Abrams on May numbers…
Dan Abrams email to staff on MSNBC’s May ratings…
From: Abrams, Dan (NBC Universal, MSNBC)
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 3:16 PM
To: MSNBC Everyone
Subject: congrats…againI just wanted to congratulate everyone on another fantastic month in the ratings! Yes we increased our total number of viewers by 14% for the Total Day while Fox and CNN were down, and sure we were up 51% in Weekday Prime (M-F 8p to 11p) while CNN and Fox dropped. But how about the fact that in the number that matters most to the business, “Sales Prime” (M-Su 7p to 2a), we almost achieved our goal of overtaking CNN! For the month of May (which on the Nielsen Calendar ended Sunday 5/27/07) we were just 9 thousand behind CNN in the key adult demographic (25-54). And if you include Monday (which is still the month of May on my calendar) the gap is narrowed even further to just 6 thousand! Your hard work continues to pay off. Thank you and let’s keep it going!
Dan
Dan must be so proud. When will the brass ask why are we sill in 3rd place with HLN nipping at our heels? Why do we have higher ratings with the Doc-block specials than with our live hosts?
Comment by Alix — May 31, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Comment by Tom P — May 31, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
Why doesn’t Dan read the TV Newser where they don’t even place in all of the cable news numbers. He is full of S— and that is why his eyes are brown. He needs to belong to the no spine zone. What a bunch of crap Dan
Comment by Cathy — May 31, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
I want some of whatever Dan is drinking, was this what it was like when the Titanic hit the iceburg…snowcones for eveyone (SMILE)
Comment by Ree — May 31, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
Did he mention the M-F 6am-9am slot ratings? I heard they were FANTASTIC! :)
Comment by harleyquinn92 — May 31, 2007 @ 4:40 pm
Congrats Dan on going from 3rd Place in 2006 to 3rd Place in 2007! Keep up the good work! Fingers crossed for another 3rd Place win in 2008!
Maybe to help build morale, everyone at MSNBC can wear a “We’re Not #4″ t-shirt on Fridays.
Comment by TBDave — May 31, 2007 @ 4:40 pm
What a crock of doo doo. He must be getting pressure from the Board. Everyone is getting fired over there so morale must be sky high.
Comment by Melanie — May 31, 2007 @ 4:54 pm
…and management of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today sent out congratulations to their players for having 3 more wins at this point of the season than they did last year and for being tied with the Yankees for fourth place in the American League east division!
Comment by dt — May 31, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
You’re all like a bunch of vicious dogs. Deep breath. Explain the CNN and FNC ratings decline? At least their ratings are going up. Doesn’t matter if they’re miniscule or not, at least they’re headed in the proper direction. Takes much longer than a year in charge to turn around what was a tumbling news channel. I think he’s doing just fine (for the most part).
Comment by Peoplepeople — May 31, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Most important of all: MSNBC = No Credibility.
Comment by PF — May 31, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
Peoplepeople: MSNBC has been on the air longer than FOX. Fox went to #1 in a short time period and is still there. Dan may have been in his position for less than a year, but they haven’t moved. To use a sports scenario, you can be #1 and loose a few games and still be #1 and you can be in 3rd place and win a few games and still be in 3rd. Which spot would you rather be and which spot would you invest in.
Comment by Alix — May 31, 2007 @ 5:18 pm
Dan Abrams is talking of something like an optical illusion. The numbers, at first, may be pleasing to the eye. But when you are at the bottom, any minimal bump in those ratings makes it look like a significant increase when, in fact, it is not. MSNBC is still mired last, and that’s not something to celebrate.
Comment by RGL — May 31, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Working for NBC/MSNBC must be like working for a nonprofit. (They must see the business as being a public service) Management sure is clueless when it comes supplying a product the public actually wants to watch. Dan’s LOL memo alone should be cause for termination.
Comment by Steve L — May 31, 2007 @ 5:34 pm
PP, Think of it the MLB way lol
MSNBC = Batting .150
FNC = Batting .350
Now you see how easy it is to go up when you’re in the gutter and how hard it is to sustain that top without dropping a few?
Comment by Lurker — May 31, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
The way they just got rid of Stone Phillips and John Seganthaler, people must be a little nervous at NBC. They read about that Rachel woman getting escorted out at Fox and are wondering they might be next…poor Dan, should have stayed with the Abrams Report where I used to like him.
Comment by Jules — May 31, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
This reminds me of a comedy skit on Conan a few years ago, when it was announced that NBC was #4 behind ABC, FOX, and CBS. (In case you forgot, Conan’s show is on NBC.)Conan asked the Max Weinberg 7 - the in-house band - to perform a song to motivate the NBC troops. The song started out with “We’re #4! We’re #4!”, trashed the network in the lyrics, and ended with “NBC - we suck!” Abrams’ motivational email reminds me of that “motivational” song.
