Which Network News Brands Are Keeping Their Promise?

With new studies out on how network news brands report and the type of viewer watching, Tim Halloran, President of Atlanta based Brand Illumination, a branding strategy firm that works with branding products and people gives his thoughts on whether any network news brands are actually keeping their brand promise.

Every brand makes a promise to its consumer. Great brands are able to find a compelling promise to make to their core target consumer and through execution and product?s delivery are able to keep that promise. Who keeps their brand promise and who fails to? Today, we look at the major news networks.

FOX NEWS NETWORK ? ?Fair and Balanced?

Fox News claims that it does not favor either political party or viewpoint in its coverage. As support for this proposition, the network claims that they always interview representatives from both sides of a political issue and cover stories in an unbiased way. Do they keep that brand promise? A recent Pew Research Study on the tone of the Political Coverage indicated that Fox News was in fact, fair and balanced. Of Fox?s presidential stories, 40% of John McCain/Sarah Palin stories had a negative tone and 40% of Barack Obama/Joe Biden stories were likewise negative. Furthermore, Fox had a positive tone on 22% of McCain stories and 25% of Obama stories. Interestingly, Fox?s audience breakdown was the most ?Republican? of the networks studied with 39% describing themselves as ?Republican,? 33% as ?Democrat?, and 22% as ?Independent? ? slightly higher than the nation as a whole, but not overwhelmingly so. Does Fox News Network keep their brand promise? Verdict: YES. From this study, it appears that Fox delivers on its promise of being ?Fair and Balanced?

MSNBC ? ?The Place for Politics?

MSNBC claims that through its slate of politically savvy and entertaining pundits such as Joe Scarborough, Chris Matthews, and Keith Olbermann, that it is truly the place for politics. Does MSNBC keep their brand promise? The same Pew Research study indicated that 73% of MSNBC stories on McCain were negative vs. 14% for Obama. Positive stories were consistent - 10% of MSNBC McCain stories were positive while 41% Obama stories were positive. Not surprisingly, only 18% of MSNBC?s viewers identified themselves as Republicans vs. 45% as Democrat and 22% as independents. Does MSNBC keep their brand promise? Verdict: NO. From this study, it appears that MSNBC only fulfils the promise of being the place for liberal politics.

CNN ? ?The Most Trusted Name In News?

CNN claims to be the most trusted name in news. As support for this proposition they claim their longevity in delivering a 24 hour news stations (remember, they were the first 24 hour news network) and their stable of experts and pundits. But does CNN really keep that brand promise? CNN was not part of the Pew Research analysis of political tone. However, we can look at the politics of CNN viewers to understand who CNN is trying to appeal to. Of all the three news networks, CNN had a larger % of viewers who identify most with Democrats, 51%. Only 18% of CNN viewers identified themselves as Republicans while 23% identified themselves as Independents. Verdict: NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION. But the CNN brand is either intentionally or unintentionally doing something that is driving up viewers who lean Democratic.

What does this mean?

The major network news brands have, by their programming, segmented the news viewing market. When a brand segments the market and identifies a target market that it wants to attract, it puts all its effort into targeting that market. By comparing at the viewership of each network with its political tone, we can see that each network is appealing to its target market by the stories that it runs. Fox News Network has a relatively balanced viewer-base and is relatively balanced in their tone while MSNBC and hypothetically CNN, have a Democratic skewed viewer base and consequently, a bias toward Democratic candidates and initiatives. The attempt by each news network to appeal to their ?target? market will only continue to magnify the differences between the news coverage of each network. The major networks, Fox, CNN, and MSNBC will want to continue to appeal to their target market and consequently, will frame stories that appeal to that market?s attitudes and beliefs. This will in turn continue to position each brand in the heart and minds of its consumers, but also against other news network brands. For example, the common perception is that Fox News is a conservative leaning news network. When compared to other news networks, including the broadcast networks (who also skew stories favorably toward Democrats), Fox News does in fact skews more conservative. However, in the absolute, Fox News is by far and away the closest network to being ?fair and balanced? than any major news network and, as a result, is the best at fulfilling its ?brand promise?.

News networks designed as brands to appeal to a particular target consumer group will continue to result in the death of news being reported without an agenda.

Tim Halloran is President of Brand Illumination, a branding strategy firm that works with products and people. Tim?s work has appeared on major TV news and radio shows around the world as well as the USAToday, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal. His unique perspective emerges from over 16 years of strategic consumer marketing, branding, and new product development experience at such international firms as the Coca-Cola Company. Tim provides brand ?illumination? for numerous leading traditional and non traditional brands including consumer products, professional athletes, non profit organizations, and individuals.

A consultant, speaker, and educator, Tim is available for interviews and speaking engagements.

Interviews may be arranged via E-mail: tim@brandillumination.com or phone at 404-218-4117

Check out Tim at http://www.brandillumination.com