November ratings

[312newswannabe 7]

From Lazare at the Sun Times

 

http://www.suntimes.com/business/lazare/2931774,CST-NWS-lew1130.article

 

WMAQ-Channel 5's late news slipped to fourth place in November -- despite slightly better ratings and better, though still anemic, ratings for its lead-in programming.

 

A surging WGN-Channel 9 is now in third place with a 4.9 rating in November for its hourlong 9 p.m. news, according to the November Nielsen ratings book released Monday.

 

Much has been made of NBC's poor-performing prime time lineup this season, but WMAQ is still doing better in the 9 p.m. hour this season than it was a year ago when the Jay Leno prime time talk show fiasco was pulling down late news ratings at WMAQ and other NBC affiliates around the country.

 

WMAQ's 10 p.m. news drew a 4.7 rating, up from 4.4 a year ago, and a 3.6 lead-in rating, compared with a 3.1 rating a year ago when Jay Leno's show was the lead-in.

 

WGN no doubt benefitted from a much stronger 3.3 lead-in rating to its flagship 9 p.m. newscast this November, well above the 1.8 lead-in rating a year ago. WGN's 4.9 rating at 9 p.m. also indicates the newscast is pulling in a chunk of additional viewers from other channels -- always an encouraging sign. Sources also speculated that WGN's late news could be benefitting from co-anchor Mark Suppelsa's decision to quit his morning drive gig on top-rated WTMX-FM (101.9) alongside hosts Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart in October. Some of his radio fans could now be turning to Channel 9 to watch him.

 

WFLD-Channel 32's last-place 9 p.m newscast, now fronted by Bob Sirott and Robin Robinson, pulled a 1.7 rating in November, down from a 2.2 rating a year ago. WFLD's late news lead-in also dropped more than a full rating point to a 2.7 from a 3.8 a year. But the station still loses viewers to other channels when its newscast begins.

 

Insiders at WFLD continue to say it will take time for all the changes in talent and content over the past year to fully kick in and draw more viewers. But if the numbers don't start to turn around soon, more upheaval could be in the offing.

 

Thanks to a strong CBS prime time lineup that provides the station with a large lead-in, WBBM-Channel 2 remains a solid No. 2 with a 5.4 rating.

 

November brought little change at the top of the pack, where top-rated WLS-Channel 7 remains perched high above the rest with a 9.8 rating.

 

Meanwhile, in the early news ratings race, anchor icons Bill Kurtis and Walter Jacobson, who have been reunited since September on Channel 2, so far haven't been able to move the ratings needle. With a 2.2 rating, Channel 2's early news remains in third place, with WMAQ in second, and WLS a strong No. 1.

 

Nielsen Nov. Ratings for 6 p.m.

Local Newscasts Mon.-Fri.

 

Nov. 2010 Nov. 2009

WLS-Ch. 7 7.9 (276,500*) 7.7 (269,500)

WMAQ-Ch. 5 3.0 (105,000) 3.1 (108,500)

WBBM-Ch. 2 2.2 (77,000) 2.3 (80,500)

 

Nov. Ratings for Late Local Newscasts Mon.-Fri.

Nov. 2010 lead-in Nov. 2010 Nov. 2009

WLS-Ch. 7 7.6 (266,00) 9.8 (343,000) 9.7 (339,500)

WBBM-Ch. 2 7.3 (255,500) 5.4 (189,000) 5.8 (203,000)

WGN-Ch. 9 3.3 (115,500) 4.9 (171,500) 3.7 (129,500)

WMAQ-Ch. 5 3.6 (126,000) 4.7 (164,500) 4.4 (154,000)

WFLD-Ch. 32 2.7 (94,500) 1.7 (59,500) 2.2 (77,000)

 

* (households in parentheses)

[15connects 4]

Sad to see WLS is losing some of their viewers........not me! And WMAQ's late newscasts are BORING, I like their early team better than the late team.

[Jase 818]

WMAQ could have been in a better spot had they kept Sirott/Rosati together, but that didn't happen. WFLD refuses to realize how big a hole they're in and has been in a death spiral for more than a year. Rarely do you see a station fall apart so fast.

