MEMPHIS, Tenn. — WREG-TV News Channel 3, the Memphis TV station owned by Nexstar Media Inc., is again viewers’ first choice for news in the recently-completed May sweeps period.
Monday through Friday, WREG’s newscasts ranked first in every time period. News Channel 3 also ranked first in weekend averages for local newscasts, and once again aired the highest rated local sports show: Friday Sports Overtime, Fridays at 10:15 p.m.
News Director Bruce Moore gave credit to his team, saying, “Our journalists produce interesting local stories that matter. They continue fighting for our viewers and getting to the bottom of investigations, all while adjusting to the obstacles created by COVID and new ways of gathering news. It continues to make me proud.”
General Manager Ron Walter also applauded the team effort, commenting, “Our Weather Experts prioritized keeping people safe in severe weather earlier this month. Our Investigators dug deep into interstate shootings and the closure of the Hernando DeSoto bridge, and the news team shined a light on a wide range of additional local issues that viewers tell us they care deeply about.”
Nielsen Media Research measures viewing monthly in the Memphis TV market. These results are for the 28-day period from April 29 through May 26, 2021.
Highlights:
· WREG News Channel 3 easily wins mornings from 4:30 a.m. until network news starts at 7 a.m.
· WREG News Channel 3 Live at 9 is the highest rated mid-morning newscast.
· WREG News Channel 3 easily wins midday news with a higher rating than all competitors combined!
· WREG News Channel 3 beats competitors in early afternoon news at 4 and 4:30.
· WREG’s 5 and 6 p.m. news have more viewers than all other stations’ early evening newscasts.
· WREG’s 10 p.m. news is again the top-rated 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.
· WREG News Channel 3 also has the highest average for weekend newscasts throughout the weekend.
May 2021 by the Numbers
Weekdays:
4:30 AM—WREG wins with a 3.6 rating to WHBQ and WMC’s tying 1.4 average
5AM—WREG wins with a 4.0. WHBQ averaged 2.2 rating points to WMC’s 1.7 and WATN’s 0.7
5:30 AM—WREG wins with a 4.6. WHBQ averaged a 2.5 and WMC’s had a 2.2 average over WATN’s fourth place 0.7
6 AM—WREG wins again with a 5.6 over WHBQ’s 3.1, WMC’s 3.0, and WATN’s 1.0
9 AM—WREG’s Live at 9 wins head-to-head against WHBQ’s 9AM newscast by 1.2 rating points—a 4.9 to a 3.7 household rating
Midday—WREG at Noon wins—An 8.6 rating beats combined ratings for all midday news—WMC at Noon (2.3), WHBQ at 11AM (2.7), and WATN at 11AM (1.3)
4PM—WREG wins with a 5.3 to WMC’s 2.2 average for the half hour
4:30 PM—WREG wins with a 5.2 to WMC’s 2.8 average for the half hour
5PM—WREG wins again, with a 6.3 to WMC’s 4.5, WHBQ’s 3.8, and WATN’s 1.5
6PM—WREG wins with a 6.9 to WMC’s 5.8, WHBQ’s 3.8, and WATN’s 1.9
10PM—WREG wins with an 8.7. WMC averaged a 4.3, WHBQ a 3.6 and WATN averaged a 0.9. WHBQ’s 9PM Newscast averaged a 4.6 to WLMT’s 1.3
WREG also wins weekend newscast averages during the ratings period and aired the highest rated local sports program—Friday Sports Overtime at 10:15PM earned a 6.6 rating, Fridays at 10:15.
