Univision WXTV-TV Sweeps 6PM News Race In NYC.

Spanish-language UHF TV station Univision 41 (WXTV), here, has swept New York’s 6 pm news race in all key audience categories, regardless of language, according to Nielsen Station Index (NSI) figures for the recently concluded May, 2004 sweep. The Univision station scored massive audience gains to be number one in all three key age groups prized by advertisers in the signature 6 pm news race on a Monday – Sunday, seven day per week basis among all New York TV stations. The first-place demographic ratings for the 6 pm “Noticias Univision 41” are all the more remarkable in light of the program’s fourth place standing in household rating.

In addition, Univision 41 augmented its standing with young TV viewers by scoring gains in every key early news demographic at 5 pm, 6 pm, and 6:30 pm based on a comparison of May 2004 sweep data with comparable data for the May 2003 sweep. Sweeps are the four, four-week periods annually in which audiences of TV stations nationwide are measured to set advertising rates. The May 2004 sweep took place from April 29 through May 26, 2004. The May 2003 sweep took place from April 24 through May 21, 2003.

On a seven-day basis, the 6 pm “Noticias Univision 41” (Univision 41 News) was seen by more viewers aged 18 to 34, 18 to 49, and 25 to 54 during the May 2004 sweep than any other 6 pm news program on New York TV, in English or Spanish. An average of 108,000 viewers aged 18 – 34 watched “Noticias Univision 41” at 6 pm. That’s up 64 percent from the number aged 18 – 34 who watched the program during the May 2003 sweep. WNBC Channel 4 ranks second with 45,000 viewers aged 18 – 34. WABC-TV Channel 7 is third with 37,000 viewers.

“Noticias Univision 41” attracted an average of 205,000 viewers aged 18 – 49, up 36% from its second place May 2003 showing. WABC/7 fell from first to second with 164,000 viewers. Telemundo’s WNJU/47 is third with 124,000 viewers aged 18 -49.

Among those aged 25 to 54, “Noticias Univision 41 leapt from third place to first with an average of 206,000 viewers, up 25% in the past year. Second place goes to WABC/7 with 197,000 viewers, down from first place a year ago. WNBC/4 is third with 181,000 viewers, down from second a year ago.

Univision 41 (WXTV) also cemented its position among younger New York TV viewers with significant gains for its other early evening news programs, the 5 pm weekday “Primer Impacto” (First Impression), and the 6:30 pm Univision network newscast, “Noticiero Univision.”

“Primer Impacto” was seen by an average of 101,000 viewers aged 18 to 34 during the May 2004 sweep, up 40% in the past year to firm its grip on first place. Telemundo’s WNJU/47 ran second with “Al Rojo Vivo” (The Wheel of Life), which attracted an average of 75,000 viewers aged 18-34. WABC/7 is third with 66,000.

At 6:30 pm weekdays, “Noticiero Univision” attracted 95,000 viewers aged 18 to 34, up 56% in a year. “Noticiero Univision” also scored big gains among New York viewers aged 18 to 49 with 189,000 viewers, up 25% from its third place finish a year ago and good for a close second to WABC/7’s “ABC World News Tonight.” The ABC program attracted an average of 197,000 viewers aged 18 to 49.