Networks

After a few footage mishaps at Fox News like their recent slip-up: "Fox News Uses Old Palin Footage," the higher ups at the network have had enough.

In an email obtained by FishbowlDC, FNC management alerted the Newsroom that they were going to a "zero base" newscast production, defined in the memo...

"That means we will start by going to air with only the most essential, basic, and manageable elements. To share a key quote from today's meeting: "It is more important to get it right, than it is to get it on." We may then build up again slowly as deadlines and workloads allow so that we can be sure we can quality check everything before it makes air, and we never having to explain, retract, qualify or apologize again."

The memo warns that those involved in future "mistake chains" will receive "warning letters to personnel files, suspensions, and other possible actions up to and including termination."

See the full memo forwarded to FishbowlDC after the jump.

continued...

NBC's "Meet the Press" held on to its first place crown in total viewers and the A25-54 demo last Sunday. ABC's "This Week" was second in total viewers while CBS' "Face the Nation" took the #2 spot in demo (age 25-54).

Total Viewers for November 15th

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 3,110,000
ABC "THIS WEEK" 2,820,000
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 2,610,000
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 1,100,000

Demo(25-54) for November 15th

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 1,000,000/.8
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 920,000/.7
ABC "THIS WEEK" 780,000/.6
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 420,000/.3

It's a good week for Bob Schieffer and CBS' Face the Nation. Schieffer tied ABC's "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos for second in total viewers and won the demo (25-54). David Gregory and NBC's "Meet the Press" took the first place spot in total viewers but was bumped to second in demo.

The ratings for Sunday, November 8, 2009:

TOTAL VIEWERS

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 3,010,000
ABC "THIS WEEK" 2,650,000
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 2,650,000
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 1,080,000

A25-54 MM/Rtg

CBS "FACE THE NATION" 910,000/.7
NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 900,000/.7
ABC "THIS WEEK" 850,000/.7
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 380,000/.3

For Sunday October 25, 2009, "MTP" with David Gregory held on to the first place spot in both categories but "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos tailed Gregory by only 50,000 total viewers. CBS' "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer showed well in demo, tying Steph for the second place spot.

Total Viewers

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 2,720,000
ABC "THIS WEEK" 2,670,000
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 2,460,000
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 1,090,000

Demographic (Ages 25-54)

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 910,000/.7
ABC "THIS WEEK" 830,000/.7
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 830,000/.7
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 400,000/.3

David Gregory and "Meet the Press" held first in both total viewers and demographic last Sunday. "Face the Nation" and Bob Schieffer, who pulled the highest ratings in the 25-54 demo the week before, slipped to third in both categories while GQ's "Most Powerful" listee George Stephanopoulos and "This Week" climbed back into the second place spots.

The ratings for Sunday, October 11, 2009:

TOTAL VIEWERS

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 3,020,000
ABC "THIS WEEK" 2,660,000
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 2,430,000
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 1,140,000

A25-54 MM/Rtg

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 990,000/.8
ABC "THIS WEEK" 810,000/.7
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 700,000/.6
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 390,000/.3

CBS' Bob Schieffer and "Face the Nation" put the smack down in the demo ratings this week, earning first place bragging rights in adults 25-54. David Gregory and "Meet the Press" earned the gold in total viewers while George Stephanopoulos slipped into the third place spot behind NBC's "MTP" and CBS' "Face" in total viewers and demo after being rescheduled in several cities including Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas, and Reno.

A25-54 MM/Rtg

CBS "FACE THE NATION" 1,020,000/.8
NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 1,000,000/.8
ABC "THIS WEEK" 810,000/.7
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 430,000/.3

TOTAL VIEWERS

NBC "MEET THE PRESS" 3,140,000
CBS "FACE THE NATION" 2,670,000
ABC "THIS WEEK" 2,630,000
FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY" 1,190,000

For Sunday, September 20, 2009, "Meet the Press" with David Gregory took the first place spot over ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" who placed second with a viewing gap of a mere 210,000 viewers. CBS' "Face the Nation" w/ Bob Schieffer came in a strong third.

"Meet" also took gold for the 2008/2009 season, averaging 3.8 million total viewers. Though Steph placed second, he closed the total viewing gap with Gregory compared to the 2007/2008 season, by 36% and the demo gap by 27%.

Sunday September 20, 2009

NBC "MEET THE PRESS": 3,290,000/ 1,070,000/.9

ABC "THIS WEEK": 3,080,000/ 1,010,000/.8

CBS "FACE THE NATION": 2,740,000/ 900,000/.7

FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY": 1,240,000/ 530,000/ .4

Average for 08/09 Season

NBC "MEET THE PRESS": 3,820,000/ 1,330,000/1.1

ABC "THIS WEEK": 3,050,000/ 1,030,000/ .8

CBS "FACE THE NATION": 2,880,000 1,000,000/ .8

FOX "FOX NEWS SUNDAY": 1,330,000/ 500,000/ .4

A FNC producer with Griff Jenkins at the 9/12 protest in Washington has been busted by HuffPo for rallying the crowd behind the camera.

HuffPo confirmed that the producer, Heidi Noonan "has been disciplined" by FNC Washington Bureau Chief Bryan Boughton.

See HuffPo for the behind-the-scenes video and more here.

CNN launched a self-service, e-commerce site for its wire stories today. The new storefront makes it simple to license single CNN stories online. For $199 per story for a single use, visitors can pay with a credit card and download content immediately.

Earlier this year, CNN expanded the offerings of its existing wire service by making it available for subscription. Now via the online store, CNN offer a la carte, single use content on demand.

Interesting content distribution pay model. Check it out for yourself at www.cnnwirestore.com.

Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, the group that organized the tea party rally this weekend, told attendees on Saturday that ABC News was reporting 1 million to 1.5 million people had showed up to the demonstration.

The problem was ABC News did not report that statistic. ABCNews.com posted a story on Sunday to correct the record:

At no time did ABC News, or its affiliates, report a number anywhere near as large. ABCNews.com reported an approximate figure of 60,000 to 70,000 protesters, attributed to the Washington, D.C., fire department. In its reports, ABC News Radio described the crowd as "tens of thousands."

On his blog, Kibbe apologized Sunday for the mistaken attribution of the crowd-size estimated to ABC News. "With a dead IPhone, I had been shown tweets from a number of different folks behind the stage citing the ABC estimate," he wrote. "They didn't say it. I regret misrepresenting the network, as their coverage that day was fair and honest."

Read the full story here.