TV news ratings in Atlanta show WSB-TV’s continued dominance

ABC affiliate WSB-TV has been the market leader in local news for many years, possibly decades. That did not change under the “meter” system. WSB-TV’s ratings since 2006 have remained remarkably steady.

Since 2006, the Fox and NBC affiliates (WAGA-TV and WXIA-TV) have lost steam while CBS affiliate WGCL-TV has made some gains from very low levels.

WSB-TV in many time slots doubles the second-place TV station, sometimes more. Its strongest news time period is the 6 p.m. news anchored by Monica Pearson and John Pruitt, based on ratings from July 1, 2009 through March 4, 2010. The station at that hour generates a 9.1 rating vs. 4.4 for WAGA-TV (Fox 5), 2.9 for WXIA-TV (NBC) and 1.3 for WGCL-TV (CBS).

For the same period from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2007: WSB-TV (8.5); WAGA-TV (5.1); WXIA-TV (4.9); WGCL-TV (1.3)

Fox 5’s 10 p.m. news program pulls in its best numbers among all its newscasts with a 5.0 share (vs. 7.7 in 2006-07).

Both WGCL-TV and WXIA-TV pull in their strongest numbers at 11 p.m. And despite the “Jay Leno Show” debacle that dragged ratings down in other markets, WXIA has held its own compared to 2008-09. Overall, the ratings at that hour show a tight fight for second place:

WSB-TV (7.5), WXIA-TV (3.5), WGCL-TV (3.4), WAGA-TV (3.0). In 2006-07, the ratings were as follows (with WAGA airing “That 70s Show”): WSB-TV (7.3), WXIA-TV (4.7), WAGA-TV (3.6) and WGCL-TV (3.2).

Here are ratings from other time slots covering 2009-10:

The ratings at 5 a.m.: WSB-TV (3.5), WAGA-TV (1.6), WXIA-TV (1.0), WGCL’s “Better Mornings” (0.4)

The ratings at 6 a.m.: WSB-TV (5.8), WAGA-TV (2.7), WXIA_TV (2.1), WGCL’s “Better Mornings” (0.7). (Although the numbers for “Better Mornings” are relatively miniscule, that’s up from 0.3 in 2007-08.)

The ratings at 7 a.m.: Good Morning America at ABC (6.2), Good Day Atlanta on Fox 5 (3.0); Today Show at NBC (2.5); Early Show (0.6).

The ratings at 9 a.m.: Regis & Kelly (4.0), Good Day Xtra on Fox 5 (2.3), Today Show (2.3); Judge Mathis on CW (0.6) 700 Club on WGCL-TV (0.4), Deal or No Deal/Millionaire on WATL (0.3)

The ratings at 10 a.m. Doctors on WSB (3.9); Wendy Williams on Fox (2.1), Today Show (1.5); Let’s Make a Deal on CBS (1.3); Maury (1.0)

The ratings at 11 a.m. The View on WSB (5.3); The Price is Right on CBS (1.9); Judge Joe Brown/Divorce Court on Fox (1.8); Jerry Springer (0.9); Atlanta and Company at NBC (0.5)

The ratings at noon: Channel 2 Action News (6.2); Fox 5 News (2.2); 11Alive News (1.0)/Millionaire (1.2); CBS News at Noon (1.4)/ Better Atlanta (0.8); Maury (1.1) at WATL

The ratings at 1 p.m.: All My Children on WSB (3.5); Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader (2.2) on Fox; Days of Our Lives on NBC (2.2); Bold & Beautiful on CBS (2.0); Springer on WATL (1.3); Street Court on CW (0.7)

The ratings at 2 p.m.: One Life to Live on WSB (2.7-lowest ratings of the day on WSB); Judge Alex on Fox (2.3); As the World Turns on CBS (1.9: Rachael Ray on WXIA (1.2); Steve Wilkos on WATL and Judge Mathis on the CW (1.1)

The ratings at 3 p.m.: General Hospital on WSB (3.6); Judge Judy;Judge Joe Brown on Fox (3.2); The Young and the Restless on CBS (3.2); Dr. Oz on NBC (2.3); Cheaters (1.2) on WATL; Tyra on CW (0.8)

The ratings at 4 p.m.: Oprah on WSB (5.9); Judge Judy/Divorce Court (3.7); Ellen on WXIA (2.3); CBS News on WGCL (2.1); Springer (1.2); Tyra on CW (1.0)

The ratings at 5 p.m.: WSB-TV news at 5 (7.5); Fox 5 News (4.1); Dr. Phil at WXIA-TV (3.0); Maury at WATL (1.6); People’s Court at WGCL-TV (1.4);

Ratings at 6 p.m. are above

Ratings at 7 p.m.: ABC World News Tonight (8.5); Wheel of Fortune at WATL (4.4); Access Hollywood at WAGA (3.4); Two and a Half Men at the CW (2.4); Evening News With Brenda Wood (2.0): The Insider at WGCL (1.4)

Ratings at 7:30 p.m.: Entertainment Tonight on WSB (7.1); Jeopardy on WATL (5.1); TMZ on WAGA (3.8); Two and a Half Men at the CW (2.9); Extra on WXIA (1.8); Family Guy at WPCH (1.8); Inside Edition on WGCL (1.7);

Ratings at 11:30 p.m.: Nightline at WSB (4.8); TMZ on WAGA (2.2); Letterman (2.1); Tonight Show (1.7)

Ratings for Kimmel (2.6); Jimmy Fallon (1.0); Craig Ferguson (1.1)