2 | May 2020 | Current

AUDIENCE ANALYSIS Viewers flock to pubTV for news, foodie shows during lockdown Spike in NewsHour came from viewers tuning in .ORG more frequently Visit Current.org for more coverage: COMMENTARIES BY JUDITH LEROY, DAVID LEROY AND CRAIG REED Why premiums can be too much of a good thing — especially now he coronavirus rocked our world, and it’s really not appropriate to talk about Demand for COVID-19 news in March set off T silver linings — except for the occa- wild swings in listener behavior sional description of a lifestyle change we’d like to continue, or end, post-plague. Public media should be partnering on state- But in watching TV usage soar in the wide education early days of the pandemic, many media observers grudgingly conceded that Trends during Great Recession may foreshad- COVID-19 has been good for media con- ow pandemic’s impact on pubmedia sumption. With no drivetime during the current lockdown, radio took a hit, but TV ARTICLES viewing rose. Podcast gathers far-flung stories of people The lockdown resulted in large viewing living through the pandemic increases for television news programming, (Photo: Goran Petric/Shutterstock) which media researchers quoted as high Exclusive Stanley Nelson film launches as 19% for broadcast and 73% for cable. While all daypart HUTs increased, February. Public TV took advantage of revamped World Channel presence on YouTube Ratings for network and cable entertain- weekday daytime (6 a.m.–5 p.m. ET HUT growth in some dayparts better ment series increased too, as did stream- Monday–Friday) and early fringe (5–8 than others. Freelance filmmakers, media groups lobby for ing of TV shows. In the first three weeks of p.m. ET Monday–Friday) made the larg- A word of caution here: Our narrative federal aid reserved for small businesses March, streaming rose 85% over the previ- est gains. More people were home to watch and graphs deal with averages from the 56 ous year. Public TV saw gains too, especially during both dayparts. In early fringe, peo- markets, but there were significant local WBUR pares pledge drive to one day, surpass- during early fringe and weekend dayparts. ple who were not commuting wanted to differences. Markets and stations may vary es $1 million goal As the media world changed, TRAC watch the latest virus news. By the week of from the norm in good times and bad. Live White House briefings wane on public radio Media began issuing weekly “Pandemic April 5–11, HUT increases began plateau- PTV’s early fringe viewing gains were as NPR leaves ‘All Things Considered’ intact Scorecards” to provide television consump- ing in most markets. particularly impressive, significantly out- tion and viewing data to station clients. Rating increases followed the HUT performing HUT increases. Early fringe OBITUARIES Beginning on March 15 (post-pledge), the gains. Broadcast and cable networks viewing rose 26% above February 2020. WNYC ‘Morning Edition’ host Richard Hake scorecards compared that week and each saw substantial rating increases, and so Viewership of BBC News programs and dies at 51 of the following four (through April 12–18) did public television. How well did PTV local shows increased, but the primary to the equivalent weeks in 2019 in the 56 take advantage of the increased HUTs? stimulus for growth was PBS NewsHour, metered markets. We watched as homes Our graph compares HUT and gross rat- rising 33% from a 0.70 to a 0.93 rating. using TV (HUTs) increased significantly ings point (GRPs) increases in pandem- above the same period in 2019. ic weeks to pre-pandemic ratings from Continued on page 18 Current 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite LL05, Letter from the executive director Washington, D.C. 20016-8122 Web: Current.org verybody’s doing it. Well, maybe anyone is really having fun under house plan to offer two webinars each month. We Managing Editor not everybody. But Current is arrest, but our planning meetings have hope that’s enough to keep you engaged Karen Everhart 202-885-6414 [email protected] doing it…and it feels great! been productive and joyful. Together, without overwhelming you with obliga- E Digital Editor What the heck am I talking about? we are stretching and strengthening our tion. The next one, scheduled for May 19, Mike Janssen 202-885-6419 [email protected] Pivoting and partnering. service to you. will spotlight small stations that are push- Reporters Current has joined forces with In our first webinar, on May ing out of their comfort zones Tyler Falk 202-885-6465 [email protected] Greater Public, Public Media Journalists 6, called “All Hands on Deck,” and shining as a result. Julian Wyllie 202-885-6492 [email protected] Association, Public Radio Program Debbie Hiott, GM of KUT in Where are we finding ideas Editorial Intern Directors Association, and Local that Austin, Texas, and Nico Leone, for our topics? From your sub- Grace Vitaglione Works founder Mark Fuerst on “Building new CEO of KERA in Dallas, missions to Current’s growing Design & Production Resilience,” a new webinar series. It