News Networks: The Differences Between the Major News Stations

Most people don't notice the differences between the major news stations they watch, but there are plenty of eye opening differences to consider. CNN, MSNBC and Fox News are the three major news networks offered on cable and satellite television packages. Unlike local news network affiliates, these networks place their focus on events happening around the country and occasionally, around the world. However, each network not only has a different way of providing news coverage, but its viewer-ship is also noticeably distinct as well.

News Networks

Differences in Coverage

At first glance, it's a bit difficult to tell the differences between news networks. After all, many people assume a news station is just a news station. However, CNN, Fox and MSNBC all have plenty of noticeable differences in the way they provide their news coverage. In 2007, the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism performed a close study of all three cable news networks and found distinct differences in the type of news they presented as well as how it was covered and the frequency of which it was covered.

During the time of the study, the Iraq War was among the major news events covered by the three networks. However, MSNBC and CNN both covered the war in greater detail than Fox News. CNN devoted 25 percent of its network coverage to the Iraq War while MSNBC devoted 31 percent of its coverage to the war. Meanwhile, Fox News, which was at the time the cable ratings leader, devoted far less coverage to the Iraq War than the two aforementioned networks, at 15 percent.

Meanwhile, MSNBC led in the percentage of news coverage devoted to the 2008 presidential campaign at 14 percent. Both CNN and Fox News devoted 7 percent and 9 percent of their news coverage to the campaign, respectively. These figures reflect MSNBC's focus on Washington politics, policies and their effects on the nation at large. CNN's coverage offers a more generalized focus on national and international news related to the U.S.

The death of Anna Nicole Smith was also a major news event during the timeframe of the Project for Excellence in Journalism's study. Fox News devoted 10 percent of its news coverage to that event, outstripping both CNN (at 4 percent) and MSNBC (at 6 percent).

Differences in Viewership

Political ideology plays remarkable in the composition of each news network's viewership. For instance, Fox News is well-known for having a more conservative point of view when it comes to its political news coverage. Many have argued that this current tilt towards conservatism serves as both an antidote to a largely liberal media landscape and as a way of gaining viewers who prefer a conservative point of view in regards to news coverage.

Meanwhile, both MSNBC and CNN's news reporting tends to reflect a more liberal political ideology, thereby attracting an audience that is also liberal to varying degrees. However, all three news networks do try their best to be as objective about their news coverage as possible.

Historically speaking, Fox news has always had the upper hand when it came to both daytime and primetime viewership. However, many have pointed out that since Fox news seems to be the only cable news network that offers a conservative point of view while more liberal viewers have their choice of several networks, it is only expected that Fox news would be able to enjoy a larger audience.

Written By:

Eric Halberg has experience in the TV industry and enjoys blogging on the subject offering his insights on a variety of TV and entertainment blogs. Visit www.cablenet.net to find out more.

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