[24994J 5279]

WMAQ could have been in a better spot had they kept Sirott/Rosati together, but that didn't happen. WFLD refuses to realize how big a hole they're in and have been a death spiral for more than a year. Rarely do you see a station fall apart so fast.

 

I agree, but I still haven't figured out how you can fall further than last place.

[Weeters 1811]

I agree, but I still haven't figured out how you can fall further than last place.

 

Technically they're not in last place, there's non-news programming below them.

[lazynetjunkie 34]

WMAQ could have been in a better spot had they kept Sirott/Rosati together, but that didn't happen. WFLD refuses to realize how big a hole they're in and has been in a death spiral for more than a year. Rarely do you see a station fall apart so fast.

 

 

Ooooh... I can you they (certain people in management, specifically) finally realize it now. Higher ups aren't happy (anger with profanities not happy) with the station. A certain contract is up in February so they'll most likely be changes then. It's at the point where corporate wants the station to forget about the morning show for now and just concentrate on fixing the 9PM. They're still a very very long way from there..

 

 

I don't think it helps that Sirott got the "Diann Burns lure" when he came aboard. It seems he's got the 1/3 to 1/2 of the year of off time that Diann got in her contract when she went to WBBM.. Eversince Sirott came to WFLD, he seems to have gotten a much stronger smug attitude that is really showing on camera. One thing I know TV news viewers don't like, especially in Chicago, is smug. He really wasn't that way until towards the end at WMAQ. Maybe money has really taken over his head (like it did to Diann Burns) and when that happens, it taints them. I somehow get the feeling as soon as his contract is up, he won't be renewed.. Or it will be renewed for a much less amount than he wants so he'll walk away again. However, if he does that again, I can guarantee his principle anchor career in Chicago will be over.

 

 

As for WLS, they seem to be going crazy with station promos these days. They're really finally coming into the realization that it isn't a free ride anymore.. I don't expect to see much, if any, changes to their newscasts.

[24994J 5279]

"As for WLS, they seem to be going crazy with station promos these days. They're really finally coming into the realization that it isn't a free ride anymore.. I don't expect to see much, if any, changes to their newscasts."

 

Things should get interesting for Channel 7 within a few years, though. Emily Barr is rumored to be in serious consideration for the network job in New York. Also, most of their talents are aging. Almost all of their weekday anchors, aside from Judy Hsu, are at or near 50, and that could hurt their younger demographic. What's more, three of their most prominent talents are going to be nearing retirement soon, those being Ron Magers, Linda Yu and Jerry Taft. When taking all of this into account along with their upcoming "Morning Rush", there will be some significant personnel changes coming soon. This may be one of the best opprtunities in several years for one of the other stations in town to, at least, come within striking distance of first place.

[kjohnson 15]

Big bump for WBBM. Great to see that. WFLD needs to look at their smaller market (former) sister in St. Louis.

[Jase 818]

Ooooh... I can you they (certain people in management, specifically) finally realize it now. Higher ups aren't happy (anger with profanities not happy) with the station. A certain contract is up in February so they'll most likely be changes then. It's at the point where corporate wants the station to forget about the morning show for now and just concentrate on fixing the 9PM. They're still a very very long way from there..

 

 

I don't think it helps that Sirott got the "Diann Burns lure" when he came aboard. It seems he's got the 1/3 to 1/2 of the year of off time that Diann got in her contract when she went to WBBM.. Eversince Sirott came to WFLD, he seems to have gotten a much stronger smug attitude that is really showing on camera. One thing I know TV news viewers don't like, especially in Chicago, is smug. He really wasn't that way until towards the end at WMAQ. Maybe money has really taken over his head (like it did to Diann Burns) and when that happens, it taints them. I somehow get the feeling as soon as his contract is up, he won't be renewed.. Or it will be renewed for a much less amount than he wants so he'll walk away again. However, if he does that again, I can guarantee his principle anchor career in Chicago will be over.

 

Bob's smugness is, to a large extent, management's fault. When you let people say/do whatever they want, this is what you get. Wasn't this part of the reason he was fired 10 years ago?

 

The quickest way to fix the 9PM newscast is to abandon the current format, go back to a traditional newscast (which, when done right, can work btw) and reinstate Corey as Sports Anchor. Sadly, management seems unwilling to concede the fact the changes they made were wrong. They rather add to the problems than fix them.