Networks Unhappy With Nielson As They Continue to Get Trounced by FNC
It seems the major networks are going to form a new ratings system but the real question is why? There can only be one answer. They are unhappy with the results of Nielson’s linear viewing data. So they are devising a system that uses “multiple platforms” to gauge whether or not you are actually watching.
Nielson uses a similar system to that the networks use to project winners of political contests. They micro-sample the population to get a sense of what the public is watching. According to some of my colleagues, micro-sampling is incredibly accurate. I, on the other hand, have always been a bit skeptical of the use of micro-sampling of elections.
Irregardless, the Nielson system has been used for decades. Everything that is programmed on television is based upon those ratings. The only explanation for why the networks want to change horses mid-stream is that they are unhappy with the performance of their own news divisions. Instead of making changes to their programming, they instead want to kill the messenger because of the message.
Fox News Channel beats the alphabets in every single time slot. Glenn Beck on FNC is even growing in popularity to the point that the dreaded 5:00pm Eastern time slot is challenging Bill O’Reilly’s 8:00pm time slot for move over-all viewers. This is a tremendous feat especially when Beck and O’Reilly are on the same news network.
NBC who has THE most to lose is struggling for 3rd place in every single one of their broadcast time slots. It’s no wonder. Their so-called “newscasts” are all modeled after the failed Error Amerika experiment. [In the event that you don't know what Error Amerika is, it is the failed liberal excursion into talk radio. I'm sorry but no one wants to listen to someone call Conservatives liars for 3 hours. It gets a bit old.]
The general public recognizes bias when they see it. When you have the likes of Chrissy “thrill up my leg” Matthews and Keith Olberdouce headlining your broadcasts the writing on the wall is clear. FAILURE.
Why does FNC succeed where MSNBC and others fail? The biases are clear. When it is news time, they ask the questions needing asked regardless of personal bias (with the exception of maybe Shep Smith). And when it’s commentary time (ie: Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly) they don’t pretend to be bringing you the news. They are analysts not newsmen and they are very clear on that point. Chrissy and Olberdouce pretend to be newsmen. In the case of Olberdouce, he’s a sports guy who couldn’t hack it at ESPN.
So, instead of taking steps to change the message, you change messengers instead. Wonderful idea. Too bad it won’t work. Because no matter who is delivering the data, the people watching are the people watching. The data, accurate or flawed, won’t change who is actually looking at the faces on the screen.
Bias Alert
Biased News Agency – CNN
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