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Fox News falls to third place for the first time in 17 years

Since when is 25-54 the key demographic for cable news? Two-thirds of the viewers are over 54. And that's MSNBC.

Just look at the ads ffs.



Total primetime viewership for FOX is basically unchanged, it's dropped off a little because of O'Reilly but the recent peak was barely over 3 million during the Obama Wars. The difference is MSNBC has jumped up when Trump won, just like they dropped off when Obama won and FOX hit new highs.

FOX Thursday, May 19th 2016 vs May 18th 2017
5PM: The Five 2.00 -> Specialists 1.84
6PM: Baier 2.10 -> Baier 2.10
7PM: Greta 1.66 -> MacCallum 1.85
8PM: O'Reilly 2.93 -> Carlson 2.66
9PM: Kelly 2.11 -> The Five 2.36
10PM: Hannity 1.81 -> Hannity 2.45

MSNBC, same dates:
6PM: Live .48 -> Greta 1.12
7PM: Matthews .74 -> Matthews 1.84
8PM: Hayes .77 -> Hayes 2.05
9PM: Maddow 1.1 -> Maddow 2.91
10PM: O'Donnell .92 -> O'Donnell 2.50

And we're still talking about far less than 10 million people here. Across the three talking headworks. 70+% of whom are over 55.

I highly doubt they're competing with each other for viewers.

Advertisers have a lot of data about when consumer habits are solidified and when they're not changeable. It's one reason why 18-35 is such a coveted demographic, you can get lifelong customers from advertising to them. I'm guessing 25-54 hits the sweet spot of not as set in their ways as seniors but still have a lot of disposable income, for advertisers.
 
People can blame Fox, which granted, they deserve all the negative press they get, and more, but at the end of the day, there's a reason they have largely won the ratings war thus far. Hell, there's a reason Trump is the president. There's a large appetite in the country for this flavor of far right BS, and both Fox and Trump play right into it.
 
I think it's usually 18-49. Which would probably lop off another 10+% of cable news' viewership.

Cutting edges here and there, it's not like the point is any different. That demo is the most coveted by advertisers. I don't see how it being cable news matter to that effect.
 

Maximo

Member
Wait...the right is winning and Fox news is LOSING viewers? There something I'm missing here?

Alot of the Right are in a young demographic of white males who I assume get most of the news from the internet, and losing alot of key hosts and when Fox News is talking about Tim Allen the other Networks are reporting on obstruction of justice and Breaking News stories about Trump everyone changes the channel, I personally have never watched so much american politics in my life im sure alot around the world are tuning in too.
 

benjipwns

Banned
Cutting edges here and there, it's not like the point is any different.
The point being that they "fell" to third place by increasing viewership year over year in every time slot among the demographic except their most popular one where they held despite losing the juggernaut of cable news? While they also held across total viewership which is good considering 80% of their viewers are outside the demographic.

They're actually winning where it counts, dollar bills, considering they managed this while excising all their trouble spots with seemingly no effect. (Hannity even prefers the later time slot!) MSNBC pulling their ratings out of the gutter both demographically and overall doesn't necessarily harm News Corp's bottom line, it just benefits the Sheinhardt Wig Company's bottom line.

TestOfTide "calling it" otherwise not withstanding of course.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
That's a really hot take.

Here's a hotter take: This is mainly due to the fact that fox news has lost so many of their anchors, as well as the fact that the more extreme are looking towards the internet for more of their news.

That said, fuck fox news.

Yeah, I think this too. That said, being the de facto champion of a deeply unpopular administration doesn't do wonders for your ratings either. I'd be happier if I thought it was a long term trend and not just a blip.
 
Cutting edges here and there, it's not like the point is any different. That demo is the most coveted by advertisers. I don't see how it being cable news matter to that effect.
Scripted drama key demographic is 18-49 and news is 25-54 according to basically every news story about ratings. I don't know what that actually means in practice because Fox News ads are clearly aimed toward the geriatric.
 
The point being that they "fell" to third place by increasing viewership year over year in every time slot among the demographic except their most popular one where they held despite losing the juggernaut of cable news? While they also held across total viewership which is good considering 80% of their viewers are outside the demographic.

They're actually winning where it counts, dollar bills, considering they managed this while excising all their trouble spots with seemingly no effect. (Hannity even prefers the later time slot!)

TestOfTide "calling it" otherwise not withstanding of course.

No, the point was that demographic is, and always been, the most coveted one with advertisers since that's what I was replying about lol
 
I suspect it's because only conspiracy and fakenews sites are super abundant that a lot of FOX viewers were really wanting that but settled for fakenews-lite.

This is what happens when your audience just wants to be hateful.
 
Scripted drama key demographic is 18-49 and news is 25-54 according to basically every news story about ratings. I don't know what that actually means in practice because Fox News ads are clearly aimed toward the geriatric.

On paper what it basically means is that advertisers see the core of Fox's audience, the old as fuck one, less viable to float ads for newer products since the general assumption is the old as fuck demo have buying habits they won't really change, so new ads and products will be wasted on then, and are probably possibly retired and on a fixed income so they have less disposable income (this is obviously a very broad assumption, but it's what they operate on).

The 25-24 or 18-49 is considered more key, because people in this range are assumed to have more disposable income and buying habits that aren't fixed in stone and are open to newer products and ads. That's why it's generally seen as the most coveted spot for advertisers.
 
They're actually winning where it counts, dollar bills, considering they managed this while excising all their trouble spots with seemingly no effect. (Hannity even prefers the later time slot!) MSNBC pulling their ratings out of the gutter both demographically and overall doesn't necessarily harm News Corp's bottom line, it just benefits the Sheinhardt Wig Company's bottom line.

