MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG-TV News Channel 3, Tribune Broadcasting’s Memphis television station, remains viewers’ first choice for news in the recently-completed February sweeps period. Monday through Friday, WREG ranked first in head-to-head news, including: early mornings from 4:30 to 7AM, 9-10AM, Midday at Noon, afternoons from 4-5:30PM; and late evening at 10PM. News Channel 3 won weekend news time periods too in morning, evening and late newscasts, and had the highest rated weekly sports talk show with Friday Sports Overtime.
News Director Bruce Moore gives credit to the team. “Fighting for Memphis…That’s what I ask the team to do no matter what story we’re covering. Our viewers are our most important asset, so fighting for them is our top priority in breaking news, investigations, and life-saving weather coverage.”
“We are there fighting for Memphis!” agreed President and General Manager Ron Walter. “Our Weather Experts helped viewers prepare for incessant rains and wild temperature swings in February. The News team offered important investigations fighting for viewers. They also proudly saluted the contributions of African Americans during Black History Month and noted the passing of an era with the death of Memphis civil rights icon, Judge Russell B. Sugarmon.”
Nielsen Media Research measures viewing monthly in the Memphis TV market. These results are for the 28-day period from January 31 through February 28, 2019. Here are complete live + same-day viewing household numbers by time-period:
Highlights:
- WREG News Channel 3 easily wins mornings from 4:30AM until network news starts at 7AM, as well as from 9-10AM
- WREG News Channel 3 easily wins midday news with a higher rating than all midday competitors combined!
- WREG News Channel 3 wins early afternoon news at 4:00 and 4:30
- WREG’s 5PM has more viewers than all other stations’ 5PM newscasts
- WREG’s 10PM news is again the top-rated late newscast in the market
- WREG’s Friday Sports Overtime with Mike Ceide is the highest rated sports talk program on any medium in town, winning its time-period—10:15-10:30—with a 7.2 household rating
- WREG News Channel 3 also produces the top-rated weekend morning and late newscasts
February 2019 by the Numbers
Weekdays:
4:30 AM—WREG wins with a 3.8 rating to WMC’s 2.2 and WHBQ’s 2.1
5AM—WREG wins with a 5.4. WHBQ averaged 2.9 rating points to WMC’s 2.8 and WATN’s 0.8
5:30 AM—WREG wins with a 6.4. WHBQ and WMC’s tied with a 3.1 average over WATN’s fourth place 0.7
6AM—WREG wins again with an 8.3 over WMC’s 4.8, WHBQ’s 4.2, and WATN’s 0.8
9AM—WREG wins with a 6.5 to WHBQ’s 5.2. WATN had 1.2 rating points. WMC does not air a 9AM local newscast.
Midday—WREG wins—Its 9.7 is more than its competitors’ combined midday ratings. WMC averaged a 3.8, WHBQ a 3.7, and WATN a 1.2. WREG and WMC air midday newscasts at Noon, while WHBQ and WATN air at 11AM.
4PM—WREG wins with a 7.5 to WMC’s 3.5.
4:30 PM—WREG wins with a 6.9 to WMC’s 3.9.
5PM—WREG wins again, with an 8.3 to WMC’s 7.1, WHBQ’s 5.8, and WATN’s 2.0.
6PM—WREG averaged an 9.7, WMC 10.5, WHBQ 5.2, and WATN a 2.0.
10PM—WREG wins with a 9.6. WMC averaged a 6.7, WHBQ a 4.9 and WATN averaged a 1.6.
WREG also had the highest rated local sports program. Friday Sports Overtime at 10:15PM earned a 7.2 rating average for the four-week period.
Weekends:
AM—WREG wins weekend mornings. Saturday and Sunday morning newscast averages: WREG 5.7. WMC 3.0. WHBQ’s 1.7.
WREG wins Saturdays at 5 and 10PM, and Sunday at 10PM. WREG’s 5PM Sunday newscast was pre-empted by network programming through the month of February.
* Nielsen Media Research’s “February Sweeps” TV measurement took place from January 31-February 27, 2019 in the Memphis TV market.
Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO) is home to a diverse portfolio of television and digital properties driven by quality news, entertainment and sports programming. Tribune Media is comprised of Tribune Broadcasting’s 42 owned or operated local television stations reaching approximately 50 million households, national entertainment cable network WGN America, whose reach is more than 77 million households, and a variety of digital applications and websites commanding 54 million monthly unique visitors online. Tribune Media also includes Chicago’s WGN-AM, the national multicast networks Antenna TV and THIS TV, and Covers Media Group, an unrivaled source of online sports betting information. Additionally, the Company owns and manages a significant number of real estate properties across the U.S. and holds a variety of investments, including a 31% interest in Television Food Network, G.P., which operates Food Network and Cooking Channel.
