Moore, KHON-2 keep news leadership

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Joe Moore of KHON-2 maintains his No. 1 perch as Hawai'i's most-watched news anchor in the just-out November Nielsen ratings.

KHON's Joe Moore is still Hawai'i favorite news anchor. Advertiser library photo

"The real story behind this rating period is that after 20 some years of being No. 1, our newsroom, which had grown stale and complacent, is now working with a renewed energy and focus, thanks to our dynamic general manager, Rick Blangiardi," said Moore. "As long as he's our leader, I may never retire."

Other features of the latest survey:

• KHON, which joined the 5 p.m. newscast fray during the year, tied with KITV-4 for 5 p.m. ratings. KHON's numbers matched the previous draw of "Jeopardy," which used to be in the 5 p.m. slot.
• At 10 p.m., NBC affiliate KHNL-8 was flat, unable to increase viewership after moving up from the cellar, but it stayed in the No. 2 position. ABC affiliate KITV-4 moved up a ratings point from the May sweeps to tie with CBS affiliate KGMB-9 at third.
• CBS, which boasts some top-rated new series such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," was No. 1 in prime time, eking out a win over KITV, which was No. 2 partially because of "Monday Night Football." KHNL, which was No. 1 in prime time last May, dropped to third.
• KFVE-5 (the WB station) appears to become a player in the ratings game, with a two-point increase from the May survey leaving it poised to match, or even bypass, Fox, thanks to a cluster of popular shows, including "Smallville," "Everwood" and "The Gilmore Girls."

"Overall, I'd say it was a flat book," said John Fink, KHNL general manager. "But we're pleased with the older demographics which drive households. At 10 p.m., for instance, we grew from 4 a year ago to 6 in persons 25-54 and from 4 to a 5 rating at 10 p.m. for persons 18-49."

"We're pretty happy with the ratings," said Mike Rosenberg, KITV general manager. "Without the help of network programming, we're No. 1 at 5 p.m., No. 2 at 6 p.m. and moved up a point at 10 p.m."

Rosenberg said the real test of news power will be determined when the playing field is leveled for the February sweeps. Nielsen surveys are done in February, May and November.

By February, KHNL will be on "clock time," industry jargon for delivering the news on the hour. On Dec. 30, KHNL will be the last of four stations to start its late news at 10 p.m.

Until now, said Rosenberg, the station "held viewers hostage," promoting its 10 p.m. news during highly rated prime-time shows. NBC's lead-in shows include such favorites as "ER," "Law & Order" and "Crossing Jordan."