Networks Still Keen On Elections

While those involved with last Tuesday’s high-tech TV election coverage were in the main pleased with how it went, viewers - like voters - did not turn out in the same numbers they did in 1992.

Viewership was off by an estimated 23 percent compared to election night four years ago, according to preliminary ratings released by Nielsen.

An estimated 45 percent of the televisions in use were tuned into the wall-to-wall coverage provided by ABC, NBC, CBS and CNN in Nielsen’s overnight sample of 35 major television markets. In 1992, 57 percent of the sets turned on were tuned to the Big Three, Nielsen said.

Ratings notwithstanding, covering the elections is something that “is central to what a network news division does,” said Andrew Heyward, president of CBS News. “This is something networks do. If we don’t, we’re out of the business.”

It’s estimated that each network shelled out $1.5-$2 million to produce Tuesday’s telecasts.

“It worked exactly the way we hoped it would,” said ABC News Vice President Jeff Gralnick. “It was a really satisfying seven hours.”

NBC News Vice President Bill Wheatley was equally enthusiastic about his network’s coverage.

“We tried to make the coverage as clear as possible to viewers,” he said. “That’s always a challenge on election night.”