HOT DAMN: People ARE watching the Convention

[LynneSin]

It's been reported in the media that no one is watching the convention. But then again you think about your choices made available to you on TV and usually the convention ISN'T available or you have to listen to the shrills of Cable News outlets like Fox and the wannabes like MSNBC & CNN. So it's all over the news that basically no one is watching the convention.

Well it turns out that story is wrong.

http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/#tv2
ABC Says Its Digital Convention Coverage Is Drawing Viewers

ABC claimed on Wednesday that its digital ABC News Now coverage of the Democratic convention drew 210,000 users on AOL on Monday and 250,000 on Tuesday, representing AOL's biggest live streaming webcast ever. It was not immediately clear whether the figures represented unique -- i.e. individual -- users or whether they denoted the number of accesses. Meanwhile, PBS indicated that its coverage has benefited from the limited attention the commercial networks are devoting to the convention. On Tuesday, when the networks shut down coverage of the convention entirely, PBS drew an estimated 3 million viewers for its coverage, 26 percent above what it drew on Monday. "The networks came here with a premise, that an audience is not going to watch convention coverage," Rob Lynn, a spokesman for The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer told today's (Thursday) New York Times. "We came with a different mind set, that if we provided good coverage with good context, people were going to go for it. And we've been attracting people in droves."

---

I wish they had numbers for C-Span. I think most of us who have C-Span available are watching it on that channel. They really do have the most complete coverage!

[supernova]

1. So to extrapolate

those that can have been watching over the web, not TV.

Gosh, we americans sure are smart. :D

edit: which means we need to ensure everyone, regardless of income, has broadband internet access.

[LynneSin]

5. or we're not using mainstream media

but instead using PBS. (I wish they had mentioned C-Span).

[supernova]

7. I'm watching PBS

and catching the rest at dems2004.org. I had feed problems over at the C-Span site.

[AspenRose]

11. I've been watching PBS since I don't have cable.

eom

[supernova]

12. Me too

I've been umemployed for 23 months and I just can't justify the expense.

[LuminousX]

17. Me too

though I have cable, I just like how PBS does it.

[Ivote]

9. I'm Fortunate To Have HD

Iwatch ABCHD and tape the convention from c-span. NO SPIN HERE.

[bryant69]

2. Or numbers for how many watch C-Span Videos online

That's how I have caught the speeches that interested me.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[proud patriot]

3. I've been watching on CSpan also

I'm glad people are watching :D

[Cha]

31. I like how c-span does it..and it's on basic cable which

costs about $8.00 a month. No talkin' heads whatsoever!

[On the Road]

4. I Believe I Saw That for CSPAN

Monday's viewership was 5 million as opposed to 2.7 million on an average Monday.

[sandnsea]

6. And CSpan

Are there numbers available on CSpan viewers?

[gasperc]

8. I bet 15-20million houselolds have been watching

why watch the networks shit coverage, F9/11 has made over $100million and seen by over 10million people the audience is out there and we are PISSED

[truthseeker1]

10. I've been watching on Democracy Now on Link TV

DirecTV Channel 375 - They've been doing two-hour coverage of the convention every morning this week and showing all of the best speeches!

[LynneSin]

13. Here's what the media was reporting:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=597&e=3&u=/nm/20040729/tv_nm/campaign_networks_dc

During that hour on Monday, the Big Three broadcasters and three cable news outlets -- CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC -- drew an average combined audience of 18.5 million viewers, down nearly 2 million from the total for the first night of the event four years ago, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Now, they're saying the coverage is down about 2 million folks from 4 years ago. But they aren't covering any numbers from PBS or C-Span which PBS alone was reported around 2million for monday and 3million for Tuesday. So right there we're automatically over last years numbers. Now add in C-Span & webcasts and I think we're doing quite well.

[stewert]

16. That's Nothing........

Cable networks taking flak for show schedules

''The cable channels are using the convention to showcase'' their stars and most popular programs, more than to give coverage, says J. Patrick McGrail, professor of communications at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa.

