Here’s some news about the coverage of news: Even as CNN has announced a new anchor for its venerable media-affairs program “Reliable Sources,” Fox News Channel is carving out new audience for its own take on the format, “MediaBuzz.”
The 21st Century Fox-owned network’s “MediaBuzz,” notched more than 1.04 million viewers for its airing on Sunday, November 17, according to data from Nielsen – the first time it has done so since launching September 8. Over the course of its 11 weeks on the air, “MediaBuzz” has seen a 23% increase in total viewers as well as a 36% increase in viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 – the demographic preferred by advertisers in news programming.
“MediaBuzz” is hosted by former “Reliable Sources” anchor Howard Kurtz, who left CNN in June. CNN has tapped a rotating lineup of journalists and media-savvy hosts to anchor “Reliable” for the last few months. The two programs air at the same time each Sunday, at 11 a.m.
Time Warner-owned CNN last week named New York Times reporter Brian Stelter as the new host of “Reliable Sources.” Stelter is not expected to commence working for the network for a few weeks.
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When he does, however, he will have to navigate a broadening chasm between the two shows. On Sunday, “MediaBuzz” snared an average of 1,042,000 viewers, compared with 281,000 for “Reliable Sources.” When it comes to viewers between the ages of 25 and 54, “MediaBuzz” attracted an average of 181,000 compared to 109,000, according to Nielsen data. Sunday’s edition of “MediaBuzz” enjoyed a 271% advantage in total audience and a 66% advantage in viewers between 25 and 54 over “Reliable Sources,” according to the Nielsen data.
Despite its smaller numbers, “Reliable Sources”does have a greater percentage of viewers in the range of 25 to 54. About 39% of “Reliable” viewers this past Sunday were in the advertiser-preferred demographic, while approximately just over 17% of “MediaBuzz” viewers were in that range. TV advertisers judge programs by which has the most viewers in a particular demographic, not the greatest concentration.
