November Ratings - 2007

[drumsncode]

This is the point where I ask "SoonerBorn1973" to once again bless us with ratings info on how our local newscasts did in the sweeps month that just ended.

I look forward to seeing how my favorite teams did. Thanks!

[jbrown84]

I know KWTV is #1 in the nation again at 10pm. (by whatever standard they usually go by)

[Raspberry]

If KWTV is claiming this, it is WRONG! Most TV markets still use the write in diaries for ratings, and it takes several months for that info to be compiled and released.

[drumsncode]

KWTV is #1 based on their Nielsen number, which is a percentage of households that are viewing. Their percentage is higher than anyone else's in the nation, but that's just a percentage; it does not mean more viewers than say, New York City.
Wikipedia has a pretty good explanation of it.

KWTV's claim is based on what I believe they call the "Nielsen Overnights", something like that, where they use instrumented television sets to gather the data. That gives stations overnight feedback, but yes, you are right about the diaries. It takes time for those to come in to make it "official".

Notice that everyone who won a given period had their new promos running the very next day! They just can't wait to brag.

[Raspberry]

Very deceiving, and downright wrong from KWTV. According to Nielsen, the top 56 markets are metered, and have overnight numbers.... so KWTV may be #1 in terms of the top 56 markets, but there are 210 markets across the US. 154 TV markets do not have overnight numbers, and the ratings will not be available for some time. Apparently, KWTV does not recognize 2/3rds of the TV markets in the US.

[jbrown84]

Well nobody cares about Wichita Falls...

Advertisers don't look at the diary numbers for metered markets. They look at the overnights and the actuals that come out a week or two later.

[SoonerBorn1973]

I had the numbers for the last couple of days and I'm just now getting time to post them. But guess what? Now I can't find the numbers.

I can basically give you an idea. KOCO was the big winner this book taking both the 5pm and 6pm (I wonder if the double female anchor hotness has anything to do with their jump). KFOR got their tails handed to them in those slots coming in third both times. KWTV is just a smidgen ahead of KFOR in those slots.

KFOR and KWTV continue to go back and forth for the top spot in the morning show timeslot. The overnight numbers are updated every 15 minutes and the lead pretty much changes every update. Pretty weird. KOCO is still not a factor in this two horse race.

KWTV is still holding a strong lead for the 10pm timeslot. I hate to beat a dead horse, but you can really attribute their stranglehold on the 10pm crown to their lead-in. If I remember correctly, their average lead-in for a weeknight 10pm broadcast is around a 20 while KOCO (ABC) and KFOR (NBC) have to play the hands their networks deal them and average about half as many viewers leading into their 10pm shows. Just for the record, KFOR was second in this timeslot and KOCO was 3rd.

If I fine my sheet I'll update my post. Sorry.

[solitude]

I rarely watch local news. I read the Oklahoman, The Oklahoma Gazette, follow a few local blogs, these forums, etc. I find local news insulting to my intelligence and all the sensational crap that come around sweeps time is, quite frankly, silly. I am not the only one as I talk to people who say the same thing. Someone just the other day said they felt local news relates to, "the least common denominator," and I think there may be some truth to that. At 6:00 I am watching Hardball on MSNBC and at 10:00 I am reading or watching something with a little more substance than local "news." Besides, there are so many better things on television on cable at 10:00 if I wanted to watch TV. So, reading that so many people seem to care who the hell did what in the local TV news ratings, is strange. I have a feeling we have a few here who work in the industry. Let's be honest -- nobody else gives three rips.

[Misty]

I find local news insulting to my intelligence and all the sensational crap that come around sweeps time is, quite frankly, silly.

No kidding! Last week channel 5 news (I think that's the ABC station) broke into Charlie Brown and the next day The Grinch with "move your children away from the TV, we have some disturbing news...." it was ridiculous and it could have waited. Way to ruin my Charlie Brown good time Christmas vibes channel 5. Good job.

[jbrown84]

What was the disturbing news?

