WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Sweeps to Victory in November Ratings

WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Sweeps to Victory in November Ratings

Action News Wins Every Newscast in Key Demographics

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- WXYZ-TV is the Detroit television market's dominant number one station, sign-on/sign-off, according to the November 2007 Nielsen Media Research rating survey which ended Wednesday. WXYZ-TV garnered a 5.6 rating/13 share, versus WDIV's 4.1 rating /10 share, WJBK's 3.7 rating/9 share and WWJ's 2.8 rating/ 7 share. In addition to winning sign-on/sign-off in TV household ratings, WXYZ was also metro Detroit's number one station in delivery of all key demographics including Women 18-49, Adults 18-49, Women 25-54 and Adults 25-54.

Key to WXYZ-TV's November '07 sign-on/sign-off victory was the exceptionally strong performance of Channel 7's Action News. Action News was the number one newscast in TV household ratings in the Detroit market for 6am news, noon news, 5pm news, 6pm news, the entire 5-7:30pm early news block and 11pm news. Among Women 25-54, Action News was number one in every newscast. In addition, Action News at noon, 5pm, 6pm and 11pm was number one in key demographics including Adults 25-54. WXYZ was the only Detroit television station that saw growth in nearly every newscast in both household ratings and in key demographics.

WXYZ-TV Vice President and General Manager, Grace Gilchrist, who will retire from the station at the end of 2007, said, "Our dominant performance in November is especially gratifying to me. To win the November sweeps in such a commanding manner is a direct reflection of the strength of our product and people. At Channel 7, we have always been committed to building a relationship of trust and service with our viewers. Our success in November affirms that we have made great strides towards achieving that goal."

WXYZ-TV's Action News This Morning, with Erik Smith and Alicia Smith, was the number one morning news (5-7am) in the Detroit television market in the key demographic of Women 25-54. Action News This Morning garnered a 2.7 rating/19 share, compared to WJBK's 2.4 rating/17 share and WDIV's 1.5 rating/11 share. Year-to-year, Action News This Morning registered an overall 10% ratings increase while WDIV experienced a significant 18% decline.

Action News at Noon, anchored by Robbie Timmons and Carolyn Clifford, was Detroit's dominant number one mid-day news. Airing 12n-1pm, Action News delivers a 5.4 rating/17 share, versus WDIV's 3.3 rating/10 share and WJBK's 2.3 rating/8 share. In addition to winning top honors in TV household ratings, WXYZ's noon news also outdelivers all mid-day news competition in every key demographic category, including Women 18-49 and 25-54. Once again, in a year-to-year comparison, Action News at Noon was Detroit's only mid-day news to experience household and demographic ratings growth.

WXYZ-TV's 5pm Action News, anchored by Robbie Timmons and Carolyn Clifford, was metro Detroit's overwhelming number one choice for early news. 5pm Action News posted a commanding victory over WDIV and WJBK. WXYZ's 5pm Action News garnered an 8.9 rating/18.5 share, versus WDIV's 7.2 rating/15 share and WJBK's 3 rating/6 share. This is the thirty-first consecutive rating book that 5pm Action News has placed first. 5pm Action News also dominated the competition in all key demographics. Among Adults 25-54, WXYZ outdelivered WDIV by 46% (3.8 vs. 2.6) and more than doubled WJBK (3.8 vs. 1.6). Among Adults 18-49, WXYZ topped WDIV by 53% and nearly doubled WJBK's delivery.

6pm Action News with Diana Lewis and Stephen Clark was Detroit's number one newscast in delivery of all key demographics. 6pm Action News outdelivered WDIV among Women 25-54 by 44% (4.6 vs. 3.2) and more than doubled WJBK's performance (4.6 vs 1.8). 6pm Action News also beat WDIV and WJBK in virtually every demographic category including Adults 18-49 and 25-54. WXYZ topped WDIV by 32% in Adults 18-49 and 31% in Adults 25-54. WXYZ outdelivered WJBK in Adults 18-49 and 25-54 by 93% and 111%, respectively. Year-to-year, WXYZ is up 5% in Women 25-54, while WDIV is down 18%. Among Men 25-54, WXYZ's demo growth is even more evident. Year-to-year, WXYZ is up 21% in Men 25-54, while WDIV is down 4% and WJBK is off 15%.

7pm Action News, anchored by the team of Stephen Clark and Carolyn Clifford, was the number one program in the 7-7:30pm time period in delivery of key demographics including Adults 18-49 and 25-54. In the all important category of Women 25-54, 7pm Action News outdelivered WDIV's Wheel of Fortune by 12%. 7pm Action News beat WJBK's TMZ across the board, outdelivering WJBK by more than a 2-1 margin in TV household ratings. Year-to-year, 7pm Action News is up 14% in TV household ratings (6.7 versus 5.9) and up 21% in Adults 25-54. Year-to-year, WDIV's Wheel of Fortune is down in virtually every key demographic, including an 8% decline in Women 25-54.

The most significant area of news growth for WXYZ-TV was 11pm Action News with Diana Lewis and Stephen Clark. 11pm Action News was Detroit's number one late news, averaging a 10.6 rating/18.5 share. WDIV placed second, garnering a 10.1 rating/17.8 share. WJBK's 10pm News averaged a 6.2 rating/9.4 share. 11pm Action News' win in November 2007 represents the first time that WXYZ has won the 11pm news in TV household ratings since July of 1994. Year-to-year, 11pm Action News is up 16.5%, while WDIV is down 7%. Additionally, 11pm Action News saw a 17% increase, year-to-year, in Women 25-54, while both WDIV and WJBK registered significant declines of 18% and 15%, respectively.

In non-news programming, WXYZ-TV also turned in top rated, powerful performances. WXYZ-TV's morning block programming (9-10am Regis & Kelly, 10- 11am Martha Stewart and 11am-12n The View) was number one, outdelivering WDIV by nearly 27% in TV household ratings (4.3 vs. 3.4) and nearly doubles WJBK (4.3 vs. 2.4). Among Women 18-49, WXYZ's morning block leads WDIV by 15% and tops WJBK by 64%. In afternoons, ABC Soap Operas were also number one across the board, beating WDIV, WJBK and WWJ in all key demographics.

At 4pm, WXYZ's Oprah delivered an 8 rating/19.2 share. WDIV's 4-4:30pm newscast, Local 4 News delivered a 3.1 rating / 8 share, while WJBK's Judge Judy garnered a 2.8 rating/7 share. In addition to dominating in TV household ratings delivery, Oprah outdelivers WDIV, WJBK and WWJ combined in Women 25-54 (Oprah 5.9 rating vs. combined 4.7 rating).

WXYZ/ABC prime time programming was number one in November 2007, averaging a 10.9 rating/ 16.2 share. WDIV/NBC and WWJ/CBS tied for 2nd place, with a 7.0 rating. WJBK/FOX was fourth, garnering a 5.9 rating.

Each local rating point equals approximately 19,380 households; share represents the percentage of TV sets tuned into a program.

WXYZ is owned by the Scripps Howard Broadcasting Company and its parent, The E. W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP) . Scripps is a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, electronic commerce, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.

The company's portfolio of media properties includes: Scripps Networks, with such brands as HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living, Great American Country and HGTVPro; daily and community newspapers in 17 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; Scripps Interactive Media, including a leading online search and comparison shopping services, Shopzilla and uSwitch; and United Media, a leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: WXYZ-TV

CONTACT: Marla Drutz of WXYZ-TV, +1-248-827-9300

Web site: http://detnow.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment