Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Sun News opening night: hard numbers

The Sun News Network wasted no time getting into the thick of the Canadian TV all-news channel race. The fledgling service launched to 37,000 overnight, estimated 2+ viewers Monday at 4:30. The first edition of Ezra Levant`s The Source dipped to 31,000 at 5ET, finished last in the news channel race opposite CBC News Network (97,000 at 5, 109,000 at 5:30), CNN (53,000/67,000)and CTV News Channel (35,000/44,000). Still, not bad for an opening night on an uneven playing field, with Sun News--available free to Shaw and Videotron subscribers for six months--still not available on Rogers (although seen throughout the GTA on Sun TV).
David Akin was Sun News‘ biggest draw in primetime with 51,000 viewers opposite CBCNN at 7 (97,000) and 7:30 (109,000). Brian Lilley (17,000) draws the toughest Sun News timeslot opposite the 9 p.m. edition of The National on CBCNN (176,000).
That hockey game on hated CBC Monday night? Drew over 2.3 million viewers. Icing!

3 comments:

Jessica said...

Not exactly all that great but it never was all that popular since it came along as the 7th domestic ota channel in the Toronto area. I loved it when CKXT was Toronto 1 and SunTV (the early years) because the station brought me the final season of Charmed and seasons 2 & 3 of Veronica Mars. I moved out west & missed it. I heard it went to HD & missed it more. Now it becomes a right-wing news channel i don't care to watch and suddenly it is available from my cable company. I might tune in for the entertainment value it offers.

email said...

Sun news - interesting, uneven, a bit hysterical. There is no stories about kittens playing piano or a single mention of Justin Bieber - what a shame :)

J said...

I'm curious to know if those numbers have held, or if they were boosted by premiere night publicity?