[Misty]

One day it was that a murder suspect had been arrested and I don't remember what the next one was, a car crash or something? It could have waited until the regular news, and the dramatic "move your children from the TV" was uncalled for during a cartoon children's holiday special.

[drumsncode]

If you don't care about local news ratings, then don't read this thread. That's why I don't read football threads or threads on politics. It's boring to me, but local news and the ratings equation is fascinating to me. I have my hobbies, you have yours.

Thank you "SoonerBorn", I was starting to worry about you! Great to hear KOCO is kicking some tail, and the KWTV 10pm dominance remains a puzzle. I'd love to see the demographics of the viewers broken down by all factors, including gender.

Since you mentioned "hotness", I wonder how many male viewers are watching Maggie at 6pm (just arriving home from work) and are using the 10pm KWTV broadcast as the only remaining chance to watch Amy for that day. Heck, I'd rather believe in the ability of a female anchor to pull in viewers than I would lead-in.

The puzzle remains fascinating as always. I also look forward to seeing the effect that Gary England's departure someday will have on KWTV's ratings. We'll see if he's really the ratings draw that his salary indicates.

[Misty]

If you don't care about local news ratings, then don't read this thread.

Maybe we can have lunch today. I made you a nice big plate of SUCK IT.

LOL, just kidding, I couldn't resist

[Matt]

If you don't care about local news ratings, then don't read this thread. That's why I don't read football threads or threads on politics. It's boring to me, but local news and the ratings equation is fascinating to me.

I'm fascinated by your fascination with local TV news.

[drumsncode]

A newscast is the ultimate "human-factors" puzzle, a combination of journalism, on-air personalities, and presentation graphics. To a psychologist, it's interesting to watch the stations make changes in an effort to increase their ratings.
(Don't make me tell ya again!) :-)

Sometime, sit and really think about why you like a certain show over another one. It's an interesting exercise, and to me, it beats the heck out of watching an NFL football game, buy hey, "I'm just saying..."

Now excuse me, I'm having lunch with Misty...she made my favorite meal! :-)

[soonerfan21]

My, my but that Misty is one busy little bee . . . from cooking up batches of SUCK IT to making little monkeys dance. Where does she find the time to chat?

[kmf563]

I'm fascinated with Misty's choice of wording for her lunch offer. LOL.

Of course it's sensationalized...if they just sat there expressionless and read the headlines nobody would watch! Would you? How boring. I can read the headlines myself, I don't need a robot to speak them for me.

People and their complaints fascinate me too. It seems everyone has a gripe but no one knows what it is they want. Some people just don't know how to communicate without complaint I think.

This somehow reminds me of the people who complain about wrestling being fake. This is the scenario in my head as it plays out -
Guy sits on couch and is watching Wrestling. Girl comes in and takes remote away. "We are not watching that fake crap." She then turns the channel to Desperate Housewives.
???
Isn't that show fake too?

[solitude]

A newscast is the ultimate "human-factors" puzzle, a combination of journalism, on-air personalities, and presentation graphics. To a psychologist, it's interesting to watch the stations make changes in an effort to increase their ratings.
(Don't make me tell ya again!) :-)

Sometime, sit and really think about why you like a certain show over another one. It's an interesting exercise, and to me, it beats the heck out of watching an NFL football game, buy hey, "I'm just saying..."

Now excuse me, I'm having lunch with Misty...she made my favorite meal! :-)

Quickly to KMF563: It's not a complaint. Nobody is complaining. It's just a bizarre thing to anyone old enough to remember when local TV actually covered real news.

Drums: There are a lot of things to analyze in this crazy world of ours. I have to agree with Matt, I guess I am fascinated at your fascination with the psychology of local TV news. Yet, you wrote you don't like politics. In this day and age, I am amazed you think you can find more psychological interest in local TV newscasts than in the manipulation of the people by the powers-that-be in government and by candidates that hope to be sitting in the seats of power. Now, there's your "interesting exercise." I'm also a bit dazed by the fact a psychologist could call this a "hobby." Your past posts run way over 50% (probably much more) about the inner workings and inside-baseball of the local TV industry. You write about salaries, rumors, etc. As one of your Barbie-bot news readers might say, "There's more to this story."

