MS NOW’s audience appears to be growing as Fox News’ ratings decline, according to Versant Media CEO Mark Lazarus, who told investors Tuesday that his network is seeing no signs of “viewer fatigue.”
“Some of the viewership is leaving other places and trying us,” Lazarus said, adding that audiences are spending more time with MS NOW because they see value in its coverage. He also described the network’s upcoming Election Day coverage as “the Super Bowl for the news organization” and said he expects its audience to keep growing.
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| Mark Lazarus |
Murdoch said he did not believe those viewers were switching to other news channels; instead, they were watching slightly less television.
He cited unusually strong audience interest in major stories over the past year, which made year-over-year comparisons harder, and said Fox News executives had a “playbook” for navigating the trend.
Fox News still draws a larger primetime audience than MS NOW. In the third quarter, it averaged 2.06 million total viewers, compared with 930,000 for MS NOW. Among viewers ages 25 to 54, the advertiser-valued demographic, Fox averaged 183,000, while MS NOW averaged 84,000.
But their ratings moved in opposite directions: Fox News’ primetime audience fell 17% among total viewers and nearly 25% among viewers ages 25 to 54. MS NOW’s grew 16% and 27.3%, respectively.
The two networks draw audiences with different political leanings. Fox News caters to conservatives, while MS NOW’s audience tilts left. Lazarus also said audiences remain “active and vibrant and growing” at MS NOW and CNBC.
Fox News still draws a larger primetime audience than MS NOW. In the third quarter, it averaged 2.06 million total viewers, compared with 930,000 for MS NOW. Among viewers ages 25 to 54, the advertiser-valued demographic, Fox averaged 183,000, while MS NOW averaged 84,000.
But their ratings moved in opposite directions: Fox News’ primetime audience fell 17% among total viewers and nearly 25% among viewers ages 25 to 54. MS NOW’s grew 16% and 27.3%, respectively.
The two networks draw audiences with different political leanings. Fox News caters to conservatives, while MS NOW’s audience tilts left. Lazarus also said audiences remain “active and vibrant and growing” at MS NOW and CNBC.