Comment by Angie — May 31, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Dan’s impression of “impressive” stats is the thing true management is made of….CRAP, I would be more expleative except for the “values” of the politically correct….that new show “Greed” sounds like an award winner….is the plot based on management scrambling at all costs at MSNBC to hold that 3rd spot at the trough? BOYCTTING MSNBC/CBS
Comment by Ms. M — May 31, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Wallow in the mud. Wallow with your insults, and condescending rhetoric. Ahh, #11, you’re quite wrong, MSNBC HAS moved up this past year. I’m not here for sports analogies either. Thank you though. Nobody can explain why CNN and FNC’s ratings are down. That’s not a question, just a fact that everyone wishes to overlook.
Comment by Peoplepeople — May 31, 2007 @ 6:08 pm
Can anyone tell me why the time slot for MSNBC in the morning keeps getting smaller? When Imus in the Morning was on it was from 6-9. Then I saw 7-9. Now it’s 8-9.
Comment by Anne B. — May 31, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
I am most interested in morning ratings—where Don Imus’ show used to be? How is that working out for you at MSNBC?
A very easy way to achieve higher ratings: Bring Imus Back!
Comment by Kathy — May 31, 2007 @ 6:29 pm
I am most interested in morning ratings—where Don Imus’ show used to be? How is that working out for you at MSNBC?
A very easy way to achieve higher ratings: Bring Imus Back!
Comment by Kathy — May 31, 2007 @ 6:30 pm
Where’s the pink slips? Dan, don’t forget to shut out the lights.
Comment by ChannelXRFR — May 31, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
I read on Mediabistro that MSNBC wants feedback on who to replace Imus with - Gregory or Scarborough. Problem is when you go to place for feedback, the site is down. Here is call for feedback.
MSNBC Seeks Morning Show Feedback
Sounds like MSNBC hasn’t made a decision about its morning programming quite yet.
newsVIPs, an online opinion panel used by NBC, is asking for feedback about the rotating hosts seen on MSNBC since Don Imus’ departure.
“As you may know, MSNBC has been experimenting with a variety of hosts in the 6am-9am hour to replace Imus in the Morning. We are interested in your opinions of the programs that have aired thus far,” the survey reads.
David Gregory and Joe Scarborough have both received press attention as potential replacements…
Posted by brian | 02:01 PM | MSNBC | Email this post
Comment by sophia — May 31, 2007 @ 6:52 pm
What’s really sad is the fact that leading their ratings increases are the 100% gains enjoyed by the DocBlock. So old, canned reruns are twice as popular as what had been there before? Nice.
Comment by Arthur — May 31, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
I turned on Morning Joe, what a stupid name by the way, for 5 mintues this morning and where did the impressive team of John Ridley and Willie Geist disappear to? Scarbie was at the old studio w/ big Chris, why? It must have been a stunt because I don’t see Joe slumming it permanently. I can’t be bothered to watch w/out Imus, Bernie, Larry or Rob - Charles is sweet and all but watching him just makes me miss the I-Man more. I never liked Chris. I’m finding I’m getting to work much earlier now that I don’t care about watching Imus.
I bet the cable ratings will go up now that Dancing and Idol are over and it’s summer repeats.
Comment by Jules — May 31, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
PeoplePeople: As I told you in another thread (which you conveniently ignored), many of us have been here at ICN for a long time and we read similar BS from Abrams every month.
As was said over and over above, despite such alleged audience gains, the needle never really moves; MSNBC continues to be mired in third place, perhaps a tad closer to CNN but light years away from Fox.
Comment by Ira — May 31, 2007 @ 8:01 pm
So by your logic then Alix, can you be in second and still lose a few games and still be in second?
Comment by Randy — May 31, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
…this has been an interesting topic…I don’t have anything to say, but some of the above back and forth has been fun to read…
Comment by Objective Analyst — May 31, 2007 @ 9:24 pm
next thing dan abrams will ask his employees is to drink some kool-aid like some nut did 20 years ago in south america
Comment by michael — May 31, 2007 @ 11:04 pm
This only shows that you can make the numbers say anything you want to.
Comment by Anne B. — June 1, 2007 @ 11:32 am
Note to Dan,
You can tell by the drop in morning viewers, the appoximate size of Don Imus’s demograhics…you can’t make us all go to Rehab. (SMILE)
Comment by Ree — June 1, 2007 @ 2:26 pm
Is it true that Danny’s next role will be in the remake of Titanic, organizing games of Simon Says while assuring everyone how well the bailing operation is going? Just asking.
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