2009 sees record ratings at Fox News, record teeth gnashing at MSNBC

Fox News will finish 2009 as the number one cable news network thanks to the highest ratings in the network’s history.

glenn-beck That horrible gnashing of teeth you hear is Chris Matthews. The pathetic whimpering is Keith Olbermann. That plaintive wailing is Rachel Maddow. All because Fox News will finish 2009 as the number one cable news network thanks to the highest ratings in the network’s history.

Broadcasting & Cable reports the rosy details:

Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly provided Fox News' one-two punch in 2009
Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly provided Fox News' one-two punch in 2009

FNC topped the competition in all dayparts: morning (1 million Total Viewers, 340,000 viewers in news’ target demographic of 25-54-year-olds); total day (1.2 million viewers, 323,000 in the demo); primetime (2.2 million viewers, 551,000 in the demo). Those numbers mark year-to-year demo gains of 14% in the morning, 16% in total day and 10% in primetime (Mon-Sun), according to Nielsen.

FNC saw double-digit gains for all of its programs. Year-to-year, Glenn Beck is up 96% among total viewers (2.3 million) and 148% in the demo (612,000). Special Report with Bret Baier posted gains of 25% among total viewers (2 million) and 33% in the demo (454,000). The O’Reilly Factor is up 13% among total viewers (3.3 million) and 27% (801,000) in the demo, marking its tenth consecutive year as the No. 1 cable news program.

As Media Bistro points out, two Fox News success stories stand out:

Glenn Beck is up 96% in total viewers (averaging 2.3 million). He’s also up 148% in the A24-54 demo, averaging 612,000 viewers.

Bill O’Reilly, who now makes it 10 years as the top cable news program, was up 13% in Total Viewers with 3.3 million tuning in and 27% in the demo (801,000). In 2009, O’Reilly often outdrew programs on broadcast networks — just this week, “The Factor” had a larger audience than ABC’s “Better Off Ted” (“Ted” drew 3.183 million viewers, while O’Reilly drew 3.299 million at 8pmET.)

Amusingly, CNN and MSNBC are also touting their 2009 ratings. But that discussion is like the captain of the Titanic arguing with the captain of the Lusitania about which ship is sinking faster.

Source: MediaBistro.com, Broadcasting & Cable

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