http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/199586.php

MSNBC NOTCHES DEMO WIN OVER FNC IN PRIMETIME

"Countdown" Out-Rates the "Factor" for First Time Ever

NEW YORK - June 10, 2008 - MSNBC continued its ratings surge last week, with viewers flocking out of the "No Spin Zone" and to "The Place for Politics." For the first time ever, MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" was the #1 show at 8 p.m., out-drawing Fox News's "O'Reilly Factor" head-to-head among Adults 25-54. This is the first time since June 2001 that MSNBC has out-rated "The O'Reilly Factor" at 8 p.m.

Excluding Tuesday's primary coverage, "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" averaged 477,000 A25-54 vs. 472,000 for the "Factor."

That's pretty cool.

Thank god... Americans are waking up!

I'm having a hard time getting excited about this. My views are much more closely aligned with Olbermann's than O'Reilly's, but in order to declare a "win" they have to look at one specific demographic and exclude primary coverage? Am I missing something here?

Like when try to research it numbers go from 5k difference to 30k difference or more. But ya filter enough bound to win something. The primary thing is strange. That implies people switched mid show or something?

Bill O'Reilly is not... gonna... get him!

They're talking about that demographic because it's the one Fox has always bragged about having the top spot for.

Just as the nation has been reaching it's limit with Republican leadership and policies, it may also have reached it's limit with those cheer-leading the same.

The emergence of Obama with his charismatic manner of bringing folks in rather than pushing away and dividing may have some looking for talking heads that emulate that.

Unfortunately, both networks and their primary headliners spend more time being negative than positive; and, if Obama is successful in bringing the change to the country he is promising, the networks may find the number of folks wanting to sit in front of the television and listen to talking heads gripe about the "other" guys dropping off.

Anyway, it is nice to see Rupert losing shares of viewers, whatever the reason.

Unfortunately, both networks and their primary headliners spend more time being negative than positive; and, if Obama is successful in bringing the change to the country he is promising, the networks may find the number of folks wanting to sit in front of the television and listen to talking heads gripe about the "other" guys dropping off.

Let's hope so (no matter who wins).