Cumbria Viewers Turn to TV News Channels After Flood Devastation

Last Updated on Monday, 23 November 2009 23:33 Monday, 23 November 2009 23:33

Cockermouth Rescue TV news channels have become a vital source of information over the last three days, after floods devastated parts of Cumbria. Industry figures show that the audience for Sky News and BBC News rose sharply in the Border region as viewers tuned in for the latest information and pictures from across the affected area.

Between Friday and Sunday, the rolling news channels accounted for 5.61% of all TV viewing in the Border region, a five-fold increase from the figure of 1.12% during the same period of the previous week.

Sky News was the most-watched news channel in the Border region over the three days, with 3.30% of the total TV audience, compared to 2.31% for BBC News.

On Thursday November 19 during the 11pm newshour, when Sky News was broadcasting live from Cockermouth ahead of any other news channel, Sky News' audience had more than two and a half times the number of viewers than BBC News (an average of 127,000 for Sky News v. 49,000 for BBC News).

Sky News Online over the weekend also saw an increase in usership;

Friday Nov 20:

Page views 6.3 million (up 35pc on average comparable weekday figure)
Unique users - 539,000 (about average for weekday)

Saturday Nov 21:

Page views 4.7 million (up 40 per cent on average weekend figure)
Uniques - 323,000 (up 20 pc on average weekend figure)

Sunday Nov 22:

Page views 4.5 million (up 40 pc on average weekend figure
Uniques - 348,000 (up 20 pc on average weekend figure).
Picture gallery and video figures were also up on each of these days by around 20 per cent.

Sky News Coverage Highlights

Friday Nov 20:

0816 - Sky News first broadcast news channel to have live picture of RAF helicopters evacuating people from their homes.

1013 - Sky News first to film live from rescue centres.

1134 - Sky News presenter Colin Brazier first to anchor Sky News' live coverage from Cockermouth with Andrew Wilson presenting Live at Five from Cockermouth later in the day.

Sky News also brought viewers the latest updates and pictures on the search for missing policeman Bill Barker following the collapse of the bridge in Workington and the subsequent recovery of his body.

1338 - Skycopter deployed to show pictures of the flood damage and aftermath.

FIRST INTERVIEW Environment Secretary Hilary Benn

Saturday Nov 21:

FIRST INTERVIEWS Sky News had the first interviews with Floods Minister Huw Irranca-Davies in Bridgend; Chief Constable Craig Mackey live for update on emergency operations and Aiden Kerr, of the Environment Agency.

1059 - Sky News first to broadcast pictures of Prime Minister Gordon Brown visiting the flood zone.

Sunday Nov 20:

0900 - Sky News first with the news that the Calva bridge had dropped by a foot.

1059 - Sky News first to broadcast pictures of Prime Minister Gordon Brown visiting the flood zone.

Users and viewers have been sending in photographs and video of the affected areas while Sky News has been updating them on travel disruption - including road and bridge closures and school closures, with advice from the Environment Agency, the Highways Agency, Cumbria County Council and other bodies. It has also been posting regular weather warnings from the Met Office.