Except the problem for Fox is that advertisers aren't going to want to keep buying time slots on Fox if it becomes literally just retired old people who, buy their very nature, are much less likely to buy stuff.

The working age group is coveted because people who have jobs are more likely to have extra to spend on things they see advertisements for, which means more competition for those time slots, which of course means the channel can charge more for those time slots.

And this is all before Fox News starts having a lot more Milo-style fuck ups on its network. You think any advertiser wants to be associated with Fox after they inevitably cause some Trump fans to harass and harm Seth Rich's parents?

On paper what it basically means is that advertisers see the core of Fox's audience, the old as fuck one, less viable to float ads for newer products since the general assumption is the old as fuck demo have buying habits they won't really change, so new ads and products will be wasted on then, and are probably possibly retired and on a fixed income so they have less disposable income (this is obviously a very broad assumption, but it's what they operate on).

The 25-24 or 18-49 is considered more key, because people in this range are assumed to have more disposable income and buying habits that aren't fixed in stone and are open to newer products and ads. That's why it's generally seen as the most coveted spot for advertisers.

Exactly. The only things that you can advertise to an audience with an average age of 72 are:

- Reverse Mortgage scams
- geriatric medicine/medical equipment
- Gold and Silver

And 1/3rd of the time it won't matter because the viewer is someone in a nursing home who hasn't been thinking about actually buying anything in years

Meanwhile the working age audience is great because it's people with a diverse range of wants and needs as well as the money to actually spend on new stuff.
 
Not being in the minority in government isnt very good for business.

It's not even just that. They were doing great during the bush years. Problem is that they have lost all subtlety. Just like how Trump caused the GOP to lose the dog whistle, Trump has caused Fox News to lose the dog whistle.
 

GunBR

Member
Maybe I'm wrong, but Fox News get better ratings with Democratic Presidents no?
So their target audience can watch the channel to see how Obama/Clinton/any other is "destroying" the country
 
Maybe I'm wrong, but Fox News get better ratings with Democratic Presidents no?
So their target audience can watch the channel to see how Obama/Clinton/any other is "destroying" the country

No, Fox was strong during Bush, too. It's a variety of factors: ratings derived primarily from aging demo that advertisers look at the least, losing top and key talent from old guard (O'Reilly) to being prepped new guard (Kelly), key figures behind the scenes being booted, multiple different sexually assault and racial lawsuits, a FBI investigation, and the lack of coverage on key events happening right now.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Nah dude, she's great, always has been great. She is without a doubt the smartest person on cable news. Low bar I know.
Did we forget that whole tax return thing? lol

It also doesn't matter. CNN is shit, as evidenced by that Anderson Cooper thing where he doesn't even believe in his job anymore. All cable news is terrible.
 
Did we forget that whole tax return thing? lol

It also doesn't matter. CNN is shit, as evidenced by that Anderson Cooper thing where he doesn't even believe in his job anymore. All cable news is terrible.
1 blunder in a decade of news? And not even a news blunder a pr hype blunder.

Coopers just had enough of listening to bullshit from trump surrogates night after night. Can't blame the dude.
 

Armaros

Member
Did we forget that whole tax return thing? lol

It also doesn't matter. CNN is shit, as evidenced by that Anderson Cooper thing where he doesn't even believe in his job anymore. All cable news is terrible.

Yes if that is literally the only thing you can talk about with Maddow, then you know nothing about her and her show.

So you are just another empty drive by in a sea of 'BUT TAX RETURNS' drive-bys.
 

digdug2k

Member
Yes if that is literally the only thing you can talk about with Maddow, then you know nothing about her and her show.

So you are just another empty drive by in a sea of 'BUT TAX RETURNS' drive-bys.
Lol. Yeah, I mean if you want to bitch about mistakes Maddow made, the election is probably bigger. Literally every night she was running stories on how it was impossible for trump to win. BUT I mean she's on every night. Accepting perfection or nothing from everyone but yourself is... well that's how trump runs his businesses as well. She shines doing history stuff. She shines when she's got a rant to make. Take her for what she's good at. Let go of the rest.
 

Armaros

Member
Lol. Yeah, I mean if you want to bitch about mistakes Maddow made, the election is probably bigger. Literally every night she was running stories on how it was impossible for trump to win. BUT I mean she's on every night. Accepting perfection or nothing from everyone but yourself is... well that's how trump runs his businesses as well. She shines doing history stuff. She shines when she's got a rant to make. Take her for what she's good at. Let go of the rest.

Thats not really on her either, literally the entire media was talking like that, even part of Fox News.

Part of Fox in this predicament is that they did not have a plan for Trump being President AND being this batshit, so that within 100 days he is completely swamp in indefensible controversy, so indefensible. that their counter to Trump/Russia is to have their only big name left, Hannity, talk in literal conspiracy theories. something they would have never done before.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Yes if that is literally the only thing you can talk about with Maddow, then you know nothing about her and her show.

So you are just another empty drive by in a sea of 'BUT TAX RETURNS' drive-bys.
I mean, I hate MSNBC's partisan hackery as much as Fox News, for what that's worth. The Tax Return thing is just that partisanship made manifest, because they were so desperate to have a "gotcha" that they built it up to be a massive disappointment.
 

Game Guru

Member
Thats not really on her either, literally the entire media was talking like that, even part of Fox News.

Part of Fox in this predicament is that they did not have a plan for Trump being President AND being this batshit, so that within 100 days he is completely swamp in indefensible controversy, so indefensible. that their counter to Trump/Russia is to have their only big name left, Hannity, talk in literal conspiracy theories. something they would have never done before.

This is completely true. Absolutely no one expected Trump to win, and he's a much more disliked president than Clinton, Bush, or Obama were. Fox News, like the Republicans in Congress, are kowtowing to Trump despite how damaging he might be to them.
 
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