The recount controversy has been a boon to cable networks, according to the latest Nielsen figures. As of last Friday, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC, were seeing an audience increase of more than 230 percent over last November. Together they are averaging 4 million viewers in primetime versus less than one million viewers in November, 1999. Today's (Tuesday) New York Daily News observed that the audience growth is not coming at the expense of the TV networks and the other cable channels. It quoted Tom DeCabia of ad buyers Schulman/Advanswers NY as saying, "News always brings in the light viewer."

Source: Studio Briefing