PrintCNN Loses Half its Viewership
Information is a powerful solvent. It can melt away the illusions created by propagandists. The truth is addictive. People with a hunger for news generally crave the rush they get from learning the 'rest of the story' the way a jittery junkie craves a hit of heroin.
This preference for the whole story is the reason why Fox News Channel continues its pattern of winning over viewers at the expense of its left—leaning rival CNN. Newly—reported rating figures confirm that in both times of expanding cable news viewership (driven by war) and times of contracting news viewership (due to the outbreak of less—dramatic peace), FNC is widening its lead. Fox now pulls very close to twice the viewers of CNN. Which clearly makes Fox 'dominant' in its chosen field.
Drudge reports that CNN has lost 52 % of its overall audience over the last year, as heightened wartime viewership has dropped off. All of the cable news nets saw their viewership decline, but CNN's figures are the worst of the lot. MSNBC declined a tiny bit less than CNN, losing 49% of its viewership. Front—runner Fox News had the smallest percentage decline in viewership, down 36%.
Of course, spin—meisters will call FNC's drop the largest, because it's viewership lead is so great that the absolute number who stopped watching Fox is larger than for the other two nets. However, Fox's viewership lead over CNN and MSNBC is now bigger than ever. More of those viewers who sampled FNC during the Iraq War are sticking with it, than at its rivals.
CNN once enjoyed one of the most prestigious and lucrative brand franchises in the history of broadcasting: global news leader. Its longstanding monopoly on 24 hour cable news stood it in good stead, and generated both profits and political clout for parent Time—Warner. This precious corporate crown jewel was squandered by ideologues who put their personal politics above the interests of the shareholders.
The left wing political obsessions of both CNN's top management and much of the rank—and—file staff (in front of and behind the cameras) created an opportunity obvious to visionaries like Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch of News Corporation, the parent of Fox News. They are now reaping the benefits, financial and otherwise, of counter—programming to the obvious (to all but liberals) bias of CNN.
Jim Angle's scoop last week on FNC, revealing Richard Clarke's earlier background briefing, which contradicted his book and 9/11 Commission testimony, is a perfect example of the reason Fox News is trouncing its competition: people who watch the news love to talk about the news.
When such people gather at the water cooler, lunch table, church social, country club, family reunion, or any other neutral venue, they naturally debate those of opposing views about the meaning of current events, and the rise or fall of their favorite politicos. The Presidential election season naturally heightens this tendency.
Angle's scoop is a perfect bit of ammunition to lob in such a debate. Those who depended on CNN for their news found themselves unilaterally disarmed in that particular round of combat. While the combatants themselves may be loathe to give up their viewing habits, there are often spectators at these informal battles. The spectators catch on quickly as to where they can get the fuller dose of reality.
So, expect the New York Times and other leftist organs to continue to disparage Fox News. They are only slitting their own throats. The truth will out.
