In First Week on Current, Keith Olbermann Beats CNN in Target Demo

[RamboLiberal]

Keith Olbermann’s Countdown on Current finished the week ahead of CNN in news’ target demographic of 25-54-year-olds. According to Nielsen, Countdown averaged 131,000 viewers in the demo for the week ending June 24, while CNN’s In the Arena pulled in 117,000 demo viewers.

Arena host Eliot Spitzer was on vacation last week. And CNN beat Current in total viewers in the 8 p.m. hour averaging 379,000 viewers to Current’ 354,000. Countdown did trend down after its June 20 premiere, which drew 179,000 viewers in the demo. But the ratings nevertheless are a victory for the network, which averaged 30,000 viewers in primetime for the first quarter 2011. And Current is in nearly 40 percent fewer homes than CNN.

-----

It is a solid first week for Olbermann even if he is still bested by Lawrence O'Donnell, the occupant of his old 8 p.m. slot on MSNBC. Last week, The Last Word averaged 794,000 total viewers with 203,000 in the demo. Since O’Donnell inherited the time slot from Olbermann, who abruptly left MSNBC last January, he has held on to almost all of Olbermann’s audience. Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly, the perennial cable news leader at 8 p.m., averaged 2.7 million viewers with 610,000 in the demo.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/first-week-current-keith-olbermann-206234

One thing I did note is last week & yesterday Lawrence was under 200 in key demo. Summer doldrums or KO drawing some viewers away? Rachel & Ed were well above 200.

[monmouth]

1. Primetime entertainment starts at 8 pm and many of us are sick

of politics by then. Two NCIS shows on tonight and then USA's White Collar, etc. I usually watch excerpts of LO when it becomes available.

[RamboLiberal]

2. I'm mostly bored with prime time TV

I have a couple of guilty pleasures with a couple of prime time series but to me KO & MSNBC & politics are entertainment. Repukes are funnier than most of the dumb sitcoms on CBS/NBC/ABC.

[classof56]

3. And The Closer is back on the 11th!

Yes! You may not watch it, but I've loved it for years. I hear it's the last season, Kyra's preference, but the reruns will remain. Scheduling here allows me to watch my faves, plus Stewart/Colbert and of course Keith, who comes on at 5:00 p.m. Very thankful for my remote control! :)

Tired Old Cynic

[Shagbark Hickory]

4. High ratings means it *must be good*.

:sarcasm:

[ThomWV]

5. I have not missed a night of Keith. The new program is better than the old, more honest.

The differences between the new Countdown and the old are subtle, and go farther than the more adult background of the new program (quieter, less flashy). Keith's addition of opinion are clearer and his points are not masked. He is fresher, crisper. Its as if he's giving more of an adult argument now days compared to just a harsh rant at the old slot. That's how it seems to me at least.

[monmouth]

6. I like to catch him in the morning re-run as opposed to Joey the Scar..n/t

[dkf]

7. I need a podcast.