With lots of cable news shows, the feast of the 2008 election has lead to famine in 2009.
Countdown with Keith Olberman's ratings are in the famine range as well, with October year over year ratings down 53% in the cable news target adults 25-54 demo, and down 53% in average viewership. Although I don't have a trend chart, October is also Olbermann's lowest rated month so far in 2009 in both 25-54 and average viewers.
You can see our daily cable news ratings here.
P2+ = average viewers aged 2 and older.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Right now there is so much other new programming to watch and of course there is no big election to follow. And quite frankly I am sick to death (okay that wasn’t meant to be a joke, just came out that way) of this health care back and forth debate. Keith isn’t entertainingly looney like the hosts who are getting the ratings. He show and Rachel’s are more for policy wonks. His one bit of theater is Worst Persons of the Day. Otherwise most of his show is commentary on policy.
Anyway, last year I watched every night. This year, not so much.
You can download his show on iTunes every day. Wonder what the numbers are there?
Someone needs to send this link to the Uberdork himself! Let me hear that fool tell everyone he’s the highest rated show on cable news! LMAO!
All these comparisons to last October are certainly not fair as many (myself included) were tuning in because of the election. In fact, it’s not fair to compare much of this year to last year in terms of ratings for the news networks.
Now if someone happens to increase from year-to-year, THAT is news.
KO has got to be the most angriest and hateful person in America. I have to try very hard just to watch more than 2 minutes of him. And I think “the worst person in the world” is stupid. Why does having a difference of opinion make you the “worst person in the world”? He also needs to do actual research before just blasting out mediamatters nonsense.
I think the Jean Gerafelo bit was the worst thing I’ve ever seen on tv period. I wonder what that did in the ratings.
Terrence, I chart the numbers I have. Sometimes they cooperate and are interesting, sometimes not
“Now if someone happens to increase from year-to-year, THAT is news.”
Have you ever heard of Fox News?
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Olbermann never claims to have the highest rated cable news show, I watch him just about every night. Still, ratings don’t equal quality. And if Olbernmann can still deliver an average of more than a million viewers in a significantly down month when many other cable entertainment shows can not, MSNBC is just fine with his performance.
Just this month, O’Reilly got about a 2.5 which is close to what Olbermann averaged in October. That says to me that all cable news programs are down from the last election cycle.
Also, considering a repeat of Countdown at 10 does better than AC360, the Situation Room, Hardball, the Ed Show, Campbell Brown and everything else on CNBC – it’s hard to consider the show a failure. Not as watched as shows on Fox News – True. But that doesn’t mean it’s a failure.
Waiting to hear how he spins this news
Hey Mike, have you actually LOOKED at the long term comparisons of O’Reilly vs. Olbermann that are posted on this site? Go take a look.
O’Reilly is up, close to the same numbers as this time last year. More importantly, his TREND is up versus Olbermann’s which is down. He routinely beats Olbermann by 3x.
Hard to believe any network exec an be “fine” with that performance.
cant bear to watch KO and Rachael. There just glorified cheerleaders for obama. only problem is which one looks better in a cheerleading outfit.
Im a democrat and watched Olbermann religiously during the election season. Olbmermann had a lot of targets; John McCain, Sarah Palin, George Bush. But once Obama won the election, I started watching Fox News. The opinions of the party OUT of power are usually more interesting than a ‘raa raa’ session for the party IN power. Why watch Chris Matthews pat other Democrats on the back when I can watch Glenn Beck cry about how the country is becoming a dictatorship and see a diagram on a chalk board that ties Obama to Stalin. I like hearing opinions that differ from my own especially when they are this entertaining
Hey Mike, did you say O’Reilly got 2.5 Million this month? What planet do you live on? O’Reilly is always a 3.4 to 3.8 everynight he is on, if he got a 2.5, then he wasn’t hosting it that night. Get off the crack pipe.
hey mike…what ratings are you looking at?
not the same ones i track…
I cant imagine why?
Carl, I think you are a good indicator of why Fox has grown and the others tanked. Americans, in general, have a healthy skepticism of their government and as such will tend to watch organizations who question, rather than promote, our government. It’s our history to look to the press to keep our government honest. MSNBC, CNN, etc. aren’t asking the tough questions so fewer Americans are watching.
Is it true that Olbermann is going to anchor the JACKASS show.
I don’t think you can find a bigger or better jackass anywhere.
JC says: “I think the Jean Gerafelo bit was the worst thing I’ve ever seen on tv period…”
Michael Musto’s segments leave much to be desired, as well…
For what it’s worth, Keith has taken a lot of days off this year, more than even O’Reilly, one would think. Of course, most of them are related to caring for his parents (one of whom is now deceased). I’ve noticed that he has taken Fridays off for awhile, and last Friday, when I saw Lawrence O’Donnell (who deserves a regular MSNBC show of his own, btw) introduce a segment, he referred to it being a “regular” segment or something… So I get the feeling that Fridays for Keith will be like Mondays to Johnny Carson.
If Olbermann would snort less, I might consider tuning in more.
Olbermann is the biggest hack in the history of television and anyone who thinks his show is “quality” needs some serious counseling.