CBS Makes Case for Big 3 News

NEW YORK — CBS News, trying to counter the overwhelming amount of media attention that goes to cable news networks, went on the offensive Thursday to assert that broadcast network news retains “overwhelming dominance” among viewers.

The network put out a press release noting that the three half-hour evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC collectively reached about 34.7 million unique viewers a night and 74.9 million unique viewers a week in the 2001-02 TV season. That was more than five cable news networks combined--CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN Headline News and CNBC--reached in a day or week with their entire 24-hour schedules, CBS said, citing Nielsen Media Research figures.

CBS said the five cable networks combined reached just 3.2 million viewers during the half-hour that the broadcasters are programming evening news. During their 24-hour period, the cable networks combined reach 31.2 million unique viewers a day and 74.1 million viewers a week, CBS said.

“When you look at a direct comparison of the numbers, they clearly tell the story,” CBS News spokeswoman Sandy Genelius said.

The CBS offensive comes on the heels of an aggressive CNN sales pitch of its own, in which it has been making the case to advertisers that cable has for the first time surpassed broadcasters by another measure: the total time spent viewing news.

CNN said that it couldn’t immediately confirm or deny the CBS figures but reiterated its claims about total viewing. For example, in the second quarter of 2002, CNN said, the five cable networks grabbed 57.5% of news viewing, compared with 42.5% for broadcasters. A year ago, CNN said, cable drew just 48.6% of news viewing while broadcast drew 51.4%.

CNN’s measure excluded broadcasters’ prime-time newsmagazines, such as NBC’s “Dateline.”

“The point we’re making is, [total viewing] is not what the real issue is,” said David Poltrack, CBS’ head of research. “The issue is, where do people turn for news? And it’s to the broadcast networks when the broadcast networks are broadcasting news.”

Cable is growing in terms of total viewing, he said, because of a small group of news enthusiasts who spend long hours with both cable and broadcast news. The majority of Americans, he said, “watch news on network television.”

CBS might not be on the offensive if it had been successful in talks held during the last couple of years with CNN about a possible collaboration. ABC also talked to CNN.

An ABC News spokesman applauded the CBS effort, noting, “It puts the news competition into its proper perspective.”

Meanwhile, NBC News President Neal Shapiro, whose network owns cable’s CNBC and co-owns MSNBC, said that “it’s great to know so many viewers congregate for a half-hour event each night.... At the same time, I think cable is an incredibly important part.... Viewers want different things and I’m glad we have both.”

Fox News said it had no comment.