KHBS/KHOG Takes 6 p.m. in Nielsens

KHBS/KHOG, Channels 40/29, took the lead in the 6 p.m. news slot in May, according to Nielsen Media Research’s households ratings for the 11-county dominant market area that includes Northwest Arkansas, Fort Smith and two counties in Oklahoma.

Traditionally, KFSM, Channel 5, has led in the entire DMA while KHBS+ prevailed in Northwest Arkansas (Benton and Washington counties combined).

KHBS+ had an 11 rating at 6 p.m., compared to eight for KFSM. The area’s two leading stations were tied for the 5 p.m. news slot, each with a rating of nine. But KFSM held onto its lead during the 10 p.m. news slot with a 10 rating, compared to nine for KHBS+.

KNWA, the NBC affiliate, stopped subscribing to Nielsen’s trade area report last year, so the other stations wouldn’t release KNWA’s Nielsen ratings to the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. Since reviving its newscast in 2000 after eight years off the air, KNWA had consistently posted Nielsen ratings in the lower single digits.

“Rating” is percentage of television households in the area.

KFSM, the CBS affiliate, is owned by the New York Times Co. KHOG, the ABC affiliate, is owned by Hearst-Argyle Television Inc. KNWA is owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group of Irving, Texas. All three stations have offices in both Fayetteville and Fort Smith, although KNWA no longer has a Fort Smith newsroom.

Nielsen Media Research rates the stations four times annually: in February, May, July and November. The ratings can vary depending on the number of television “diaries” returned by viewers.