Record Heat Lights Up WXTV-TV Univision News Ratings In NYC.
July 2, 2005
A record heat wave that has gripped the eastern part of the United States has lit a fire under the ratings for Spanish-language TV news in New York. As temperatures in Manhattan’s Central Park yesterday hit a record 96 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity sparking peak electrical demand leading to area brownouts and blackouts, New York TV news viewers turned in droves to the area’s premier Spanish-language TV station, Univision 41 (WXTV), making its 6 pm local newscast number one in New York.
The station’s 6 pm news, “Noticias Univision 41” (Univision 41 News) with anchors Rafael Pineda and Denisse Oller lead with team coverage of the record heat story helmed by weatherman Sol Sostre. For the first time ever, the 6 pm “Noticias Univision 41” was number one yesterday (July 26) regardless of language among key news viewing audiences, adults aged 18 to 49 and 25 to 54 years old, not only among news programs, but among all competing programs in the 6 pm to 6:30 pm half-hour.
According to Nielsen Station Index local people meter overnight ratings, 157,658 NY area viewers aged 18-49 watched “Noticias Univision 41” at 6 pm last night. The nearest competitor is the 6 pm “Eyewitness News” on WABC-TV Channel 7, seen by 138,705 adults aged 18-49. Among those aged 25 to 54 years old, 211,512 viewers watched “Noticias Univision 41” last night. WABC/7 again was in second place in the 6 pm to 6:30 pm time period with 176,260 viewers aged 25 to 54.
