KHOG Takes Lead In 6 p.m. Newscast

KHOG/KHBS, Channels 40/29, took the lead in the 6 p.m. newscast during the May Nielsen ratings from KFSM, Channel 5, which has traditionally led all three evening newscasts in the 11-county dominant market area (including Fort Smith and two counties in Oklahoma).

KHOG had a 11 rating and 21 share during the important news slot, compared to a 10 rating and 20 share for KFSM. In May 2003, KFSM led at 6 p.m. with a 12/23 rating/share, compared to 11/21 for KHOG.

“Rating” is percentage of all households in the area. “Share” is percentage of all area television sets that are on at a specific time of day.

KFSM won the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. news ratings this past May for the entire DMA.

When Washington and Benton counties are split out from the DMA, KHOG was the clear winner in the northwest corner of the state, taking all three evening newscasts by a considerable margin in the Nielsens.

Traditionally, KFSM has been stronger in the Fort Smith market, and KHOG has prevailed in Northwest Arkansas.

NBC 24/51, KPOM/KFAA, resurrected its local newscast in 2000 after eight years off the air, and it takes time to sway viewers to switch channels.

KFSM is owned by the New York Times Co. KHOG is owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. Griffin Holdings Inc. of Muskogee, Okla., recently sold NBC 24/51 to Nexstar Broadcasting Group of Irving, Texas, pending regulatory approval. All three stations have offices in both Fayetteville and Fort Smith.

Nielsen rates the stations four times annually: in February, May, July and November. The ratings can vary considerably depending on the number of television “diaries” returned by viewers (478 were returned for May).

Nielsen Ratings

• Dominant Market Area

Station — 5 p.m. — 6 p.m. — 10 p.m.

KHBS/KHOG — 10/21 — 11/21 — 9/18
KFSM — 10/25 — 10/20 — 10/21
NBC — 24/51 — 2/5 — 2/5 — 4/8

• Northwest Arkansas

Station — 5 p.m. — 6 p.m. — 10 p.m.

KHBS/KHOG — 10/25 — 11/24 — 9/22
KFSM — 6/17 — 5/10 — 6/13
NBC — 24/51 — 3/7 — 3/7 — 4/9

Numbers show weekday rating/share for households for the month of May. The Northwest Arkansas ratings are for Benton and Washington counties combined. The dominant market area includes 11 counties, nine in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma.

Source: Nielsen Media Research