM*
|
373
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
503
|
TBSC
|
324
|
|
6
|
MSNB
|
414
|
CNN
|
317
|
|
7
|
FOXN
|
407
|
USA
|
296
|
|
8
|
MTV
|
360
|
CMDY
|
263
|
|
9
|
FX
|
351
|
TNT
|
235
|
|
10
|
VH1
|
346
|
MTV
|
233
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
4973
|
|
2
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
3762
|
|
3
|
Steelers/Redskins
|
ESPN
|
3731
|
|
4
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
3673
|
|
5
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
3454
|
|
6
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
2907
|
|
7
|
Special Report/Live Coverage
|
MSNB
|
2403
|
|
8
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
2334
|
|
9
|
MSNBC Special Coverage
|
MSNB
|
2287
|
|
10
|
Special Report/Live Coverage
|
MSNB
|
2183
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1595
|
ESPN
|
718
|
|
2
|
CNN
|
1466
|
CNN
|
702
|
|
3
|
USA
|
1377
|
NAN
*
|
671
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1029
|
USA
|
662
|
|
5
|
TBSC
|
970
|
NICK
|
604
|
|
6
|
MSNB
|
854
|
TBSC
|
563
|
|
7
|
TNT
|
811
|
TNT
|
534
|
|
8
|
CMDY
|
765
|
ADSM*
|
480
|
|
9
|
FX
|
714
|
FOXN
|
458
|
|
10
|
DISC
|
659
|
MSNB
|
417
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
8876
|
|
2
|
Steelers/Redskins
|
ESPN
|
7590
|
|
3
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
7060
|
|
4
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
6667
|
|
5
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
6540
|
|
6
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
5813
|
|
7
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
4497
|
|
8
|
Special Report/Live Coverage
|
MSNB
|
4242
|
|
9
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
4172
|
|
10
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
4005
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending November 9 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1562
|
CNN
|
711
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1451
|
USA
|
680
|
|
3
|
CNN
|
1425
|
ESPN
|
643
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1140
|
NAN
*
|
565
|
|
5
|
MSNB
|
908
|
TNT
|
556
|
|
6
|
TNT
|
877
|
FOXN
|
535
|
|
7
|
TBSC
|
778
|
NICK
|
498
|
|
8
|
FX
|
689
|
TBSC
|
470
|
|
9
|
SCIF
|
667
|
MSNB
|
434
|
|
10
|
DISC
|
623
|
LIF
|
398
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending November 9 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
7759
|
|
2
|
Steelers/Redskins
|
ESPN
|
7545
|
|
3
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
6181
|
|
4
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
6013
|
|
5
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
5764
|
|
6
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
5260
|
|
7
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
4164
|
|
8
|
Election Night '08
|
CNN
|
3984
|
|
9
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
3861
|
|
10
|
America
's Election Headquarters
|
FOXN
|
3739
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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