Wright Defends CNBC, MSNBC

NBC Universal chairman and CEO Bob Wright defended his cable news networks yesterday during a guest spot on Fox News Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto, saying that CNBC and MSNBC have "really improved dramatically," and that NBC U would continue to work toward improving both nets' prime-time numbers.

Wright, who had been booked to speak about the autism awareness group he founded with his wife, Suzanne, was drawn into a conversation about NBC when Cavuto suggested that Wright's grandson's autism may have caused him to take his "eye...off the ball at Universal." The NBC U chief dismissed Cavuto's theory, adding that the push to grow MSNBC's ratings has made him "more focused than less."

While Wright acknowledged that MSNBC has had to "pick it up" by adding new programs and personnel in prime time, preliminary Nielsen Media Research data suggests that the news net has pulled out of its tailspin. Across much of its prime-time lineup during the month of May, MSNBC has shown significant ratings growth year-over-year, upping Hardball's total viewers by 31 percent in the 7:00 p.m. time slot, boosting Countdown with Keith Olbermann's viewership by 34 percent at 8:00 p.m. and growing Scarborough Country's audience by 20 percent at 9:00 p.m. Only Rita Cosby Live & Direct was down from May 2005, dropping 16 percent in the 10:00 p.m. slot.

MSNBC also saw concomitant ratings growth in the core 25-54 demo, raising Hardball's numbers in the category by 32 percent and Countdown by 34 percent. Cosby was off 16 percent versus the same period a year ago.

That said, compared to the kind of numbers posted by ratings leader Fox News Channel and also-ran CNN, the total reach of the NBC cable news nets remains relatively small. For example, compared to the 1.39 million total viewers FNC averaged at 9:00 p.m. with Hannity & Colmes, and the 993,000 CNN averaged in the same slot with Larry King Live, Scarborough's take of 311,000 runs a distant third.

Before returning to the subject at hand, Wright dodged Cavuto's question about a possible merger of MSNBC and CNBC, telling the host "we're here to talk about autism." He repeated that assertion when Cavuto asked if parent GE was mulling a sale of NBC.

"We're here to talk about autism," Wright said. "NBC is a marvelous organization, and it's had enormous success over a wide-ranging time, and hopefully it will be doing that for a very long time." He then pointedly denied that NBC was for sale.