Couric's Move Not Likely to Change TV News Landscape

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Last week, on her 15th anniversary as co-host of NBC's Today show, Katie Couric announced that she will leave NBC when her contract expires in May to become the lead anchor of the CBS Evening News. According to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, that move is likely to have little impact on the ratings of either her new or her old show. Only about 1 in 10 Americans say they are more likely to watch the CBS Evening News with Couric in the anchor seat; roughly the same percentage say they are less likely to watch. Despite Couric's presumed power to produce high ratings, only 6% of Americans say they will be less likely to watch the Today show when Couric's replacement, Meredith Vieira, steps in, while 7% said they will be more likely to watch. More Democrats than Republicans report an increased likelihood of watching the CBS Evening News anchored by Couric.

Interest in Watching the CBS Evening News With Katie Couric

The poll, conducted Apr. 7-9, finds that 10% of Americans say Couric's move to CBS will make them more likely to watch the CBS Evening News, while 9% say it will make them less likely. The vast majority of Americans, 81%, say it will make no difference to them.

The poll asked the same question about Vieira, who is leaving ABC's The View to replace Couric on the Today show later this year. An even greater percentage, 87%, says this change will not affect their likelihood of watching the Today show. Seven percent of Americans say they will be more likely to watch Today when Vieira co-hosts the program, while 6% say they will be less likely to watch.

Couric's move to the CBS Evening News appeals more to Democrats than to Republicans, with a higher percentage of Democrats than Republicans saying they are now more likely to watch the CBS News broadcast.

While 8% of Republicans say they are more likely to watch, 14% say they are less likely. The opposite is true among Democrats, with 13% saying they are more likely to watch and 7% saying less likely. The vast majority of both party groups say Couric's move makes no difference to them.

Couric seems to fare slightly better among the nightly news audience than Vieira does among the morning news audience. Those who watch nightly news programs at least several times per week are more inclined to say they are more likely (12%) rather than less likely (7%) to watch the CBS Evening News with Couric anchoring it. Among those who watch morning news several times a week, the results are split for watching Vieira co-host Today later this year, with 9% saying they are more likely to watch and 8% less likely.

There are only modest differences by gender and age in viewers' reactions to Couric's move to the CBS Evening News.

Among women, 12% say they will be more likely to watch the CBS Evening News when Couric takes over, while among men, just 8% say this.

One perceived benefit of having Couric anchor the evening news as well as appear on the newsmagazine 60 Minutes is the possibility that she will draw a younger audience to CBS News programs. However, the poll finds little evidence to suggest that will be the case. Nine percent of 18- to 34-year olds say they are more likely to watch Couric's evening news broadcast. This compares with 13% of 35- to 49-year olds, 8% of 50- to 64-year olds, and 11% of those aged 65 and older who share this point of view.

Women between the ages of 18 and 49, the group that represents Couric's core fan base, show little difference in comparison with older women and men of any age. Between 6% and 13% of all age/gender groups say they are now more likely to watch the CBS Evening News.

By comparison, there is more interest among women than there is among men, and among older Americans than younger Americans in watching Vieira on NBC's Today show. However, there are essentially no differences by political party identification.

As the table below shows, the net impact on viewers' intention to watch the Today show is nil for most gender and age groups. About the same numbers of men say they are more likely to watch Today with Vieira as co-host as say they are less likely to watch. The same pattern is true for women as well as for younger and middle-aged adults.

Only among those 65 and older does there seem to be a real, albeit, small impact. Twelve percent of those 65 years and older say they are more likely to watch the new Today show while only 5% say they are less likely.

Nightly News vs. Morning News Viewing

The poll also asked Americans about the frequency with which they get their news from "nightly network news programs on ABC, CBS, or NBC" and from "morning news and interview programs on the national TV networks such as Good Morning America or the Today show."

Forty-five percent of Americans say they get their news from the nightly news programs on a daily basis; a lower percentage, 29%, report watching the morning news programs every day. But, over the past decade or so, the percentage of Americans who report watching nightly news broadcasts has gradually declined from the initial 62% reading in 1995. The percentage watching morning news programs has increased slightly from 23% in 1995.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,004 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Apr. 7-9, 2005. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

24. Please indicate how often you get your news from each of the following sources -- every day, several times a week, occasionally, or never. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. Nightly network news programs on ABC, CBS, or NBC

B. Morning news and interview programs on the national TV networks such as Good Morning America or the Today show

As you may know, Katie Couric is leaving the Today show on NBC to become the lead anchor for the CBS Evening News.

25. Will this make you more likely to watch CBS Evening News, less likely, or will it make no difference to you?

As you may know, Meredith Vieira, a host of The View and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, has been named as the replacement for Katie Couric on the Today show.

26. Will this make you more likely to watch the Today show, less likely, or will it make no difference to you?