FOX News Suggests Oprah’s Drop In Viewership Due To Her

[ensho]

Endorsement of Obama


http://www.newshounds.us/2008/05/28/fox_news_suggests_oprahs_drop_in_viewership_due_to_her_endorsement_of_obama.php


Their reasoning? Oprah’s core audience is composed of middle-aged white women, “a group that has predominently supported Hillary,” according to the script Sean Hannity read from near the end of last night’s (5/27/08) Hannity & Colmes. “Now, many have actually expressed their criticism of endorsement on Oprah’s online message boards,” Hannity added, as if that were all the proof needed. To his credit, even he didn’t seem to buy the theory.
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is her viewership down?

[AllentownJake]

1. I think Oprah will be fine

She's only worth a billion dollars.

[Skink]

2. Hasn't effected book sales of things she recomends.

[ecstatic]

3. I don't think it's that. Her other reality show had highest ratings in it's time slot

I personally haven't watched Oprah in quite some time. I think people are just worried about other things right now. It's been a weird year. I would imagine viewership is down for all talk shows.

[Bake]

19. I understand that the ratings for "O's Big Give" were initially strong

but dropped off fairly sharply. The MSM is reporting that her ratings overall are down.

Bake

[JVS]

4. Oprah for USSC

[Cant trust em]

5. Why doesn't Hannity mind his own damn business.

[vi5]

6. It makes sense...I hate to admit it...

But her doing it not only pissed off republicans and right wingers who viewed her as moderately apolitical, but also women who were supporting Hillary. That's a fairly large chunk of people.

[MattP]

7. Anybody remember when Oprah overtook Phil in the ratings, it took a couple of years, this happens

It's because of other shows are doing well, Ellen is going head to head with her in key markets. A 7% drop will become more as time goes by, the show has been on forever and that is the way these things go.

[NatBurner]

10. and ellen is funny

oprah, on the other hand, has rarely made me laugh

don't cry for O tho; she could still buy canada if she wants to

[NashVegas]

8. Without Seeing the Breakdown Demos, It's Impossible to Tell

If her biggest loss was among 18-49 YO women, it's possible. If she lost with younger women, it's more probably linked to the troubles the soap operas (her lead ins) are having.

[oldpol]

20. 18-49's are flocking to Tyra Banks & Ellen in the same timeslots

Faux News is wrong as usual

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. Remember when they said DailyKos was losing hits?

And it turned out they were lying?

[Straight Shooter]

11. Nah, she lost me when she got all giggly when george w. bush kissed her on the cheek.

He sure fooled her. Then, because Maria was her "good friend," she had Ahhhnold on her show to show him in a good light for her national audience.

Yeah, she's a wannabe kingmaker. More power to her. It won't affect her life, and she can always give away more cars to regain the good will of whoever thinks her show is worth watching.

[MattP]

12. Fox News should worry about themselves

Fox News should think about why they have lost over 25% of their ratings instead of worrying why Oprah has lost 7% of hers.

[thoughtcrime1984]

13. The FAIRNESS DOCTRINE is coming for you, Faux News

Hannity, you are about to be replaced by a LIBERAL personality!! HAHAHAAHAHA!! Jackass...

[zbdent]

14. and Hannity's ratings are ... ???

[Fire_brand]

15. I heard that they've been running a lot of reruns this season

[hokies4ever]

16. MSNBC was pushing that talking point too

and it was falling completely flat when they had experts on to discuss it. The biggest problem was that Oprah's viewership had been declining for 3 years, way before she endorsed Obama. Also, she has divested into some other enterprises as well.

[AtomicKitten]

17. Oh dear gawd, she's going to have to cut coupons now.

[Major Hogwash]

18. Fox sez, Fox sez, Fox sez - they're right-wingers for crying out loud!

There is no use in even watching them except for the fun factor, watching O'Reilly lie.

LoL

[BobbyVan]

21. The Gallup Poll proves it -- Oprah's unfavorables doubled after endorsing Obama

A Gallup poll conducted in October, shortly after Ms. Winfrey announced her support of Mr. Obama, found that her “favorable” rating fell by 8 percentage points, to 66 percent, from 74 percent in January 2007; her “unfavorable” mark jumped by more than half, to 26 percent from 17 percent.

“I think the endorsement probably backfired with a number of her fans,” said Steven J. Ross, chairman of the history department at the University of Southern California, who is working on a book about Hollywood and politics. Movie moguls for decades have counseled stars not to stray into political endorsements, Mr. Ross said, “because once you open your mouth, you alienate 50 percent of your audience.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/26/business/media/26oprah.html?pagewanted=2

[shaniqua6392]

24. Endorsing a political candidate was a big mistake.

Notice she has not said a word or campaigned for Obama in several months. I knew she would pay a price for it. I don't watch her any more and I know a lot of people who she lost as viewers. I am not a Clinton or Obama supporter either and it pissed me off.

[NYCGirl]

22. Of course, it just might be due to the fact that her show has been on 22 years!

But Fox wouldn't care about that.

[ericgtr]

23. They also wished for Obama to be assassinated

FOX is the worst, most biased (supposed) media outlet on the planet. I know it's been a slow day here but why anyone es even citing stories from them is beyond me.

[Cha]

25. Tough shit..when faux nooze gonna

drop?

[cliffordu]

26. Old stuff. Oprah went to hell when those girls in her school in Africa

were molested. Oprah had her own experience in this. She set up the school where this kind of thing was NEVER supposed to happen. She was obviously deeply affected by the school being compromised - you could see it when she came back after her summer hiatus. Rightly so.

My wife and I used to watch her. After the problems at the school she became kind of a caricature of herself.

I understand she's doing better now.....

Now I watch "Cops"

[newmajority]

27. Isn't Oprah's show in reruns now until September?

I don't watch the show, but I believe she takes the summer off. Reruns would certainly account for lower ratings.

[SayitAintSo]

28. Instead .. It's due to her political endorsement. period.

Regardless of who she backs - it would have dropped for Hillary as well. Someone of her media influence should appear neutral IMHO. Other media greats have been very careful not to endorse (much less fawn...)

[DemVet]

29. I don't think it's Obama...

...but I think Oprah is just a nut.

[TooRaLoo]

30. Maybe they're all out campaigning for Obama.

It's a nice thought.

Anyway, this is typical Faux non-news.

[Bensthename]

31. Last month they said it was due to her new age health remedies and bible thumpers were mad..

She is showing how to get good mental and physical health with out mentioning the bible.

That was Fox's reasoning last month.