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.