From Mediaweek.com:
Midterm Elections Yield Big Returns for Cable News
Anthony Crupi
NOVEMBER 08, 2006 –
After months of slumping ratings, the cable news networks returned to their former glory Tuesday night, as viewers tuned in to monitor the midterm elections.
In prime time, Fox News Channel held rival CNN at bay, luring 3.06 million total viewers to CNN’s 2.97 million, an increase of 12 percent and 21 percent, respectively, versus the 2002 midterms. CNN did beat out Fox News in the 25-54 demo, delivering an average 1.33 million viewers in the category to FNC’s 1.25 million.
MSNBC averaged 1.95 million total viewers in prime, a whopping 109 percent increase versus election night ’02, and 893,000 in the news demo (+ 111 percent). In a memo to staffers, MSNBC general manager Dan Abrams noted that the network “had the best competitive ratings in recent memory for a major news event,” before adding that the “last two months represent a major turning point at this network.”
Over at Comedy Central, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report’s Stephen Colbert posted a 1.4 household rating and delivered 1.8 million total viewers between 11 p.m. and midnight with their special Indecision 2006: Midterm Midtacular, trailing only CNN (3.01 million viewers) and FNC (2.73 million total viewers) on the hour and beating all cable news in the time slot among males 18-34. MSNBC delivered 1.53 million viewers on the hour.
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