Critics aren't satisfied. Besides cable network C-SPAN, which is airing convention news around the clock, the only network with ''true convention coverage'' is PBS, says Tom Rosenstiel, director of Columbia University's Project for Excellence in Journalism. PBS' NewsHour with Jim Lehrer has three hours of the convention each night.

The NewsHour's ratings have jumped significantly compared with the 2000 conventions. Tuesday night, PBS says, an estimated 7.7 million viewers tuned in to some or all of its coverage. Its rating was up 32% from the second night of the 2000 Democratic convention. PBS says its number of viewers surpassed those watching CNN, Fox News and MSNBC combined. Those cable networks together drew 6 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Full Story:

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040729/6407341s.htm

[redwitch]

14. "Hope is on the Way" chalked on downtown sidewalk

this morning in Schenectady NY where I had an appointment. Also chalked was "One America for us all ". I felt like dancing. Tomorrow I am buying some chalk and joining the graffiti temporary movement! I am watching the convention coverage on cspan. My brother called me after Clinton's speech (and almost gave me a heart attack- no calls here after 9 generally speaking) to say it was the best speech he'd ever heard. Believe me, from my brother, that is a really big deal. I agreed with him, then I heard Barack Obama speak and now I can't decide. But I do know that the people tuning in are being dazzled by this convention, me included. I am also telling people that are missing any of it to go to cspan website and watch.

[redqueen]

18. That is beautiful!

Thanks!

:kick:

Heck that deserves its own thread, even. :D

[proud patriot]

24. I want one of those signs

I'd love to have a "hope is one the way" sign
for my front yard to put next to my "Kerry" sign .

[Ithuilwen]

29. Decided to go out and write that too. nt

[johnnie]

15. I ask people if they have seen any

For the most part everyone says no. I can't believe that people are more interested in who gets kicked off of big brother or some other shit than who is going to lead their country.
I guess most people don't understand that this is one of the, if not the most important elections of the history of the country. At least in modern history.
The article does give me a bit of hope though.

[Ruby Romaine]

19. everyone i talked to on the bus to work this a.m.

watched it-
also we are really excited-
even though the pundits tell us it's a boring convention

[wildeyed]

20. The joys of Tivo.

I have been watching on cspan, and tivoing cnn. So I watch the cspan in it's entirety, then switch over to see how cnn is spinning it.

I pretty much couldn't watch cnn anymore after the Sharpton bs they tried to pull. He went over his time limit! He is off message! You know what, he was great. And I don't need talking heads to tell me what to think, so bite me, cnn.

[markses]

21. Three fairly moderate Republicans who my wife works with

when she travels are all watching, and all seriously entertaining a Kerry vote. They all voted Bush in 2000. In Pennsylvania. Central Pennsylvania.

[LynneSin]

22. My republican family from Central PA are also voting Kerry

btw, are these folks in District 17? I hope they will consider Tim Holden over that asswipe Scott Paterno

[markses]

27. I don't know the district

cuz we're in NYC. It's State College, PA that the wife visits, so maybe it is Paterno.

[louis-t]

23. Rush Dumbo was ranting Tuesday

saying no one was watching the convention, nothing any of the speakers said mattered, blah, blah....sad thing is, his braindead listeners believe him.

[Reciprocity]

25. C-Span here.

I will no longer watch CNN. I have switched to MSNBC. It is a sad commentary when Joe Scarborough has a more unbiased program than the network (CNN)I have been watching from day one.

[TreasonousBastard]

26. I'd be interested in the NPR numbers, too...

since they've had good coverage when I was on the road the past three nights.

They did talk over some of the minor speakers, but let most of it alone. Better than the local talk radio and news stations where it was ignored or the hosts preferred to hear themselves talk.

AAR was guilty of that, too. More interested in interviewing each other than in what was actually going on.

[NoBorders]

28. C-SPAN used in ratings?

Anyone know if they count c-span in the ratings numbers?

[catmandu57]

30. I'm watching on cspan

I don't need the play by play, or someone telling me what to think, I can do that for myself thank you.

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. I'm watching on CSpan

This is a first for me. And I must say, I am enjoying it! Look foward to it in fact!