When it comes to cable news audiences, viewers of CNN lean toward being Democrats, those watching FOX News lean Republican and viewers of MSNBC describe themselves more often as Independent, according to a new analysis of the political affiliation of viewers of various cable TV networks from Scarborough Research.
The analysis ranks cable networks based on the concentration of self-identified Democrats, Republicans and Independents among their viewers. It is based on data from a 2006 Scarborough study of national consumer shopping patterns, media behaviors, demographics and lifestyles and was released May 8 in conjunction with The Cable Show.
When it comes to cable news networks, Democrats are 23 percent more likely to watch CNN, while Republicans are 42 percent more likely than the average consumer to watch FOX News. The MSNBC audience leans mostly toward being Independent, because self-described Independents are 22 percent more likely to watch this channel.
The analysis found that the networks with the highest percentage of Democrats among their viewers include:
- BET (Democrats are 78 percent more likely than the average consumer to watch this cable channel);
- SoapNet (29 percent more likely to watch);
- Lifetime/Lifetime Movie Channel (27 percent more likely to watch).
Networks with the highest percentage of Republicans among their viewers include:
- FOX News (Republicans are 42 percent more likely than the average consumer to watch this cable channel);
- The Golf Channel (31 percent more likely to watch);
- Speed Channel (22 percent more likely to watch).
Those with the highest concentration of Independents were:
- The N (Independents are 44 percent more likely than the average consumer to watch The N);
- G4 (38 percent more likely to watch);
- Fuse (28 percent more likely to watch).
For more information, visit www.scarborough.com.
