MSNBC, CNN Make Unit Pricing Gains, But Fox News Slips

MSNBC and CNN are making gains in terms of a key advertising revenue metric, while cable news market leader Fox News Channel is dipping.

Prime-time shows on MSNBC and CNN shows have seen modest to big double-digit percentage hikes in the average 30-second commercial unit price, according to SQAD, the media cost research/analysis company.

In March, MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” (9 p.m.) was up a big 25% from January -- at $8,442 for a 30-second commercial. “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” (10 p.m.) is 5% higher now at $5,70, while “All In With Chris Hayes” (8 p.m.) inched up 1% at $5,235.

For the three-month period, “Maddow” is at an average $7,135, while “Hayes” is at $4,988; and “O’Donnell” is at $5,502.

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CNN has had similar results.

Its 10 p.m. shows -- “Anderson Cooper 360” (PT)/ “CNN Tonight” (ET) -- is 22% higher to $10,022; for its 8 p.m. time period, “Anderson Cooper 360” (ET)/ “CNN Tonight” (PT) is up 8% to $9,221 in March; its 9 p.m. time period, “Anderson Cooper 360” (ET)/ “Anderson Cooper 360” (PT) is 2% higher to $6,945.

For the first three months of 2017, CNN’s is averaging $8,720 at 8 p.m.; $6,901 at 9 p.m and $9,161 at 10 p.m.

However, Fox News Channel’s prime-time shows have seen some declines -- although still commanding higher unit pricing than MSNBC or CNN. “Hannity” is at $11,235 for March down, 9% since January; “Tucker Carlson Tonight” is 9.6% lower to $13,185; and “The Ingraham Angle” is losing 10.9% to $12,937.

“Hannity” is averaging $12,332, while “Carlson” at $13,847 and “Ingraham” is at $13,801.

Much focus has been on “Ingraham,” which has lost more than a dozen advertisers, due to her tweets concerning Parkland, Florida. student/actvist David Hogg. Some advertisers have returned over time, including Ace Hardware.

For the first quarter of this year, Fox News Channel is down 13% in prime time to a Nielsen 2,479,000 total viewers versus a year ago. MSNBC is up 30% to 1,859,000 viewers; and CNN has fallen 17% to 985,000 total viewers.

1 comment about "MSNBC, CNN Make Unit Pricing Gains, But Fox News Slips".
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  1. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, April 18, 2018 at 9:57 a.m.

    The trend lines are painting a fairly obvious picture. Unless the Fox News brass finds a legitimate primetime "star" commentator/ interviewer that independent-minded viewers can accept and watch, as opposed to it's current, unabashed right wing Trump advocates, audience declines will continue until MSNBC's Maddow captures the rating lead. Once that happens whatever else MSNBC puts out there will benefit as well---though, to be frank, this lineup also needs a palatable to middleof-the-political-road  primetime star to seal the deal. It's amazing to me that the folks at Fox can't see what's happening---and why----namely their all-out support for the unsavory and shocking antics of Trump. As has been demonstrated by many other marathon Monday-Friday TV confrontations---- such as the battles between "Today" and "Good Morning America" in the early mornings or the ongoing late night contests between the three major networks--- once you cause enough viewers to cut back on their regular viewing habit and make them give up or switch to a rival, your goose may be cooked for quite a while. It will not be that easy for Fox to recoup if the habitual viewing support it has been receiving for years is allowed to erode any further..

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