The Kosovo crisis and the tragic high-school shootings in
Colorado helped the all-news networks' ratings to skyrocket in April.
Cable News Network posted its highest-rated week and day of
the year last month. For April 19 through 25, CNN did a 1.8 rating and 1.4 million homes
in primetime -- an increase of 100 percent in ratings and 116 percent in delivery --
according to Nielsen Media Research data supplied by Turner Entertainment.
On the day of the shootings, April 20, CNN had its
highest-rated day of the year to date. It averaged a 2.1 total-day rating.
CNN's telecast of President Clinton's address on
Littleton was basic cable's highest-rated program for the week of April 19, garnering
a 6.4 rating, or 4.9 million homes. It was also cable's No. 2-rated program for the
month of April.
For the full month of April, CNN was up 100 percent in
total day from a year ago, to a 0.8, and up 44 percent in primetime, to a 1.3.
Fox News Channel and MSNBC also saw mammoth ratings
increases in April. FNC was up 300 percent in total day, to a 0.4, and up 250 percent in
primetime, to a 0.7. MSNBC was up 150 percent in total day, to a 0.5, and up 167 percent
in primetime, to a 0.8.
On April 20, The News with Brian Williams had its
most-watched broadcast in MSNBC history, doing a 3.1 rating, or 1.5 million households.
Networks last week continued to air special programming
related to Columbine High School. CNN last Thursday telecast a town-hall meeting, Listening
After Littleton,hosted by Jeff Greenfield, from Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
That same day, AT&T Broadband & Internet
Services' TCI Great Lakes did a Webcast of a discussion on violence that was held in
Chicago.
And this past Saturday (May 1), CNN aired a two-hour
special, After Columbine: A Community Conversation, a roundtable hosted by Judy
Woodruff.
