“10 Most Powerful People in TV News:” Gibson On, Couric Off, Ailes Still #1

TV Week is out with its annual list of the 10 Most Powerful People in TV News.

We’re created this handy (but rudimentary) chart to see how each person fared.

Roger Ailes is #1 for the second straight year. Why? “The most-watched cable news network for five years running, Fox News has its killers’ row of brand-name personalities who know good television when they make it,” Michele Greppi writes.

Most noticably absent from the list this year: Katie Couric and her agent Alan Berger. In 2006, their first appearence on the list, they placed seventh.

“By the end of Ms. Couric’s first week on Evening News, even your favorite Aunt Agatha will be able to hold up her end of the coffee klatsch or cocktail party conversation about every rating, share and demographic point lost or gained by Ms. Couric,” the mag wrote last year.

Those ratings points are probably why she didn’t make the cut. Similarly, Charles Gibson came in third place this year, and he wasn’t on the list last year.

Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, #9 last year, also proved to be one-time wonders, falling off the top ten this year.

Here’s the full feature…