Following ‘Five-0’ proves beneficial for late news

The success of "Hawaii Five-0" on Monday nights helped boost the ratings of Hawaii News Now on KGMB-TV to double that of its closest competitor, KHON-TV.

The CBS series, which airs from 9 to 10 p.m., leads into the 10 p.m. news on affiliate KGMB, which earned a 16 rating, 36 share on Mondays, compared to an 8 rating, 17 share for KHON.

The "rating" is the percent of all TV households in Hawaii tuning into a particular show, while "share" is the percentage of people watching TV at that time who are tuned in to a particular show.

The playing field levels out Tuesday through Friday nights at 10 p.m., according to figures provided by KHON. Those nights KHON and KGMB are in a dead-even tie at 10 p.m. with an 8.5 rating and 22 share.

KHON continued to dominate the 6 p.m. newscast with a 12 rating and 28 share.

News releases issued by Hawaii News Now and KHON both claimed victory in the ratings contest, while officials at KITV could not be reached.

KHON’s news release trumpeted that it has proved "once again to be Hawaii’s news leader," in keeping with the branding statement its reporters recite at the end of each of their stories.

Hawaii viewers "chose KHON2 as (their) favorite daily news provider," and tuned in for breaking-news coverage, said Joe McNamara, president and general manager, citing viewership numbers on election night Nov. 2.

Meanwhile across town, "Hawaii News Now … continues to dominate local news," according to its press release, further stating that it remains "Hawaii’s undisputed evening news leader."

Hawaii News Now shows are produced by a team of reporters, producers, videographers and others assembled from two formerly competing newsrooms at KGMB and KHNL. They were merged under a shared services agreement announced by station owners in August of 2009.

After more than a year of newscasts and ratings growth, "we are positive 2011 will provide even more excitement for Hawaii News Now," said Rick Blangiardi, general manager.

Officials at Nielsen Media, the ratings service, gave Hawaii News Now its blessing to refer to the shows it airs across two stations at once as simulcasts, though they are not always synchronous, and though one station often will carry different commercials than the other during the same time slot.

The simulcast blessing by Nielsen paved the way for KGMB and KHNL officials to combine the shows’ ratings, share points and demographic information for bragging rights and sales purposes.

On the strength of its combined figures, Hawaii News Now claims to be No. 1 at 5 p.m. with its news show, but so does KHON.

KHON’s press release claims its 5:30 p.m. "World Report with Joe Moore" is "again number one," but figures the station provided to the Star-Advertiser show that the "ABC World News" on KITV has the same ratings. Favorable audience demographics for "World Report" tip the scale in KHON’s favor, the station said.

Morning news presents the newest battle ground, and KHON claims its "Wake Up 2day" regained the top spot from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., but the ratings are nearly identical for KGMB.

Rating: The percent of all TV households in Hawaii tuned in to a particular show. Share: The percent of people watching TV at that time who are tuned in to a particular show.

*Airs at 6:30 p.m.

**Airs at 9 p.m.

(a) Hawaii News Now is simulcast on KGMB and KHNL from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., 5 to 5:30 p.m. and 10 to 10:30 p.m.

(b) KITV airs an hourlong newscast at 10 p.m. weekdays.

Source: Nielsen Media

Rating: The percent of all TV households in Hawaii tuned in to a particular show. Share: The percent of people watching TV at that time who are tuned in to a particular show.

*Airs at 6:30 p.m.

**Airs at 9 p.m.

(a) Hawaii News Now is simulcast on KGMB and KHNL from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., 5 to 5:30 p.m. and 10 to 10:30 p.m.

(b) KITV airs an hourlong newscast at 10 p.m. weekdays.

Source: Nielsen Media