Inside Move: Minute men

Bouncy Headline News playing beat the clock

By PAULA BERNSTEIN

When CNN Headline News relaunched five months ago, its mission statement was to attract Generations X, Y and Z. And while the plan seems to be working, the net's viewership remains meager compared with that of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, and many of its onscreen gimmicks -- such as headline tickers and factoid boxes -- have been co-opted by rival newsies in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

From launch date (Aug. 6) through Dec. 14 during primetime, Headline News has seen viewership among 18- to 34-year-olds explode 169% from the same period last year. But MSNBC, the third-rated cable news net, attracted almost twice as many viewers (764,000 vs. 395,000) and nearly double the adults 18-34 (129,000 vs. 70,000).

There's also the question of how long Headline News viewers stick around.

"It's very much geared to a generation that's computer conscious," says Reese Schonfeld, founding president and CEO of CNN, referring to the quick Web surfing of today's net set. "But you've got to watch at least six minutes -- at least one commercial -- to register as a viewer."

Average viewing time in November was just 15 minutes, but that's a boost of three to four minutes over last year.

"Their viewers do one of two things after watching for just a few minutes: switch over to one of the main cable news channels or leave news altogether," says MSNBC prexy Erik Sorenson. "Their average age may be better, but they struggle keeping them around for long."

Turner Broadcasting chairman and CEO Jamie Kellner, who oversees CNN and Headline News, is flattered that the competish now regularly mimics Headline News' info-packed screen.

"We've created a new way to tell stories and we're all learning how to use the screen differently," says Kellner. "It's a trend that's going to continue."