Couric Raises Ratings for CBS O&Os

Source: Media Week CBS is touting the Couric effect for its local TV stations. Since the debut two weeks ago of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric, 16 of CBS' 21 owned-and-operated CBS stations saw ratings jump for both the national news broadcast and their local programming, the company said Tuesday.

Collectively, household ratings for the Evening News on the 16 stations between Sept. 5 and Sept. 15 were up 44 percent, compared to the same two week period last year. Strongest gains were posted in New York on WCBS (up 67 percent); Los Angeles on KCBS (up 68 percent); Chicago on WBBM (up 65 percent); Philadelphia on KYW (up 58 percent); Boston on WBZ (up 60 percent); San Francisco on KPIX (up 33 percent) and Dallas on KTVT (up 44 percent).

Several CBS O & Os also saw ratings increases for their local newscasts, on average up 6 percent. MORE