focus- shared how they mobilized, database of pubmedia coro- Kelly Martin [email protected] Chris Campbell [email protected] es on how public media is stretching and rallied and redeployed their navirus initiatives (check it strengthening during this pandemic, and teams to ensure staff safety and out!), and your emails that let Business/Circulation Manager Laura Rogers 202-885-6412 [email protected] creates a virtual space to connect with continuity of broadcast service us know what your station is peers facing the same predicaments. to meet the information needs doing right now. Advertising Sales Kathy Bybee Hartzell 727-433-2527 I’m sure many of you miss your con- of their communities. In recent years, collaboration has been [email protected] ference buddies, your colleagues and the These station leaders shared how the the mantra of the media business. With Account Manager, Classified Ads office where you spent more of your wak- pandemic transformed their manage- support from CPB, stations have been Amanda Iannuzzi [email protected] ing hours than at home. For now, we’re ment strategies, including for remote coming together to produce content most Executive Director Zoombies, and we must find purpose and work, ramped-up news operations and could not pull off as well alone. Stations Julie Drizin 202-885-6453 [email protected] camaraderie in online connections. We automation. They talked about how have partnered with other organizations Contributing Editors are building resilience. they are communicating with employ- in their communities to gain authenticity Theodore Fischer, Jill Goldsmith Each of the organizations in this pop- ees, members and audiences. They also and engage new and diverse audiences. Published 8 times a year as an editorially independent service up partnership could have launched its addressed the serious financial impacts Collaboration is work, and partner- of American University School of Communication, and funded in own webinar series. Leaders of these their stations face from the economic ships work best when everyone has an part by a grant from the Wyncote Foundation. four groups have extensive experience fallout of COVID-19. It was an hour of equal voice and an equal stake, even Postmaster: Send address changes to address above. in public broadcasting and bring deep information and inspiration. though they may not have equal resources. ISSN: 0739-991X. Copyright 2013 American University. knowledge to the table. But solo flying is To tap into the zeitgeist of our shared Together, we are building resilience, and not as practical, effective or fun. Not that new normal, Current and our partners we invite you to join us on this journey. 18 | May 2020 | Current

Audience on our stations during the school shutdown? Continued from page 2 At-home learning programs were certainly in the mix. Titles with most airings includ- COVID-19 dominated much of ed Nova, Secrets of the Dead, The Great NewsHour’s content during the time. As American Read and American Experience; usual, the audience skewed older: 65+ and programs that got the highest household 50–64-year-olds had higher ratings than ratings were The Roosevelts: An Intimate younger demographics. But there were History, The Greeks, American Experience, significant changes among viewers aged Food–Delicious Science, and Native America. 18–49 too — increases of 44% for men And, yes, these programs were watched by and 33% for women in this age group. teens but also by adults — especially men (of NewsHour’s mid-March-to-April weekly all ages) and women 18–49. In fact, in many cumes increased 19% over February, but markets most of the viewing to the AHL most of the program’s growth came from schedule came from adults. The schoolyear people viewing more frequently, not from will be ending soon, AHL will become a new people entering the NewsHour cume. thing of the past and PTV daytime will revert Weekend daytime (Saturday/Sunday 6 to pre-COVID-19 schedules. Or will it? a.m.–8 p.m.) relied on gains from regularly So what’s next? TV pundits have been scheduled weekend shows for a substantial watching for signs of flagging media usage GRP increase. America’s Test Kitchen and documentaries “Influenza 1918” and “The but PTV station performance was erratic. during the pandemic, and some are finding Cook’s Country had highest ratings, 0.77 Polio Crusade.” Washington Week had Viewing by kids 2–5 was way down, declin- it. Traffic to news websites peaked in late and 0.76, increasing 20% and 14% over a particularly dramatic rise — up 36% ing 27% in average quarter –hour numbers March, and has since subsided substantial- February. Shows like Patti’s Mexican Table, from a 0.53 average to 0.72. Audience since February, though this audience showed ly. Many media experts consider web traf- Moveable Feast, Samantha Brown’s Places gains weren’t universal, though: Nova and up in increasing numbers for Daniel Tiger’s fic the canary in the coalmine for coming to Love, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Antiques Roadshow lost viewers. Neighborhood and Sesame