DRUDGE REPORT 2002®
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX FRI OCT 25, 2002 12:09:38 ET XXXXX
TOP OF THE HEAP: 'GRETA' MOST-VIEWED SHOW ON CABLE
News presenter Greta Van Susteren stunned the TV world after she emerged as the top-rated show on all of cable Wednesday night in prime -- outpacing even non-news channels!
In the high-stakes drama and swirl of breaking news sniper coverage, Greta rocketed to Number One as the case was coming to its dramatic climax, leading all news and entertainment programming.
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When the dust settled, the morning after the night before, FOX NEWS CHANNEL's ON THE RECORD W/GRETA had pulled in 3,306,000 viewers, NIELSEN reports. Topping all news channel programming, HBO, NICK, USA, TBS, TNT and CARTOON.
Time slot rivals note that Lady Luck was shinning on Greta as she just happened to be on the air as the sniper case peaked Wednesday evening.
But so were her rivals.
The ratings upset comes less than a year after Greta defected from CNN to FOX NEWS. Steady and sure-footed, she has mastered a low-key, non-emotional, on-air approach. A tonic to the screams.
[A source close to FOX's Bill O'Reilly notes O'Reilly's FACTOR did not air Wednesday night, clearing the way for a Greta victory. "Let's see if Ms. Van Susteren can keep the crown," joked the well-placed O'Reilly source.]
DONAHUE 'EXCLUSIVE'?
CNN's Connie Chung on Thursday night featured a taped interview with Ed Holliday, the cousin of alleged sniper John Muhammad.
But three minutes later, through the magic of modern satellite, Holliday suddenly began appearing on MSNBC's DONAHUE.
As Chung probed away, DONAHUE labeled his interview "MSNBC EXCLUSIVE" and "Breaking News". For a while, Holliday was actually seen on both shows at the same time, even wearing the same T-shirt, but with MSNBC still bannering it as "exclusive"!
Only the NBC Peacock turned red with embarrassment.
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Filed by Matt Drudge
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