TVNewser readers noticed some interesting inclusions and omissions in this week’s ad placed by Fox News Channel in Advertising Age. The ad crosses out the now-canceled 8pmET shows of their cable competitors, while touting The O’Reilly Factor’s 90-month dominance.
• One of the programs on the “come and gone” list is MSNBC’s The Big Show. It was the first program anchored by Keith Olbermann, premiering in October 1997. Its inclusion had TVNewser readers emailing about ratings back then. Turns out The O’Reilly Factor came in third place during 1998. CNN’s The World Today (included in the ad, having run until 2001) was #1 and The Big Show was #2. The comparison, however, is out of the 90-month range of O’Reilly dominance.
• Another program on the list is CNN’s “The Point,” which was called “The Point with Greta Van Susteren,” until Van Susteren left CNN for FNC in 2002. The show aired at 8:30pmET from 2001-early 2002.