Street. Viewing by audience declines. There are signs of TV Television and tasteMakers had even bigger Monday to Friday daytime, the daypart women 65+ grew 23% over February. viewing leveling off. Weekly HUTs have increases. As with early fringe, the lock- with the largest schedule footprint, was The big winner was kids 12–17, with an stabilized overall, and so have public TV’s down restricted weekend viewers’ activities a paradox. It had a very large HUT gain, increase of 43%. What were they watching GRPs, even regressing a bit in total day and and anchored them to their sofas and TV primetime ratings. screens. When they found public TV, some General wisdom foretells diminished discovered they liked the programming and viewing when states lift stay-at-home orders returned in later weeks. and more people go back to work. Interest in In primetime HUTs didn’t rise much — news will flag, though new COVID-19 devel- usage is always high. Public TV viewing was opments could change that in a millisecond. almost the same as in February, though it The COVID-19 experience shows how was higher than the same weeks in 2019. much people depend on TV, including pub- Adult general programming drives prime- lic TV, when a crisis strikes. Research stud- time, so we looked at primetime program ies inform us that respondents consistently ratings. Syndicated dramas like Death in report their primary source of information Paradise, Midsomer Murders, Shakespeare & and entertainment is TV. The bigger the cri- Hathaway and Father Brown performed like sis, the more they depend on it. true champs, gaining 18% to 45% in ratings over February from viewers seeking predict- Judith and David LeRoy are co-founders of able programming we call “comfort food” in TRAC Media Services, a research company that a time of duress. Masterpiece was, as usual, provides audience analysis and programming reliable, and Nature had a moderate gain, services for public TV stations. Craig Reed is as did the timely American Experience TRAC’s executive director.

SPLIT ALLOWS FOR ‘NEW REPORTING OPTIONS’ PRX, WGBH end BBC partnership on ‘The World’

BY TYLER FALK distinct approach to global news to be distinct reporting on news that mat- heard across the country,” said Steve ters around the world, all helping lis- fter more than 20 years, the BBC Titherington, senior head of content teners become better-informed global will no longer partner with PRX and commissioning for the BBC World citizens,” Barth said. He pointed to A WGBH on The World. Service, in the press release announc- “Every 30 Seconds,” a CPB-backed The move was a “strategic decision ing the split. “We’re proud to have been reporting project about the Latino reached by PRX and WGBH,” PRX Chief a founding partner of the program electorate, and “The Big Fix,” a week- Content Officer John Barth told Current and we look forward to serving our ly segment exploring climate change in an email. “This has been a long and audiences into the future through the solutions that launched last month. successful partnership of more than 20 momentum we have built with public At least one station has taken notice years alongside the BBC, that’s reached a media stations and programs.” of the changes at The World. WAMU in natural conclusion.” A BBC spokesperson declined fur- Washington, D.C., scheduled the show PRX and WGBH will become the sole ther comment. (Photo: chrisdorney/Shutterstock) at 8 p.m. after airing it at midnight for producers of The World beginning July 1, PRX and WGBH made the decision three years. the organizations announced March 31. The “as part of The World’s editorial growth,” contributors who bring listeners reporting “The producers of The World ... have BBC was one of the founding Barth said in the release. from across the globe,” Barth said. “The reinvented their newsmagazine — from partners of the weekday inter- “The nature of media has World’s ability to leverage editorial partner- updating the sound and style to deepening national news program when changed dramatically in the 24 ships in key areas also allows for new report- its content,” WAMU said in an FAQ about it launched 24 years ago to years since The World launched. ing options.” its schedule changes. “The program address the decline of interna- ... Based out of its newsroom at The World, which airs on nearly 300 sta- emphasizes international news and global tional reporting in the U.S. WGBH in Boston while co-pro- tions and has 2.5 million weekly listeners, journalism through interesting stories and “For more than 20 years, The duced and distributed by PRX, has added four editorial staffers in the past engaging voices, and because of that, World has been a key part of our The World now has a robust staff year, Barth said. WAMU is committed to support innova- desire to serve American audi- and digital capabilities empow- “The World staff is producing more orig- tion and reinvention and bring it to our Barth ences and has enabled the BBC’s ering a network of reporters and inal reports than ever — this means more audience as soon as its available.”