KFSM, KHOG Split Nielsen Honors
by January 24, 2000 12:00 am 99 views
Northwest Arkansas’ two leading television stations have both claimed a victory in the latest Neilsen ratings.
KFSM-TV, Channel 5, still leads in all three weekday news time slots (5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.) in the entire nine county “dominant market area” that includes Fort Smith and two counties in Oklahoma.
KHBS/KHOG, Channels 40/29, still leads in all three weekday timeslots in Northwest Arkansas (a three county area).
Jeff Bartlett, president and general manager of KHBS/KHOG, says the difference is demographics. Younger viewers in Northwest Arkansas prefer KHOG, he says. In the Fort Smith area, where viewers tend to be older, KFSM is more popular.
KFSM and KHBS/KHOG are the only local stations that provide local newscasts. KPOM/KFAA, Channels 24/51, an NBC affiliate, plans to begin airing newscasts soon.
Nielsen Media Research rates the stations’ viewership four times annually: in February, May, July and November.
Over the past year, KFSM has gained on KHOG in Northwest Arkansas in the 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. time slots, but has lost ground in the 10 p.m. time slot.
“They’re stronger than we are up there,” Gene Graham, general manager of KFSM, says of KHOG in Northwest Arkansas. “We’ve made some gains, but they’re still stronger in some areas.”