Sunday, September 2, 2012

RNC Viewership Down vs. 2008?

It is interesting to note two conflicting reports - Mitt Romney's acceptance speech according to some reports was down by 8.6 million viewers in comparison to the acceptance speech by John McCain four years earlier. Yet there are many reports that enthusiasm among Republicans is much higher than 4-years ago. What gives?

I think the drop in viewership can be explained by 3 simple reasons:




1. The ratings reports I've seen do not include C-SPAN which is a staple of almost every single cable or IPTV operator. I know I gave up on listening to the talking heads on the major networks (even PBS thought what they had to say was more important) to watch C-SPAN instead. Many, many people who watched the convention live did their viewing on C-SPAN where the coverage was uninterrupted. Yet where are these people in the numbers? And yes - I realize that C-SPAN was also around 4-years ago but I think people have become much less reliant on the opinions of the "main stream media". In fact I'm guessing many are now openly repelled by them. People who may have watched on CNN or Fox News 4-years ago probably found a much better viewing option on C-SPAN this time around.

2. Most of the networks covering the convention also had a live stream feed as well. The networks (like Fox News) were almost begging people to use the stream and I'm guessing many obliged since the live stream was uninterrupted coverage uncluttered by nattering nabobs uttering ignorant opinions. You would also have the situation of divided households. One spouse may be apolitical and more interested in their "shows" while the other more politically active spouse watched the proceeding via their iPad or PC. My guess is that the first spouse shows up in the numbers while the second spouse does not.

3. YouTube (and other similar services) are much more prevalent than they were 4-years ago. If you Google "Mitt Romney RNC Speech" the fist page on YouTube has videos which combined total close to half a million views. I'm guessing there is at least another half million views under different titles or on various other formats. Personally I did not watch Paul Ryan's or Condi Rice's speeches live on Wednesday because Casablanca was on TCM. I knew I could catch the speeches later on YouTube.

My guess is that President Obama's speech this week will similarly be down by 20-30% versus 2008. That doesn't really mean fewer people will be watching though. It is more of an indication that our measuring metrics are flawed.

20 comments:

  1. Yes! My husband & I watched the entire convention on C-SPAN! No interruptions! It was terrific! (on east coast)

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  2. I watched hardly any of the convention live, but watched the major speeches on Youtube later, except Romney's acceptance speech, which I did watch live.

    I think a lot of other folks did, too, just as you say. But let the left side think that oldline network numbers for the RNC are somehow related to voters' enthusiasm for booting Obama. The more they think that, the happier I'll be.

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  3. absolutely true I watched one night on C-Span and three speeches on YouTube plus the inimitable live blogging at AltHouse and Steven Greens drunkblogging...so many great ways to catch the essentials...I also listened to a couple of hours on the radio feature on my iPhone...
    The swarm is ready for November. Yes we built this!. DOn't forget it is national empty chair day!!

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  4. Yep. Live steamed it over the Internet. Not interested in Leftist spin from dissembling campaign consultants, aka mainstream journalists. We don't need them anymore.

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  5. I watched the entire convention solely on Fox streaming. We don't pay for TV any longer - the kids watch kid shows that stream from Netflix.

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  6. I watched C-SPAN Live Stream on the left half of my 27" PC screen, and surfed the web on the right half.

    Why the heck did I want to sit thru MSM's idiotic propaganda sessions like an idiot?

    I bet the TV viewership of the Dem Convention will be higher. People like to see their bias affirmed by the "unbiased" Media, hear their candidate defended, messages spinned (clarified?) by the propaganda machine.

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  7. Anecdotes aren't data, but I'll add my .02. I too watched the RNC on C-Span. Even Neil Cavuto spent way too much time stepping on the speakers for "who cares" interviews.

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  8. A lot of us dropped Cable or Satellite in the past year or so. We did, even though we have no local TV signal at all (very rural area). I watch anything I want to watch streaming. Convention speeches I watched the day after - on CSPAN.ORG

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  9. I watched on C-SPAN, and when I had to work at night, caught stuff later on YouTube. The only time I watched any network coverages was when I wanted to see the heads explode on MSNBC after Ryan's and Romney's speeches, and even then I limited to 20 minutes, lest I puke. I detest the media and their echo chambers.

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  10. I watched it on CSPAN. I tried watching CNN, FOX and MSNBC and got so irritated with commentators interrupting the speeches. CSPAN was terrific and the RNC Convention was terrific.

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  11. But remember, lefties can watch the networks without retching, so numbers may be up during DNC. I watched CSPAN.

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  12. Besides, C-SPAN just went HD on cable for me. None of the RNC participants had squished heads anymore.

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  13. I watched the entire thing from The Blaze live stream. No way am I gonna watch network coverage, not in the face of other, better options.

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  14. I watched via XBox Live's stream. Uninterrupted coverage of the entire event.

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  15. I LOVE C-Span! I especially love Washington Journal. I caught Ann Romney's speech on Fox but after Juan Williams called her a "Corporate Wife" I turned it to C-Span and didn't go back.
    BTW, is "Corporate Wife" dog whistle for female money whore?
    Disgusting...

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  16. I'm on the west coast, and the convention was pretty much in prime family time. I watched the speeches (Condi, Ryan, Rubio, Clint, and Romney) after the kids went to bed.

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  17. As a Republican viewer, I have essentially no interest in hearing the MSM's opinion regarding how I should be thinking. I'm an adult, making my own way in the world with my wife and kids. I have had enough experience that I know what works and what doesn't work. Liberal Media embraces all that I oppose, so why would I support them?

    I live streamed the RNC coverage via C-SPAN and had a wonderful experience. Got to see *everything* from the opening flag ceremonies and invocations to the closing prayers. The MSM did not broadcast those events and many of the other minor speakers. I consider that just bad form on the part of the MSM media.

    The MSM Media's loss was my and C-SPAN's gain.

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  18. The other thing I'm curious on. These ratings are coming from the same Neilson company that's getting sued for a billion plus for “false, fabricated and manipulated data” on television ratings in India?

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  19. I watched the entire event on C-SPAN - hate commercials and all the commentary from "journalists". I watch both conventions every four years. This was the best convention I remember in recent memory. In fact, most of my family and friends watched via C-SPAN after I reminded them about the uninterrupted coverage.

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  20. Google was showing the Romney speech live via a link on it's main page. Bet a good number of people used that.

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