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For more than 30 years, John Kiesewetter has been the source for information about all things in local media — comings and goings, local people appearing on the big or small screen, special programs, and much more. Contact John at johnkiese@yahoo.com.

WXIX-TV Entering Sweeps On A Roll

Provided by WXIX-TV

Folks at WXIX-TV (Channel 19) are all smiles as they start February sweeps on Thursday, Feb. 2.

The "Fox 19 Now" 10 p.m. newscast has been the No. 1 late news with viewers age 25-54 – the "money demographic" most advertisers want to reach—through fall (August-November).

According to Nieslen research provided the station, the one-hour 10 p.m. "Fox 19 Now" has more 25-54 and 18-49 viewers  than any of the 11 p.m. newscasts on WKRC-TV, WLW-TV and WCPO-TV, and the half-hour 10 p.m. newscasts on WSTR-TV and MeTV Channel 5.2.

WKRC-TV (Channel 12) again won all weekday newscasts in the ratings on about 475 household meters in November sweeps, as it has done for years. But that's an empty boast to TV station executives, which use demos – not household ratings – to sell advertising time.

"We've become No. 1 in the market with late news," says Debbie Bush, WXIX-TV vice president and general manager.

Bush points out that viewers also get more news time in the one-hour 10 p.m. newscast on her station, compared to the 35-minute 11 p.m. newscasts on Channels 5, 9 and 12.  She also notes that her 10 p.m. news also has five or six reporters – more than you'll see on any station at 11 p.m. – plus Amy Wagner's Simply Money consumer stories. The longer newscast also gives Channel 19 a bigger commercial inventory to sell during the late news.

The demos provided by Channel 19 provide a different view of the TV news landscape. While Channel 12 won all newscasts in November household ratings, Local 12 won the 25-54 demo at 6-7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and tied with Channel 5 at 5:30 p.m.

Channel 5 won the 25-54 demo at 6 p.m. in November, and the age 18-49 demo at 6 a.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. 

Channel 9 was second in the 25-54 demo for late news in November.

John Kiesewetter, who has covered television and media for more than 35 years, has been working for Cincinnati Public Radio and WVXU-FM since 2015.