The uncertain status of the presidential election appears to have put a jolt into the ratings of the late local news, as more Chicago-area viewers tuned in last month to learn the latest turn in the electoral drama.
Reversing the established trend of persistent audience erosion at 10 p.m., NBC-Ch. 5 and ABC-Ch. 7 reported healthy gains in the November sweeps ratings, while CBS-Ch. 2 halted its ratings slide by drawing the same rating it had in November 1999.
In contrast, the audience that had been growing for the 9 p.m. newscasts, where WGN-Ch. 9 and WFLD-Ch. 32 have been locked in competition, slipped during the first four weeks of November, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The election story is the primary reason.
“This is obviously an extremely important news story, the top one of all of our lifetimes, and when there’s a big story, viewers will continue to flock to their habitual news ground and time period,” said Channel 5 General Manager Larry Wert.
Channel 5 reported a 12.1 rating, or 19 share, up from 11.1 and an 18 share a year ago. Channel 7 reported a 13.3 rating, or 21 share, up from 12.7 and 21 share. Channel 2 remained flat at a 6.1 rating and a 10 share.
Each rating point, as measured by Nielsen, equals 32,448 households.
National cable news channels CNN, Fox News and MSNBC have reported a similar ratings surge since the election, as have news-based Internet sites. But as with other media phenomena that played themselves out, the ratings will eventually slump.
Ratings for the 9 p.m. news hour showed WGN maintaining its lead over WFLD, with a 5.9 rating and 8 share, compared with a 4.8 rating and 7 share. But both stations lost audience. WGN had reported a 6.3 rating and a 9 share in the previous November, and WFLD had a 6 rating and 9 share.
Bob Ramsey, WGN’s general manager, said the 9 o’clock audience declined because people hooked on the election story watched election specials on the major broadcast networks during that hour or followed coverage on the cable news channels.
“What we’ve seen in the last week or so is that our ratings have started to go up again as interest in the story has begun to cool,” Ramsey said.
Channel 5’s Wert said he is delighted with the November performance at his station. But in an age of multiplying media choices, he expects “to continue to see the fragmenting and the erosion of the audience.”
