Latest from Next TV in Paris-attacks

ESPN, Fox News Top Weekly Cable Ratings

thomas.umstead@futurenet.com (R. Thomas Umstead) — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 20:30:00 +0000

ESPN topped a cable ratings week dominated by big audience numbers for another Republican presidential debate and coverage of the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris.

ESPN averaged 2.8 million viewers to viewers to top the cable primetime ratings chart for the week of Nov. 9 to Nov. 15, and Fox News Channel finished second for the week with 2.3 million, according to Nielsen.

Fox News' performance was bolstered by its coverage of the Nov. 13 Paris terrorist attacks, which generated the network’s biggest non-debate, primetime audience of the year, averaging 4.3 million viewers.

Hallmark Channel’s annual Countdown to Christmas lineup of original holiday movies helped pushed the network to a third place finish, averaging 1.7 million viewers, while Fox Business Network’s Nov. 10 Republican presidential debate coverage – which was the most watched show of the week with 13.4 million viewers -- pushed the network into fourth place with 1.6 million watchers.

All four Republican presidential debates – including previous telecasts from Fox News, CNN and CNBC – have generated more than 13 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

AMC -- which finished in a fifth place tie with Disney Channel, USA Network and Discovery Channel with an average of 1.4 million viewers -- was paced last week by a strong Sunday debut for its martial arts drama Into the Badlands -- which drew 6.3 million viewers --and The Walking Dead, which was the second-most watched show of the week with 12.8 million viewers.

TBS and History (tied with 1.3 million viewers) rounded out the top 10 most watched networks in primetime for the week.

Fox News Channel was the most watched network on a total-day basis for the week, besting Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Adult Swim and ESPN, said Nielsen.

Most Watched Shows For The Week Of Nov. 9 to Nov. 15

DateShowNetworkTotal Viewers

11/10 Republican Presidential Debate Fox Business 13.4 million

11/15 The Walking Dead AMC 12.8 million

11/9 Monday Night Football ESPN 11.4 million

11/12 Thursday Night Football NFL Network 7.5 million

11/15 Into The Badlands AMC 6.3 million

11/10 Cavuto Coast To Coast Fox Business 5.2 million

11/13 Fox News Deck (8 pm to 9 pm) Fox News 4.8 million

11/13 Fox News Deck (7 pm to 8 pm) Fox News 4.8 million

11/13 The Kelly File Fox News 4.7 million

11/10 The GOP Debate (Preliminary) Fox Business 4.7 million

Source: Nielsen

U2 HBO-Cast Paris Concert Canceled

kent.gibbons@futurenet.com (Kent Gibbons) — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 01:30:00 +0000

As the death toll rose as a result of coordinated terror attacks in Paris -- including at a concert hall where an American rock band, Eagles of Death Metal, was performing -- a scheduled U2 concert to be telecast on HBO tomorrow night was canceled this evening. At least 153 had been killed at locations that also included restaurants and a soccer stadium in Paris, CNN reported.

U2 said on its website after 9 p.m. tonight:

As a result of the ongoing state of emergency across France, the U2 Paris concert scheduled for 14th November will not be going ahead as planned. U2 and Live Nation, along with HBO who were due to live broadcast the Saturday concert, are fully resolved to go ahead with this show at an appropriate time.

Speaking from Paris the band said:
“We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight.
We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans.
And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe.”

HBO acknowledged the band's statement (the movie Jersey Boys will run during that time slot Saturday night starting at 9 p.m.).

This story has been edited as the death toll reports have changed.

Nets Go Live With Obama React To Paris Attacks

john.eggerton@futurenet.com (John Eggerton) — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 23:15:00 +0000

The broadcast nets joined cable news outlets in going live Friday night with special reports covering President Obama's response to the multiple terrorist attacks in Paris.

He called the attacks "an outrageous attempt to terrorize innocent civilians," adding that it was an attack "on humanity."

CNN aired some Vine footage of an explosion at a soccer match, while Fox's Geraldo Rivera was getting info from his daughter in Paris, who was at the soccer game where the explosion occurred, he said.

She reported hearing at least three different explosions.

Fox was reporting that there were attacks in four different locations including a concert hall, where a hostage situation was still in progress at press time, according to CNN and Fox News.

Multiple news outlets were reporting at least 60 dead. Fox was reporting that French authorities had confirmed 40 dead and 60 wounded.

NBC, which has been increasingly breaking into regular programming for special news reports, did so again early on in the story (at 4:47 p.m.), with Lester Holt anchoring, joined by correspondent Keir Simmons, according to the network.