Still the one.(Outtakes)

The evening newscasts had little upward movement. KATV maintained its traditional spot as the highest-rated news show in the market at both 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. The ABC affiliate drew a 10.6 household rating--about 60,000 households--at 5 p.m. and an 11.6 household rating--about 66,000 households--at 6 p.m.

And while KARK managed to score a 6 household rating at 5 p.m.--about 34,000 households--the NBC affiliate saw its 6 p.m. rating slip from an 8.8 in May 2008 to a 5.6 last month. That is a loss of about 17,000 households.

The station's women and adults demos also fell. At 6 p.m., the NBC affiliate drew only a 2.7 rating for adults 25-54, down from a 4.5 in May '08, and its ratings for women 25-54 fell from a 4.9 to a 2.8. A KARK representative could not be reached for comment.

KATV's strong showing is attributable in part to its new tower, Mark Rose, the station's general manager, said. The ABC affiliate's tower fell in January 2008, and a replacement was not finished until this March.

"We are back to parity with quality, and maybe people are finding their favorite news again and hopefully that's us," Rose said.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates