Monday, November 28, 2005
CNN's Gamble With 360º Has Yet to Reap Big Ratings
Here are some excerpts from an article in Media Week:> Through Nov. 21, or 11 days into its new time slot, 360° averaged 568,000 total viewers, with the balance tuning in for the program’s first hour (685,000). Cooper’s average audience is down 19 percent relative to Brown’s final week behind the NewsNight desk, and while it isn’t retaining its Larry King Live lead-in, losing 32 percent of the suspendered one’s audience, that’s still 4 percent better than Brown’s retention over the same period a year ago.
> If the buzz generated by Cooper’s Katrina reportage hasn’t translated into big ratings, CNN execs aren’t exactly fumbling for the Valium just yet. For one thing, 11 telecasts is far too brief a track record, said CNN spokesperson Christa Robinson. “It’s premature to discuss ratings,” she said. “We can’t really extrapolate much from the data thus far, but having said that we’re extremely pleased with the quality and performance of the show.”
> CNN is particularly enthused by Cooper’s performance among its crucial adults 25-54 demo. A year ago, Fox News Channel was up 182 percent in the demo in the 10-midnight slot; that lead has been narrowed to 68 percent in 360°’s first 11 days. Over that same period/time slot, CNN is up 7 percent among 25-54, while the FNC lineup of On the Record with Greta Van Susteren and the encore of The O’Reilly Factor are down 36 percent.
> Media buyers say it’s all about the bottom line. “That they could get some of their numbers up without a marketing campaign is something,” said one buyer, who characterized CNN’s inventory as “good and tight.”
# posted by ATN @ 4:30 PM 