[drumsncode]

Good grief people, all this interest in me! I guess I'm flattered. And to think all I wanted to know was just how the freaking ratings turned out. ;-)

Everything I do is a "hobby", because I'm retired.

I do hope SoonerBorn will swoop in soon and save me from this lynching. :-(

I must admit though, the plate of "Suck It" I had with Misty tasted pretty good. Actually, I smiled about that on the way to WalMart this afternoon. I even looked for it in the frozen food section and didn't find any.

[Misty]

Maybe we could all come over to your house drumsncode and watch you watching the news, I'll make SUCK IT for everyone! Oh, and you can't find it in the frozen foods section. SUCK IT is best served fresh and then washed down with some Smithwicks that my dancing monkey Oh Gawd will serve us.

Glad I made you laugh, I crack myself up all day

[Matt]

Sometime, sit and really think about why you like a certain show over another one. It's an interesting exercise. . .

I watch whatever station has the hottest chick on, which is about as far away from "interesting" a reason as it could possibly be.

[Raspberry]

I have a feeling we have a few here who work in the industry. Let's be honest --

I used to work in the industry, and the only reason I check out OKC Talk is to see what you folks are saying about my former co-workers.

[drumsncode]

I watch whatever station has the hottest chick on, which is about as far away from "interesting" a reason as it could possibly be.

How interesting! ;-)

I like to watch the stations talk out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to promoting themselves. They tell us that it's all about quality journalism (especially KWTV, which is the most hypocritical of all), yet they hire the hottest women they can find and load them into the most important timeslots.

If it's all about journalism, why not put a hard-nosed journalist, Gan Matthews into the anchor chair instead of Amy? And yes, I find that interesting. ;-)

I was having a complete gas watching the "Anchor Woman" series on FOX, but it only lasted one show. It was a cool glimpse into what they're really thinking behind the scenes.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

They should put me on there.

I'll go head-to-head with, and embarrass, Ogle and his $0.02.

I'm kind of a jerk though...I'd have to be on Fox.

[SoonerBorn1973]

One of the most compelling statements I hear on a regular basis is "I don't watch local news." Often times the reason is that the news is "sensationalized", but no one can really expound on what they considered was blown out of proportion. If you ask me, it's all about perception. I can't count the number of times I've been in a newsroom and heard one viewer call and accuse the media of being the most left-wing, liberal @#$*&^ that ever walked the face of the earth. The next minute, that same newsroom will get a call ranting how all the media does is try to influence the public with their right-wing, neocon journalism. The fact of the matter is you heard something and you might not agree with it. That doesn't necessarily make it untrue, but human nature means you would rather "shoot the messenger".

That being said, I would be the first to tell you that broadcast journalism, especially in television, HAS changed. It had to. And you can give all the credit to something you're using right now. We'll tell you, tonight at 10pm...

Just kidding, it's the internet. Your resources in finding whatever news, weather, scores, etc. you want could never be matched by television. Whatever you need is just a click away, for crying out loud. So journalists HAD to change the way they deliver news. Maybe you call it "sensationalism" but I call it "more viewer friendly". It is easier to watch a newscast nowadays. And you know what? It shows. More people are watching local news than ever before. That's a fact. Ratings for every station are higher than they've ever been. How can you explain the fact we live in a day and age where most homes have hundreds of channels to choose from, at least one computer in every home, and gaming systems that allow anyone to be a "Guitar Hero" for hours on end but more people are watching their local newscasts? Because the media has changed how they present the news, that's how. And furthermore, it was YOU who changed US. Not the other way around.

So I don't really blame drumsncode for being fascinated with TV ratings. When all you hear is people saying they don't watch local news but statistical facts show that couldn't be more untrue, how could you not be fascinated?