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GOP Noise Machine claims ABC News health care special flopped; has no idea how TV ratings work

June 26, 2009 9:29 am ET by Eric Boehlert

Lots of right-wing grave-dancing about the primetime news program that conservatives spent so much time turning into a bogey man.

But was it a flop? According to TV Newser, which knows a lot more about the television biz than Michelle Malkin, the health care special produced ABC's best Wednesday 10 p.m. ratings in nearly two months. 

Plus, the follow-up Nightline special on ABC featuring more discussion of Obama's proposed health care reform, catapulted Nightline to a rare ratings win over the late-night comedy shows on CBS (Letterman) and NBC (Conan).

UPDATE: And BTW, why does the Noise Machine even care what the ratings were for the primetime special? Are folks really trying to suggest that because tens of millions of Americans didn't spend a summer night learning about health care that that means Obama's no longer popular? I'm pretty sure that's the right-wing take-away, which is a bizarre way to read television ratings, to say the least.

If people want to know of Obama is popular, read the polls. According to the latest national survey, Obama enjoys a sky-high rating of 65 percent.

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    • Author by NiceguyEddie (June 26, 2009 9:37 am ET)
         
      There's lies, damn lies and statistics. As one who makes a living with statistical analysis, I'm constantly dismayed at people who don't know how to use them constatntly trying to prove points with numbers. And then I'm further dismayed by the legions of ignorant sheep that think that somehow the point has been proven. (Hey, they used statistics! It MUST be right!)

      EVERYONE IN AMERICA NEEDS TO READ THIS, AND UNDERSTAND IT.

      (On pain of being roundly ignored by the public and the media if you don't!)
      Report Abuse
      • Author by jonwisby (June 26, 2009 10:12 am ET)
           
        You want me to read the skeptics dictionary?
        Report Abuse
      • Author by neon desert (June 26, 2009 10:14 am ET)
           
        I assume you didn't mean to read the whole dictionary, Eddie. Is there a particular topic I should be looking for?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by NiceguyEddie (June 26, 2009 12:00 pm ET)
             
          LOL. Actually, I DO want everyone to read the whole thing, but maybe that IS asking too much, relavent to the topic.

          I was going off a bit half-cocked, I'll amdit. But if you pick ANY five articles at random 1 or 2 is bound to show examples of how numbers get manipulated by pseudo-scientists trying to make a "point". (Taking the numbers out of context, and/or without a sense of scale has been the favorite trick numero uno for charlatans for almost a century now.)

          I guess my point was: DEVELOP SOME CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS! Learn how to ask questions, and stop blindly believeing everything you're being told. People need to look at things more critically, and the skeptcis dictionary is a really good place to start.
          Report Abuse
      • Author by bruce1ace (June 26, 2009 10:23 am ET)
          1
        When you have a popular President on your network exclusively and the show doesn't win the time slot that's not a success. You don't need statistics to understand that and I'm a statistics guy.

        The Nightline example is a better indicator that it was successful in its time slot.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by mk3872 (June 26, 2009 11:01 am ET)
          1  
          Did you really think that a townhall discussion on health care in the evening would be out other entertainment programming? Bwahhhhhh!!! :)

          MMFA's point is a good one. It was a ratings BOOST for ABC.

          The trend for ABC was a positive one.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by bruce1ace (June 26, 2009 11:47 am ET)
              1
            I hope for ABC's sake their expectations were not met or they need to aim a bit higher.
            Report Abuse
        • Author by magnolialover (June 26, 2009 11:01 am ET)
          1  
          Not necessarily true. We know that Americans are going to routinely, regardless of what is being discussed, tune into other shows that interest them. Lots of people find politics boring, and discussion of health care, boring.

          Report Abuse
          • Author by nerzog (June 26, 2009 11:13 am ET)
            1  
            That's why Republican propaganda is so effective. Most people aren't all that interested in the gritty details of politics, so they are easily misled.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by neon desert (June 26, 2009 12:00 pm ET)
              1  
              Not only that, but Republican propaganda is nearly exclusively bumper-sticker philosophy. Simple, no serious thought required, perfect for the masses.

              That's why limpaugh's "Sanford strayed because of our hopeless future" meme will likely succeed.
              Report Abuse
    • Author by Meremark (June 26, 2009 12:01 pm ET)
         
      Niceguy, as you certainly know, 87 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot, give or take the margin of error.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Chromium (June 26, 2009 12:37 pm ET)
      1 1
      the health care special produced ABC's best Wednesday 10 p.m. ratings in nearly two months.

      I clicked through the link, and it says the show was in last place, which you conveniently leave out.

      So your point is that the Obamacare special beat the usual dismal ratings yet ABC remained mired in last place anyway?
      Report Abuse

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