FNC’s Road To Washington Paved With Viewers, Ads

Early on in what promises to be a wild and wooly battle for the White House, the cable ratings race has mirrored the political contest, with each of the three presidential primaries or caucuses through Jan. 18 having been won by a different candidate–and a different network.

Fox News Channel got off to a fast start, winning the contest for total viewers on the night of Jan. 3, when citizens of Iowa cast their votes in the state’s caucuses. According to Nielsen Media Research live-plus-same-day data, FNC averaged 2.4 million total viewers from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., edging rival CNN’s close second with 2.17 million viewers.

Perhaps of greater importance is how FNC fared once the confetti was swept away. On the evening after the Iowa caucuses, FNC dipped just 10 percent in prime, averaging 2.16 million viewers. By comparison, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Jan. 4, CNN fell 52 percent versus the prior night, while MSNBC dropped from 1.28 million to 464,000, a 64 percent depletion of its audience of the preceding evening.

Paul Rittenberg, FNC’s senior vp, ad sales, noted that consistency has been the key to the net’s lucrative primary season thus far. “We are certainly exceeding our estimates and guarantees for our political coverage,” he said. “It’s the most compelling political season in recent memory, and while I don’t know if the writers’ strike has had anything to do with it, there’s a lot more money up for grabs.”

While it’s a stretch to say that ad-sales execs are pitching the election cycle as Survivor: The White House, FNC has begun taking advantage of the buzz around the Mitts and Baracks, carving out exclusive opportunities for key sponsors.

On Feb. 6, Pfizer’s Celebrex will be the sole sponsor of The Fox Report with Shepard Smith, running a two-minute spot at the top of the 7 p.m. telecast and appearing on occasional in-show billboards.

Pharma is a strong category for the news demo, but thus far, one seasonal endemic hasn’t made much of an impact. “Political money has been erratic. These guys don’t really commit to national until they have a lock on the nomination,” Rittenberg said. Overall, he expects FNC to pull in between $40 million and $50 million in political/issue spending.

As Rittenberg continues to push through to November, he’ll be getting an assist from an old agency hand. Mediaweek has learned that FNC has tapped Bob Flood for vp, integrated sales and insights for FNC and Fox Business Network, where he’ll bundle the TV and digital assets for clients and work to bring new asset Dow Jones & Co. into the News Corp. fold.

– Anthony Crupi

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