Tuning In

Cable news big in ‘08

The historical - and historically long - election season along with the ongoing financial crisis made 2008 a banner year for cable news, Broadcastingcable.com reports.

While broadcast networks saw little growth (ABC´s “Nightline” and NBC´s “Nightly News” were exceptions) cable was up double and triple digits in viewer totals, the trade publication notes.

In prime time, Fox News was up 41 percent in total viewers,averaging slightly more than 2 million viewers. In the news´ target demographic of 25-to-54-year-olds, Fox averaged 502,000 viewers, a gain of 43 percent.

Fox News will finish the year as the most-watched cable news network - for the seventh consecutive year. The network is the No. 3-ranked basic-cable network in prime time, behindUSA and ESPN. CNN is ranked 10th, and MSNBC is ranked 22nd, B&C said.

CNN posted gains of 72 percent inprime time with an average of 1.3 million viewers. Within the pivotal 25-to-54 age demographic, it averaged 463,000 viewers for a 91 percent increase. CNN also was the most-watched network on election night (8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.) out-drawing all three broadcast networks.

MSNBC grew its prime-time audience by 84 percent for an average of 926,000 viewers. In the demo, among viewers 25 to 54, MSNBC averaged 368,000 viewers, a gain of 83 percent.

Meanwhile, while Fox News still boasts the majority of the top-10 cable news programs (seven overall) with Bill O´Reilly leading the pack, CNN´s “Anderson Cooper 360” this year passed “On the Record With Greta Van Susteren” in the 25-to-54 age demographic. In total viewers, though, “On the Record” still outrates AC360 (1.7 million to 1.3 million).

As the third-place cable news network, MSNBC had the steepest hill to climb. The network´s fresh new star, Rachel Maddow, is in a dead heat at 9 p.m. with CNN´s Larry King. In total viewers for the fourth quarter, each recorded 1.7 million. Among the coveted 25-to-54 demographic, “The Rachel Maddow Show” is beating “Larry King Live” 628,000 to 575,000, B&C says .

Holiday watch

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (9 p.m., Cartoon Network) - Already plagued by a host of problems on Christmas Eve, Jake Spankenheimer is sent to fetch his grandmother, who has gone missing in the cold - only to find that she’s become the victim of a rather unusual hit-and-run accident in this animated adaptation of the novelty Christmas tune.

• Compiled by Robyn-Denise Yourse from staff, Web and wire reports