February 13, 2007 7:13 AM
Mommy Blogs replacing morning TV
What cheerful news! From the Los Angeles Times:
Wake-up call to a.m. news: moms tuning outMorning broadcast shows, once a staple for women, are seeing audiences shrink as news sources multiply.
By Matea Gold, February 9, 2007
NEW YORK — When her children were young, Jenny Lauck used to flip on "Today" or "Good Morning America" as she brewed her morning coffee and tended to her babies.But several years ago, the 34-year-old mother of three stopped watching the morning shows. After getting TiVo, she had no patience to sit through multiple commercial breaks during a live newscast. On top of that, the segments began to seem more and more frivolous.
"Watching morning television for me is the equivalent of reading People magazine in the dentist's office," said Lauck, who writes for websites from her home in Santa Rosa, Calif. "They don't have anything new or particularly relevant to my life. It seems like a lot of fluff. I feel like I can get information faster and cleaner on the Internet."
Lauck's not alone in souring on network news programs. In particular, this season has seen a significant erosion of the morning shows' demographic sweet spot: 25- to 54-year-old women.
Almost 450,000 of these women — coveted by advertisers because of their household purchasing power — turned off the three broadcast morning programs so far this season, a decline of 10% compared to the same point last year, according to a Times analysis of Nielsen Media Research data. (Male viewers the same age also fell by 9%, but they make up a much smaller portion of the audience.)
It's difficult to trace the exact cause of the drop. It comes after two popular morning hosts, Katie Couric and Charles Gibson, left their shows to be evening news anchors. At the same time, the advent of "mommy blogs," the growing popularity of online news sites and the ever-more-frantic press of daily life appear to have led many women to forgo the morning ritual of watching TV.
News executives are sanguine about the ratings dip, calling it a short-term fluctuation. They attribute it in large part to the unseasonably mild winter in much of the country until recently, noting that temperate weather draws people outside, and away from their television sets. . .
To read the entire article, go here. (But they make you register to view)
*Jenny Lauck (quoted in the article), are you out there? I used to live in Sonoma County and that name sounds very familiar.*
I say Hooray!
Mommy Blogs are much healthier and more empowering for SAHMs - with more encouragement, practical advice, optimism, and openness to new ideas.
What do you think?
And btw, this news brought to us courtesy the Spunky News Service. Thanks, Spunky!
Posted in Blogging | Permalink
Comments
Makes sense to me. We don't subscribe to cable or get satellite. The only station the TV will pick up well enough is PBS but there's only so much there to watch. There just isn't much worth watching really and most of what I need for news and information I get from the internet when I want it. I guess when analog TV disappears soon, we won't have any.
Posted by: Heather | February 13, 2007 8:23 AM
The internet is much better for me, that's for sure. For one thing, I am totally in control of what I chose to read. If I don't want to waste 10 minutes on an interview with Madonna I don't have to. I can get practical advice, encouragement, and news that relates to me in half the time. And because blogs are interactive I can share my own knowledge (limited though it may be) and encourage others. It's a much better way to start my day.
Posted by: Shannon Miller | February 13, 2007 9:07 AM
I am so thrilled to be a part of this trend! I haven't watched morning "news" shows for years. I think I gave them up around the time I gave up soap operas! (Yes, I equate the two, and am ashamed that I ever watched either type of TV programing.)
I have learned so much from other women's blogs. (And some men's blogs, too!) I am encouraged in my calling, and in my walk with my Lord. (Who could say that about Good Morning America?)
Whoo Hoo! It's great to be part of the counter-culture!
Posted by: Christa | February 13, 2007 10:34 AM
Well, I've never been a morning TV-watcher -- not since the days of watching Sesame Street over my Cheerios. I've been getting my news from the internet for as long as I cared about news.
Posted by: Michelle | February 13, 2007 10:59 AM
I agree! I almost never tune into the TV during the daytime anymore. Mommyblogs are creative, engaging, encouraging--and the interactive factor beats television, hands down.
Posted by: Meredith | February 13, 2007 11:04 AM
yup. That would be me. I miss Katie. I actually like YOU much better in the mornings :-)
Posted by: whimsy | February 13, 2007 11:22 AM
Thanks, Barbara. This is very interesting news.
Posted by: Bonnie | February 13, 2007 11:25 AM
Oh, yes, I'm sure the drop has everything to do with the fabulous, mild weather at 7am and nothing to do with the biased, irrelevant fluff stories aimed solely at working mothers.
Heavy sarcasm.
Why would I sit through 10 minutes of Tide commercials, Ortho Evra propaganda, and teasers when I can jump online, scan the news for the entire world, and instantly delve into? And then blog about it, of course! :)
I think it's a great idea for you to put more political news on here, BTW. So often the "news blogs" are hard and impersonal. I look forward to seeing your viewpoint with your warm style.
Mama Says
Posted by: Milehimama | February 13, 2007 11:32 AM
I found blog land about 9 months ago and it is a part of my every day now. Blogs are far more entertaining and informative than what can be found on television. I'd much rather spend my little bit of spare time on Internet than TV.
Posted by: Lela | February 13, 2007 12:57 PM
I'm not a morning person, so I never did get into the morning TV routine. If it's on in the morning, it's on kids' shows or HGTV. During the day, I generally spend more time online than watching TV. HOWEVER, I have discovered one drawback to that "habit." TV forces you to take breaks, with commercials and the ending of shows, so I often will take that time during commercials to get up and do a chore or two (wash a few dishes, make the bed, etc). The internet is infinite. I easily find myself sitting down to check e-mail and maybe some blogs and then, especially if my son is asleep or occupied in his room, I won't get up for a couple of hours. Very sneaky that way, it is.
Posted by: Nancy | February 13, 2007 1:02 PM
Yeah, I start my mornings with blogs and cereal. I had to explain to someone that this was like some people's coffee and the newspaper, I need it to get me going. It is good......
Amie :)
Posted by: Amie | February 13, 2007 3:12 PM
No TV gets turned on until all school is done around here. . .but I sure do tune in the Internet. . .so I am certainly part of this trend!
Posted by: Marie | February 13, 2007 4:11 PM
Barbara, Jenny Lauck is the "other" dieting mom blogger at Clubmom.com . . . http://bigslice.clubmom.com. :)
Posted by: Mel | February 13, 2007 6:09 PM
I think it's right on - I would be interested to know how magazines and newspapers are in the competition . . . I know that I used to read craft magazines a whole lot more in college than I do now as a SAHM - I use the internet much, much more for a resource when I am looking for how to do something - I think the internet is so much MORE for homemakers, cooks, mothers, businesswomen, shoppers, theologians, planners, educators - all that makes up a SAHM!!!
Posted by: Kristi | February 15, 2007 4:24 PM
Frankly, I think we're all just sick of sitting and listening without having any input. And we're lonely. Blogs are great, not just as sources of information, but as connectors.
Posted by: Rebecca | February 15, 2007 5:06 PM
Hiya, Barbara! Yes, I'm out here in Sonoma County. Perhaps our paths have crossed ;)
Posted by: Jenny Lauck | February 20, 2007 10:20 PM
