CNN vs Fox vs The World

As I mentioned in an earlier post some time back, CNN's recent ratings success had more to do with the Democratic nomination battle and network audience demographics than it did with anything they were doing right.

Today in the AJC, an article noting that cable news viewership has significantly declined (hey, it's summer! there's beer to drink!), including CNN as it drops back to its usual 2nd place behind Fox News.

Here's part of the article that I believe deserves comment:

"I think (Sen. Barack) Obama's nomination and his winning the primaries has changed things dramatically for cable, and I think that's one of the reasons why Fox hasn't been doing as well," said Paul Levinson, chairman of Fordham University's communication and media studies department. "People who support Obama don't watch Fox much."

Absolutely. Dems tend to watch CNN more than Fox and they were caught up in the race between Obama and Clinton. And then there's this bit of nobraindom:

Richard White, a spokesman for Fox News, disagreed. Noting Fox regained the lead in a key prime-time demographic, White said, "It's surprising that a chairman of a communications and media department could be so out of touch and ill-informed."

PR flaks need to learn when to shut up, especially when they (1) can't read data and (2) have no common sense and (3) just because they're PR people and should shut up anyway, especially on topics like this. I know PR guys are paid to spew crap like this but come on, grow a conscience.

So CNN slips back into second place. As I said it would, months ago when they were bragging about moving ahead of Fox. I love being right, mainly because it happens so rarely.