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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Caused NBC’s Meet The Press to Fall Behind Face The Nation and This Week?
NBCs ratings woes arent just limited to weekday mornings, evenings and late night. The networks Sunday morning flagship Meet the Pressthe longest-running show on network television, as its announcer reminds the audience every weekhas recently fallen to a 21-year low. And as of the past few weeks, the show has come in third place on Sunday morning, trailing CBS Face the Nation and ABCs This Week.
More than four years ago, the Los Angeles Times warned that the perennial king of Sunday morning TV news talk shows could soon lose its crown, a prediction that has been borne out in the years since. According to Nielsen data, Meet the Press is averaging its smallest total viewer audience (2.913 million) in 21 years and smallest 25-54 demo performance (854,000) in more than 21 years, dating back to the 1991-1992 season.
CBS Face the Nation is the clear winner, taking the number one spot away from Meet The Press for the first time in 15 years for total viewers and in 18 years for the 25-54 demo. The show even managed to maintain its lead last week when CBS was blocked from three major marketsNew York, Los Angeles and Dallasdue to an ongoing dispute with Time Warner Cable. And this summer, on June 28th and August 4th, ABCs This Week jumped to number two in total viewers and the demo, pushing Meet The Press to third place, a position in hasnt seen in years.
NBCs new struggles on Sunday morning are compounded by the drops in viewership theyve seen on weekday mornings with the Today Show and evenings with NBC Nightly News. Last August, ABCs Good Morning America beat Today in the 25-54 demo for the first time in 17 years and has maintained a consistent lead since. And just three weeks ago, ABCs World News with Diane Sawyer won the 25-54 demo, breaking a nearly 5-year-long winning streak by NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
So, why is Meet the Press losing the prominence it once had? It is easy to lay blame on host David Gregory. He had large and venerable shoes to fill when he replaced the late Tim Russert back in December of 2008. Some think he goes too easy on the Obama administration while others, like myself, often think he doesnt grill his Republican guests hard enough. Hes certainly courted his fair share of controversy in recent months, from the 30-round magazine he may have illegally used as a prop to the combative way he questioned The Guardians Glenn Greenwald.
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http://www.mediaite.com/tv/what-caused-nbcs-meet-the-press-to-fall-behind-face-the-nation-and-this-week/
spanone
(135,900 posts)Blue Idaho
(5,060 posts)Gregory is a right leaning incompetent chowder head. Unfortunately for him and NBC American is not amused.
targetpractice
(4,919 posts)He seems to only be capable of asking binary yes/no questions... "Do you support this OR that?" Super annoying.
Also, I think he's trying to build a catalog of sound bites that he can use as zingers on future shows... à la Tim Russert's Meet the Press style.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Corporate propaganda doesn't make for good journalism.
bravenak
(34,648 posts)And I can't stand Gregory. He's a republican butt kisser.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)Bob and George occasionally ask a few important and difficult questions.
David Gregory spends much of his time being a pure establishment lackey.
Jim__
(14,089 posts)Yes it is!
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)There is no discussion, just talking points, which I can get by actually reading the RNC or DNC web sites. There is nothing worth wasting time on watching these shows.
Everything is completely scripted. I find it a bit amusing that even DUer's get aggrevated and feel the need to post about these shows every Sunday.
Link Speed
(650 posts)I cannot imagine setting aside a time block to watch that crap.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)countingbluecars
(4,766 posts)corkhead
(6,119 posts)what could go wrong?
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Posted by DU'er Faygo Kid and was a HUGE DEAL here on Dem Underground!
David Gregory the f**king tool dances with Karl Rove
Last edited Sun Dec 30, 2012, 01:10 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)
So David Gregory - with his gigantic salary - thinks seniors ought to give up what they have worked for all their lives so the Koch brothers can enjoy more tax cuts? I DESPISE David Gregory, and always have. But, he likes to dance with Karl Rove.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101789201
House of Roberts
(5,189 posts)This Week brought back George Stephanopoulos.
Tim Russert wasn't really much better than Gregory. We used to do 'Russert Watch' on Huffpo way back when, and the show was just as corporate-friendly back then.
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)Dancin' Dave is a hack without the likability.
GiaGiovanni
(1,247 posts)There's a pattern. It's not just David Gregory.
DearAbby
(12,461 posts)people, rightfully so, are turning to a different source. The media has only themselves to blame, they have become the hookers bought and paid for by Corporations, the wealthy. There is nothing to see here.
rurallib
(62,465 posts)about an hours worth each week
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Meet the Press is not because of who the host is, it is because of who the host isn't.