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but not among young
One out of two viewers is still over the age of 55
By Elizabeth White
If there ever were a time for the major television networks' nightly news shows to regain some of their past glory, this is it.
To some degree they are, with viewership up notably in the wake of last month's terrorist attacks.
The problem is that new viewers who are tuning in are of the same age group as existing viewers, which is to say older, and older than the networks would like.
Younger viewers are not tuning in in appreciable numbers. They are getting their news elsewhere.
More than one out of every two network news viewers is still over the age of 55, and the recent terrorist attacks haven’t changed that, according to a study by Mindshare.
"Longtime viewing patterns outside of primetime are very glacial. Unless there’s something exceptional, like a new host of ‘Good Morning America,’ it’s very rare that changes are appreciable," says David Marans, director of consumer insights at Mindshare.
"Sept. 11 certainly increased the pull, but the younger viewers have so many options that they are used to–the internet, CNN. There was an increase, to be sure, but they go to what they know. Even the majority of viewers 25-54 don’t watch the three broadcast networks."
Using the week before the attacks as a baseline comparison, the increases in demographic ratings for the three broadcast networks have been slightly higher but consistent with the overall increase in household rating.
During the week of Sept. 17, the three networks increased their total rating by 20 percent in households, and just over 30 percent among adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and women 25-54.
While the latter increases may seem like significant gains, they came from a smaller base and represent a much number of actual viewers in those demographics.
In the following two weeks , viewer gains stabilized to percentage rating increases in the teens in households and in the teens and low 20s among adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and women 25-54.
Last week, as the anthrax scare intensified and the bombings in Afghanistan escalated, the household rating went up by 24 percent, the adult 18-49 rating by 38 percent, the adult 25-54 rating by 35 percent and the women 25-54 rating by 31 percent.
But the majority of viewers in these demographics still watched non-network programming during the time periods for network news. According to Mindshare, the three news networks have had around a 40 share in the category of women 25-54 during the past month.
"The numbers are definitely lower now than they were 10 years ago, but it’s not necessarily a reflection of quality. It’s true of ‘ER,’ ‘General Hospital’ and the nightly news. No matter how popular programs are, there’s obviously an upper limit of viewers in homes that have 75 channels," says Marans.
"Instead of seeing the glass half empty, it’s a sign of how popular those brands still are to get a [cumulative] 40 share."
The number of alternatives, including several 24-hour news channels, is just one of many problems facing the traditional nightly half-hour network news format.
No less serious a problem is when the shows are broadcast. Many potential viewers, especially younger viewers, are still commuting home when the shows are airing, especially in the major metropolitan areas.
"Some of it is the hours. People aren’t home," notes Kara Lazarus, senior vice president and director of national broadcast at Bates USA.
But as Lazarus also points out, the very age of the anchors, such as Dan Rather, also works against the nightly news shows among younger viewers.
"If you look at who the anchors are, that’s not helping. Until there is a changeover, it’s harder for younger viewers to connect," she says.
"Younger viewers are more inclined to go to cable. That’s why CNN is investing in the anchors that they are."
And none of that bodes well for the future of network news.
"I don’t see it skewing younger anytime soon. They’re not growing their audience. The networks can get younger, but not the news," says Lazarus. "If they aren’t tuning in now, then I don’t know when they will."
|
Network News Viewing |
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|
Week |
Program Name |
Total Rating |
Adult 18-49 Rating |
Adult 25-54 Rating |
Women 25-54 Rating |
|
10/8-10/12 |
ABC World News Tonight |
4.0 |
2.7 |
3.5 |
4.1 |
|
10/1-10/5 |
ABC World News Tonight |
3.7 |
2.3 |
3.1 |
3.6 |
|
9/24-9/28 |
ABC World News Tonight |
4.0 |
2.6 |
3.4 |
3.9 |
|
9/17-9/21 |
ABC World News Tonight |
4.1 |
2.8 |
3.7 |
4.3 |
|
8/13-9/7 |
ABC World News Tonight |
3.3 |
2.0 |
2.7 |
3.1 |
|
10/8-10/12 |
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather |
3.6 |
2.3 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
|
10/1-10/5 |
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather |
3.4 |
1.9 |
2.5 |
2.7 |
|
9/24-9/28 |
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather |
3.3 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
2.9 |
|
9/17-9/21 |
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather |
3.2 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
2.8 |
|
8/13-9/7 |
CBS Evening News with Dan Rather |
2.8 |
1.6 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
|
10/8-10/12 |
NBC Nightly News |
4.2 |
3.0 |
3.8 |
4.2 |
|
10/1-10/5 |
NBC Nightly News |
3.9 |
2.5 |
3.4 |
3.7 |
|
9/24-9/28 |
NBC Nightly News |
3.9 |
2.5 |
3.3 |
3.6 |
|
9/17-9/21 |
NBC Nightly News |
4.1 |
2.8 |
3.7 |
4.2 |
|
8/13-9/7 |
NBC Nightly News |
3.4 |
2.2 |
2.8 |
3.2 |
|
10/8-10/12 vs. 8/13-9/7 |
3 Net Totals |
24% |
38% |
35% |
31% |
|
10/1-10/5 vs. 8/13-9/7 |
3 Net Totals |
16% |
16% |
20% |
16% |
|
9/24-9/21 vs. 8/13-9/7 |
3 Net Totals |
18% |
22% |
24% |
21% |
|
9/17-9/21 vs. 8/13-9/7 |
3 Net Totals |
20% |
31% |
33% |
31% |
| Source:
Mindshare Consumer Insights Group from NTI, regular programming
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October 19, 2001
© 2001 Media Life
-Elizabeth White is a staff writer for
Media Life.
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