The myth of Fox News' ratings spike

[kpete]

Source: Media Matters

The myth of Fox News' ratings spike
1 hour and 2 minutes ago

Fact: The breathless claim that Fox News' ratings recently spiked thanks to the White House's public critique is bogus hype -- hype that Fox News and the Beltway press have relentlessly pushed.

It's just not true.

No matter how many times reporters and pundits made the claim, a detailed analysis of Nielsen ratings numbers clearly indicates that in the two weeks after the White House in mid-October sparked a media controversy by claiming Rupert Murdoch's channel was not a legitimate news organization, Fox News' ratings did not soar or go "through the roof." In fact, not only did Fox News' overall ratings not soar, they experienced no significant increase at all. Instead, in the two weeks following the initial verbal jousts with the White House, Fox News' total day ratings virtually flatlined.

Think about it. The unfolding controversy, which gobbled up untold hours and pages of news coverage as the Beltway press treated the dispute like a major news event (even though news consumers couldn't care less), and the hubbub barely moved the ratings needle one inch in Fox News' favor.

Read more: http://mediamatters.org/columns/200911030004

[HughMoran]

1. We've become a nation of lazy morons

All of what you see on cable news is made up bullshit created to satiate the lazy ass couch potato warriors that make up the majority of their watchers.

[Enthusiast]

9. I would hardly characterize

what we hear from Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow as made up bullshit.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. One thing I got from this

is the near-universal perception among the pundits of their own relevance. They believe the world revolves around them and that the unwashed masses sit in slack-jawed anticipation of enlightenment from the pearls of wisdom the talking heads dispense like Pez for public consumption.

[Mr. Sparkle]

3. Fox has always used that excuse when they are under attack. And it is always BS.

It is amazing how many people repeat it without actually checking the facts. Well done media matters.:thumbsup:

[kpete]

4. MORE from Media Matters:

http://mediamatters.org/columns/200911030004


How did the story line about Fox News' (phantom) ratings surge morph into cemented fact? First, pundits simply announced the ratings bonanza was on the way. They knew it had to be the case, so they simply said so, over and over and over. (See below.) Then some misleading ratings reports began to surface that seemed to confirm the spike. For instance, on October 26, the Los Angeles Times, going with ratings data provided by Fox News, reported: "In the two weeks since aides to President Obama took after the coverage, the audience has been 8% larger than the previous two weeks."

[No Elephants]

5. I am going to make a contribution to Media Matters. I contribute to

PBS for getting the truth out sometimes, especially Bill Moyers Journal, and to the ACLU and Amnesty International, which also get the truth out, as well as serving other purposes. For some reason, it never occurred to me to contribute to Media Matters, too.

I don't make huge contributions, but I am consistent. And it makes me very happy. I recommend it highly.

[zbdent]

6. another court-blessed lie ...

Faux has the court's blessing to do so ...

[The Wizard]

7. The real truth is

98% of the country doesn't watch Fox. They have a niche audience of knuckle dragging illiterates who are generally dupes in need of medication.

[kpete]

8. tossed about

again, kp

[FiveGoodMen]

10. There have to be penalties for lying.

Otherwise, the liars will always win.