After Twitter announced it would revise follower counts to cease counting fake and locked accounts toward total followers, how much were American networks docked? Here’s a list of the major U.S. broadcast and cable news networks’ Twitter followers before the purge, after the purge and the approximate percent loss.
Exclusives
Brian Ross, the veteran ABC News investigative correspondent who embarrassed the network late last year with an on-air report suggesting former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had been told by President Donald Trump to make contact with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign for the Oval Office, is leaving the network, along with Rhonda Schwartz, who served as the chief investigative producer for Ross’ team.
ABC’s World News Tonight with anchor David Muir just topped NBC’s Nightly News with Lester Holt in weekly TV ratings for the first time in nearly two years. The ABC News program won March 5-9 in the key 25-54 demographic, the 18-49 demo, and total viewers last week. Ordinarily, it is the main demo that alludes the Disney-owned journalism arm.
Hoppe, who has been chief programming executive and general manager of general audience programming at PBS, will become ABC News’ senior vice president for long-form programming. She will oversee will oversee all ABC News long form programming, including Lincoln Square Productions, 20/20 work and digital features.
The longtime ABC News correspondent and Sunday talk show co-host weighs the ‘silver lining’ to the president’s attacks on the press. “I think we’re more careful — and try to be more careful — in that we admit mistakes quickly and try to correct those mistakes. That’s a good thing.”
After ceding its status as the most-watched morning show in the U.S. to NBC’s Today for the past seven weeks, ABC’s Good Morning America bounced back, winning the most viewers overall for the five days ending Jan. 19. Today continued its dominance, however, in the more important category, winning viewers between 25 and 54, the demographic coveted most by advertisers.
Both Lester Holt and Jeff Glor braved the frigid temperatures Thursday to cover the bomb cyclone from outside venues in New York City — but ABC opted to keep David Muir in the studio.
Elizabeth Vargas, co-anchor with David Muir of the network’s newsmagazine 20/20 for 14 years, is leaving the company in May to pursue new ventures. She is 55.
Bonded Cell Matures In Reliability, Acceptance
Bonded cellular — using IP over the wireless network — is the go-to medium for TV reporters in the field, while microwave and satellite are secondary, though still important, alternatives. However, some predict a resurgence in microwave as those vendors rise to meet the challenges of bonded cellular. And bonded is not sitting still, it’s moving ahead with 5G wireless technology.
ABC News says it has reprimanded Chris Vlasto, its top producer for investigative reporting, for giving Donald Trump’s presidential campaign proprietary exit polling data on election night 2016.
ABC News president James Goldston excoriated staff Monday over Brian Ross’ major error on a report about former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, and announced that Ross, the network’s chief investigative reporter, will no longer cover stories related to President Trump.
ABC News has suspended anchor Brian Ross for four weeks without pay following an on-air error the journalist made on Friday in which he reported that Donald Trump had instructed Michael Flynn to make contact with the Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign. “It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience — these are our core principles. We fell far short of that [Friday],” the network said in a statement.
Several news organizations have filed lawsuits urging officials to release more information about the Las Vegas shooting, claiming they are violating public records law by keeping many of the details a secret. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI have been tight-lipped in recent weeks amid a mounting outcry from the public for more information on the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
Mark Halperin, who is a regular on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, is apologizing for what he terms “inappropriate” behavior after five women claimed he sexually harassed them while he was a top ABC News executive.
Dr. Jennifer Ashton has been named chief medical correspondent for ABC News. She joined the ABC News Medical Unit five years ago and most recently had been chief women’s health correspondent for ABC News.
By the time even news junkies get to Sunday morning, there can be a plaintive need for a mental health break. There may be physiological limits on how many times they can watch Sen. Lindsey Graham, among others in our public life, in a given week. But the three stalwarts of broadcast television — ABC’s This Week, CBS’s Face the Nation and NBC’s Meet the Press — endure amid the obvious media fragmentation and may have cause for a certain self-congratulation amid via a vaguely surprising Harvard study.
ABC News has hired Katie Nelson in a new role as executive producer, ABC News content. She will lead editorial coverage for distribution across the news operation’s sites, apps, social media, streaming services and emerging platforms, reporting to ABC News VP digital, Colby Smith.
25.6 million viewers watched Monday afternoon TV coverage of the eclipse. 27.8 million viewers watched President Trump’s Afghanistan address that night.
