We have a new winner at 11 p.m.: WESH
Jim Payne and Martha Sugalski anchor the 11 p.m. news at WESH. Photo credit: WESH
WFTV-Channel 9 and WKMG-Channel 6 both claimed victory at 11 p.m. in the November ratings race. (Final figures showed WFTV in the lead in the 25-to-54 age group.)
But they won’t be arguing over the outcome for December.
NBC affiliate WESH-Channel 2 definitively won the 25-to-54 age group at 11 p.m., and by several measurements.
At 11 p.m. Monday-Friday, WESH averaged 25,900 viewers to WKMG’s 22,200 and WFTV’s 20,000. WOFL-Channel 35 averaged 12,200. The 25-to-54 age group is most important to news advertisers.
WESH was also ahead at 11 p.m. Monday-Sunday with 26,200 viewers in the 25-to-54 age group to WKMG’s 22,600 and WFTV’s 19,800.
WESH trumpeted that it was the only 11 p.m. newscast to grow, with a 6 percent ratings increase from November. In a statement, WESH General Manager Jim Carter said: “Our No. 1 11 p.m. news position and ratings growth in December show that Central Florida viewers are responding positively to our commitment to quality news coverage and rely on WESH 2 for breaking news and weather.”
We’ll see if that claim holds up when the next ratings come out in late January. But WESH accomplished its win even though the NBC prime time ranked third in total viewers in this market (behind CBS on WKMG and Fox on WOFL). The ABC lineup on WFTV was No. 4 for the month, which was dominated by reruns and holiday programming.
Still, WFTV won the 25-to-54 age group at 6 a.m., noon, 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. WOFL was the leader in 10 p.m. news. WKMG’s 7 p.m. news drew more 25-to-54 viewers than any 10 p.m. newscast.
In households, WFTV continued to hold a substantial lead in many time periods. At 6 p.m., for instance, WFTV was the choice in 113,400 homes, far outpacing WESH with 67,200, WKMG with 34,100 and WOFL with 28,100.
Even at 11 p.m., WFTV had a slight lead in households. Here’s how they finished at 11 p.m. Monday-Friday: WFTV with 65,200, WKMG with 62,200, WESH wth 43,500 and WOFL with 25,700.