L.A. Turns on TV Sets as Disturbances Erupt

When the seven major local commercial TV stations cut away from regular programming Wednesday afternoon for live coverage of the verdict in Rodney G. King trial, viewer interest appeared to be mild as TV viewing levels remained average. But, by the evening’s prime-time hours, as word spread of the acquittals and violence erupted downtown, the total number of households watching television in the Los Angeles market rose dramatically, with 77% of them tuned to local news coverage.

From 8 to 11 p.m., when the three network-owned stations dumped valuable prime-time programming for the May ratings sweeps period--including the network-TV debut of “Batman” on CBS and “The 27th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards” on NBC--about 3.5 million of the area’s nearly 4.9 million households were tuned into news coverage on local stations, according to preliminary ratings figures released Thursday by A. C. Nielsen Co.

Overall, television viewing Wednesday night from 8 to 11 was 18% higher than for the same period Tuesday.

During the traditional 11-11:30 p.m. newscasts, 57% of all television households in the Los Angeles market (which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties) were in use. That represented a 32% rise from the number of households watching television the previous evening.

During prime time, news coverage on KABC-TV Channel 7 drew almost twice as many households as the nearest competitor, with an average 18.3 rating (each point represents 48,751 households) and 25% share of the audience. Independent KTLA-TV Channel 5 finished second with an 11.4 rating and 16 share.

One buyer of local advertising time suggested that the L.A. stations, especially network-owned KABC, KNBC-TV Channel 4 and KCBS-TV Channel 2, may have lost “hundreds of thousands of dollars” by airing virtually nonstop news coverage. Thirty-second local advertising spots for the blockbuster “Batman” on KCBS, for instance, were selling for an estimated $15,000 to $20,000.

KABC General Manager Terry Crofoot, who preempted ABC’s Wednesday night comedy lineup, said that the loss of advertising revenue at a time like this is part of the business.

“It was a simple decision, really,” he said Thursday. “Part of our role is to provide news coverage, and we believe providing nonstop coverage is a public service we must provide.”

KABC had no plans to broadcast the programming that was preempted Wednesday night, but KNBC has scheduled the “Country Music Awards” for Sunday at midnight, and KCBS will show “Batman” Saturday night at 8 p.m.