via press release:
“THIS WEEK” CLOSES TOTAL VIEWING GAP WITH “MEET THE PRESS”
FOR THE 41ST TIME THIS YEAR
“THIS WEEK” CUTS INTO “MEET’S” TOTAL VIEWING LEAD BY 74%
YEAR-TO-YEAR AND BY 64% YEAR-TO-DATE
According to Nielsen Media Research, ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” on Sunday, December 20, once again closed the year-to-year and year-to-date gaps with NBCs “Meet the Press.” For the 41st week this year (not including the weeks when “This Week was No. 1), “This Week” narrowed the total viewing gap with “Meet” versus the same week last year. With only 290,000 Total Viewers separating the two shows, “This Week” cut into “Meet’s” lead by 74% (290,000 in 2009 vs. 1,110,000 in 2008). Among Adults 25-54, ABC closed the gap with NBC by 66% (150,000 in 2009 vs. 440,000 in 2008).
January 1, 2009 to present versus the same period in 2008, “This Week” has cut into “Meet’s” total viewing lead by 64% (480,000 in 2009 vs. 1,320,000 in 2008). Among Adults 25-54, the gap has narrowed by 57% (200,000 in 2009 vs. 460,000 in 2008).
“This Week” also experienced some growth week-to-week (+1%) in total viewers and remained flat in the demo, while “Meet” in comparison declined -12% in Total Viewers and -8% in Adults 25-54.
Please note that last Sunday “This Week” was rescheduled in Boston due to local weather coverage.
George Stephanopoulos’ guests last Sunday were David Axelrod, Senator Richard Durbin and Senator Jon Kyl. The roundtable featured George Will, Donna Brazile, Cokie Roberts and Sam Donaldson.
George Stephanopoulos is the anchor of “This Week” and Ian Cameron is the executive producer. The program airs Sundays on the ABC Television Network.
(Sunday, December 20, 2009)
TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54 MM/Rtg
ABC “THIS WEEK” 2,790,000 860,000/.7
NBC “MEET THE PRESS” 3,080,000 1,010,000/.8
CBS “FACE THE NATION” 2,950,000 940,000/.8
FOX “FOX NEWS SUNDAY” 1,360,000 500,000/.4
Source: NTI – A25-54 & Total Viewers –Wks. of 12/14/09, 12/7/09 & 12/15/08 Live +SD. 1/1/09 to present: Live +7 (where available) & Live +SD for 1/1/09-12/20/09 & 1/1/08-12/21/08.
Face The Nation beat This Week
When “Meet the Press” hastily brought on David Gregory to replace Tim Russert, I knew it was the kiss of death for “Meet the Press”. David Gregory, I hate to say it, comes across as if he would push his mother in front of a train as long as he could get the first scoop. Where Tim Russert was humane and professional, David Gregory comes across as slimy and untrustworthy. It is absolutely no surprise that “Meet the Press” has plummeted in the ratings. NBC made a HUGE mistake bringing David Gregory on board to moderate the show. He is unwatchable…….just my humble opinion. Mike.
I am a conservative married to a liberal and the one thing that we used to be able to agree on was that we both liked watching “Meet the Press” with Tim Russert. Now I think that “Meet the Press w/ David Gregory is just unwatchable. The straw that broke tha camel’s back for me was when he had Rachael Maddow on the panel and I thought that she was just so rude that I just had to turn the channel and never watch MTP again. Now FNS and This Week (I am surprised that I actually enjoy watching former Clintonite Stephanopoulos) are my “must see” TV shows for Sunday morning.