Fox News and MSNBC are finishing the month of May in a dogfight for the viewers advertisers prize most.
Bloomberg reports Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, which contributes an estimated 20 percent of 21st Century Fox Inc.’s profits, continues to get the biggest audience overall by far, according to Nielsen research cited by the network. But the bulk of those viewers are older and considered less lucrative to advertisers. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow was the top draw at 9 p.m. among viewers ages 25 to 54 for the third straight month, and her network won that demographic in prime time on weeknights for the first time since 2000. Fox still won in all age groups for the full week including Saturdays and Sundays.
“Maddow’s gains are not Fox News’ losses,” said Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group. “Both are growing, but clearly MSNBC’s audience base is more animated versus where they were last year.” He advises buying 21st Century Fox shares and doesn’t have a rating for MSNBC’s corporate parent, Comcast Corp.
Shares of New York-based 21st Century Fox have dropped 3.6 percent this year, while Philadelphia-based Comcast has gained 20 percent.
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