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Show Ratings race Chaos is developing. NBC-AB- C battle for news power by Frank Swertlow Chicago Sun-Time- Writer s It was only one rating period, but ABC passed NBC in the national evening news race two weeks ago. And while the difference has only a 10th of a point, the ABC victory is a warning: The NBC Nightly News is in trouble. No, not because its reporters cant cover the news as well as ABCs, but merely because its ratings are beginning to slip. AND, A DROP in the ratings, if it continues, usually provokes a reaction: Someone is fired or hired. Thats the pattern these days. Yet, how did NBCs slide happen. Was it the fault of John Chancellor or David Brinkley? No. It was and is the fault of NBC ratings in daytime and prime time shows. ABC has the ratings in these time zones and the and this audiences, too means ABC has money to invest in promoting and advertising news. NBC doesnt have the cash for news these days for these things ; it only has cash for Supertrains $12 million for that flop. BUT NBCS ENTERTAINMENT ratings dont merely affect the networks ability to promote and advertise its news, it also means that the company is losing its strong affiliates those that dominate their market, such as in Knoxville, Tenn. In that city, the NBC station drew a GO percent share of the audience to the Nightly News. When the station switched to ABC, the ABC World News Tonight got the 60 share. This is happening in other areas and NBC News is coming up third. Unless something happens dramatically at NBC, particularly in prime time, ABC News climb will continue. It's a factor of a business based on ratings. And when this situation solidifies, the madness of prime time viewing will strike network news. Confusion will reign, shows will be dropped and the gossip columns will have a field day: Whos the new anchorman on NBC? Whos the new anchorwoman at NBC? Is Tom Snyder the can you fix a short circuit? 1. How ants eat most? 3. What has a big mouth but doesnt say a word? biggest cant 5. What fias a head, think, but drives? See if you can unscramble these words. 6. What is blue, green, yellow, purple, brown, black and grey? The only thing we could capitalize on now is any dissatisfaction there is in the said minds of viewers, MacNeil, former NBC and BBC correspondent. That is, if they want something different or something in addition to what they see on the networks. What it comes down to is this- - How many people can divorce themselves from that kind of nightly fix of 20 stories on the evening newscasts? MEAN R L E T A V 'suoXsjo jo xoq y '9 jeuiiueq y 'SSjJOJS m aqj seq ) Xje.iq souod jo jo Xeqj ueqM t jeqj. eqi J9AJJ oj y P T P S U R 0 0 R W D N E E E S 3 N y 08 Meuiiuns z j ueqiSuei I SdHMSNV 1. Racetrack 2. Daytona 3. 4. Souped up Stock car 5. Start 6. Pace 7. 8. Pit stop Crash 9. Yellow flag While the MacNeil Lehrer Report could not compete with network news ability to cover breaking stories, it could provide a fuller analysis of the news with an expanded broadcast. It could even anticipate major developments before they happen, something that is not as difficult as it sounds. books? Dick Cavett is not enough. And for that matter, why not reports on fashions, sports, or music? These subjects have a more immediate effect on most peoples lives than a coup in Uganda. Idi Amin is a name in a headline; John Travolta is a name that affects the way men and women feel about themselves, how they dress, who and how they love. The time is right for an hour of MacNeil Lehrer. 2. During what season do the Although this half-hou- r broadcast is the mainstay of the public TVs anemic news programming, it could be expanded to an hour, making it even more important. This would mean the shows anchormen, Robert MacNeil and James Lehrer, could cover more stories each night and not merely one subject. ly left untouched by network newscasts. Why not reports on films? Or television? Or R is 4. What building? IN THE WAKE of this impending lunacy, the news operation that could capitalize on this unsettling atmosphere is PBS, specifically the MacNeil Lehrer Report. JUST AS important, the MacNeil Lehrer Report could reach into areas usual- Riddles t savior of NEC News? This game will go on and on. esues Word Search 9A6JX JepuoM poddng eUlBM :SJ9MSUV MacNEIL, WHO began his journalism career with the Canadian Broadcasting Co. in 1955, said he thought an estrangement of some sort already Pattern Puzzler Which word doesnt belong? balloon beachball baseball raft Innertube 10. Straightaway 11. Accelerate 12. Corner 13. Pass 14. Finish was happening. Our ratings have gone up 20 percent and the reaction from the press is good. So are the letters we receive for viewers. Then he added the reason for the shows success, "we prefer the radical idea of just one subject discussed, said MacNeil. We are the only news show on national television that gives people the most opportunity to understand issues one at a time. We are a gesture, an experiment. The Salt Lake Sunday, May 15. Winners circle WRONG. jou s TV ecesm 0qeju 9uq :juH COMPUIOQ URVICfl, me MacNEIL Lehrer isnt an experiment any longer; the idea works. Now is the time for another experiment: Expand to an hour. 13, 1979 f T 21 |
