WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Wins May Sweeps

WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 Wins May Sweeps

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- WXYZ-TV is the Detroit television market's number one station, sign-on/sign-off, according to the May 2005 Nielsen Media Research rating survey which ended Wednesday. WXYZ-TV garnered a 6.2 rating/15 share, versus WDIV's 5.6 rating /13 share, WJBK's 3.8 rating/9 share and WWJ's 2.7 rating/6 share. This is WXYZ-TV's first May Sweeps sign-on/sign-off win since May 1994. WXYZ-TV was Detroit's number one rated television station in national morning news, daytime, afternoons, early fringe, early evening news, national news and prime time.

Leading the way to WXYZ-TV's May rating victory was the dominant performance of Channel 7's Action News. Action News was the number one newscast in the Detroit market for noon news, 5pm news, 6pm news and for the entire 5-7:30pm early evening news block. In late news, 11pm Action News experienced significant year-to-year growth, registering a 26% ratings increase.

Action News at Noon, anchored by Robbie Timmons and Carolyn Clifford was Detroit's number one noon news. Airing 12n-1pm, Action News is Detroit's only one-hour noon newscast and handily outdelivers both WDIV and WJBK. Action News delivered a 6.7 rating/21 share, versus WDIV's 5.2 rating/17 share and WJBK's 3 rating/10 share. Year-to-year, Action News at Noon is up 12%, while WDIV is down nearly 25%. WJBK is down 15%

At 5pm, Robbie Timmons and partner Frank Turner were the dominant number one, posting a commanding victory over WDIV. 5pm Action News garnered a 10.5 rating/22 share, versus WDIV's 7.7 rating/16 share and WJBK's 3.8 rating/8 share. This is the eighteenth consecutive rating book that 5pm Action News has placed first. Action News was the only 5pm newscast to register growth year-to-year. Both WDIV and WJBK's 5pm newscasts were down over 10% from May 2004.

6pm Action News with Diana Lewis and Stephen Clark, was the number one rated newscast, delivering an 11.2 rating/22 share, compared to WDIV's 7.7 rating/16 share and WJBK's 3.3 rating/7 share. 6pm Action News is up 9% from May 2004. Year-to-year, WDIV is down 6% and WJBK is down 20%.

11pm Action News with Diana Lewis and Stephen Clark generated an 11.5 rating/20 share. WDIV garnered a 14 rating/24 share. Year-to-year, 11pm Action News is up 26% from May 2004. Year-to-year, WDIV is down 3%. In May 2004, WDIV held a 5.4 ratings advantage over WXYZ. In May 2005, WDIV's advantage has been reduced by more than 50%, with less than 2.5 rating points separating WXYZ from WDIV in 11pm news.

In non-news programming, WXYZ-TV also dominated, winning first place 9am - 12 noon (Regis, Jane Pauley, The View). WXYZ garnered a 5.7 rating/19 share and outdelivered WDIV by 57% and WJBK by more than a two to-one margin.

At 4pm, WXYZ's Oprah delivered a 10.4 rating/25 share. WDIV's Ellen DeGeneres delivered a 4.2 rating/10 share and WJBK's Judge Judy garnered a 3.8 rating/9 share. Year-to-year, Oprah is up 10%. WDIV's Ellen, which replaced Maury Povich at 4pm in April 2005, was down 5% over Povich's May 2004 performance. Oprah continues to beat both WDIV and WJBK combined at 4pm.

ABC Prime Time programming was number one in May 2005, averaging a 10.2 rating/15 share. Year-to-year, ABC prime programming is up an extraordinary 32% in the Detroit television market. WDIV/NBC placed second in prime time programming, however since May 2004, NBC prime is down 21% on WDIV. WJBK/FOX was third in prime time programming, trailing WDIV/NBC by only 1/2 a rating point. Desperate Housewives, remains Detroit's number one rated prime time series.

Each local rating point equals approximately 19,440 households; share represents the percentage of TV sets tuned into a program.

WXYZ is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), a diverse media concern with interests in newspaper publishing, broadcast television, national television networks, interactive media and television retailing. Scripps operates 21 daily newspapers, 10 broadcast TV stations and six national television brands, including Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY Network, FINE LIVING, Shop At Home and GAC-Great American Country. Scripps also operates Scripps Howard News Service and United Media, the worldwide licensing and syndication home of PEANUTS and DILBERT, and 31 websites, including HGTV.com, foodnetwork.com, diynetwork.com, fineliving.com and comics.com.

Source: WXYZ-TV/Channel 7

CONTACT: Marla Drutz of WXYZ-TV/Channel 7, +1-248-827-9300

Web site: http://detnow.com/

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