Media Notes

Turner Looking To Tally Number Of Viewers Who Watch Games Out-Of-Home

TV WEEK's Jon Lafayette reports Turner Broadcasting "commissioned new research to find out how many people are watching games out-of-home." The research, conducted by Nielsen with IMMI, found that "tallying out-of-home viewing added 262,000 viewers" in adults 18-49, or 7%, to the audience for TBS' six primetime ALCS games. TBS gained 7% in adults 18-34 and 6% in adults 25-54 with the addition of out-of-home viewers. The net also gained another 126,000 adults 18-24, raising total viewership in the demo 13%. Lafayette notes IMMI "gives its sample viewers a special cell phone to carry that picks up the sound of television broadcasts" (TV WEEK, 11/3 issue).

NOTES: Rodale Inc., which publishes magazines including Men's Health, Prevention and Runner's World, is "cutting 10% of its work force." The 111 layoffs will come "largely by outsourcing functions like information technology, customer service and fulfillment." Rodale is not planning to close publications (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 11/4)....In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote MSG Network's Knicks pregame show is "already in need of fixing." Raissman: "Whoever thinks compelling TV is having [Al] Trautwig do his thing in the Garden lobby is sadly mistaken. Watching [Trautwig], with all those yahoos behind him gesturing while talking on cell phones, is totally distracting" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/2).