Cable News Takes a Hit in 2010

Apparently, neither the twilight days of “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” nor the dependable histrionics of Glenn Beck—not to mention a certain Silver Fox—could save cable news from taking a dip in terms of viewership over the course of 2010, according to a survey by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. This may not be the worst news for America, but tell that to Roger Ailes.  —KA

The Hollywood Reporter:

After years of audience growth, cable news may have hit a wall.

According to the Project for Excellence in Journalism’s annual State of the News Media report, cable news viewership for CNN, MSNBC and Fox News fell substantially in 2010—13.7 percent in aggregate for a sharper decline than any other sector. Broadcast news, which has experienced declining viewership for years, was down another 3.4 percent in 2010.

And the cable news networks’ declines were sharpest in primetime, where median viewership plummeted 16 percent to an average of 3.2 million, while daytime tune-in was down 12 percent.

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Flickr / Gage Skidmore

Fox News’ Glenn Beck strikes a familiar pose.