March 1, 2005
CNN and CNN Headline News will become the first nationwide news network to air distilled spirits commercials with Grey Goose on Newsnight with Aaron Brown. However the commercial did not appear during the show as scheduled. David Sklaver of KSL Media, agency for Grey Goose had no idea why the commercial didn't air.
ABC, Fox News Channel and CNBC told New York Times they have no immediate plan to change their policy.
Although hundreds of local cable news and more than 600 broadcast stations accept spirit commercials according to the Distilled Spirits Council. In 2003, distilled spirit industry spent $36 million for television commercials.
On CNN, distilled spirits commercials can only air after 9 PM (ET) and must include a message promoting responsibility. In 2005 NASCAR, owned by Time Warner, also a parent company of CNN begun accepting spirit sponsors. According to the report by Business Week, NASCAR's policy shift will add more than $100 million a year in new revenue.
Sal Petruzzi, a spokesman for CNN told New York Times that the audience is concentrated in the "25-to-54-year-old age range." Although the average age of CNN's signature prime time show, "Anderson Cooper 360" is over 60 according to Nielsen. He also told New York Times that CNN was in talks with other companies about buying commercials for their liquor brands, but declined to specify them.
The decision to change the 25-year-old policy came shortly after the big programming changes on Headline News, adding an-hour long-entertainment show, "Showbiz Tonight", followed by "Nancy Grace" at 8PM ET.
CNN's struggles over ratings and ad revenue have been widely reported in the last few years. In February, CNN's ratings dropped 21% in prime time and 16% in total day versus the same month last year according to Nielsen.
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