Is Jay Leno to Blame for KNBCs Low Nighttime News Ratings?
In an expose about TV news ratings, Variety’s Michael Schneider digs into the current landscape, finding some interesting results: “According to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 52% of the public say they watch local TV news — down from 64% in 1998. NBC affiliates in particular have been stung this fall; due to its low-rated ‘Jay Leno Show’ lead-in at 10 p.m., Los Angeles’ KNBC has seen its late news drop 25% so far this fall in the adults 25-54 demo (the preferred measurement for local news).” KABC has dropped 17% for its 11 p.m. newscast, but KCBS is up 20%,” perhaps in part because of parent CBS’ strong primetime performance” and the duopoly with KCAL9.
