Unlike DUers and other political wonkers, most folks don't watch cable news.

[MineralMan]

Most people are not glued to political news around the clock. Instead, they watch their local network affiliate's news, typically once a day, either in the morning, evening or at night. ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox broadcast network. How do we know that? Just look at the ratings for news programming. Viewers of the four major networks so far outnumber cable news viewers that it's almost laughable.

Bottom line: People who watch cable news regularly almost certainly have already decided how to vote, and many of them have already voted. Same goes for denizens of political websites like DU, KOS, HuffPo and the dozens of conservative sites out there. Their votes aren't going to change.

So, what CNN is doing today with regard to the election will have zero impact on Tuesday. They have 24 hours to fill with commentary about politics right now. All of the cable news channels are doing the same things. Depending on when you watch, you'll see whatever grabs people's eyes on those channels.

Over on the network news channels, it's 30 minutes to an hour of relatively straight news reporting. Its a different look at the world than cable news, and that's where most eyes are, frankly.

We care about all of this. We care a great deal. We're obsessed with election news. We're weird, frankly. We aren't typical voters. We're a minority, whatever our political viewpoint might be. Our votes count, but they're also a minor factor in elections.

Take a break. Tune into a major network news broadcast at 5:30, 6:00 or 10/11:00 tonight. Go see what everyone else is watching. It's those programs that have the most influence on the mass of voters, not cable news political pundits. Try it tonight. Watch the local news, too. Then, you can return to non-stop viewing of whatever cable news network you love or hate.

Breathe. The election doesn't depend on what any of the cable news channels are saying. Really, it doesn't.

[stopbush]

1. About 1.5% of Americans watch the primetime cable news shows.

That includes ALL the networks combined. It's, what, about 6-million people, tops?

Network cable news is little more that Free Speech TV with better-heeled advertisers.

Yep. No one is watching cable news.

[MineralMan]

2. Yup. Lots more tune into the broadcast network news.

Every day. It's an amazing comparison really.

We're seeing the world from a different perspective than others see it. Oh, well.

[jcgoldie]

6. On the other hand for those who watch local news

The info they get is just as suspect albeit not 24/7. Yesterday here in the STL metro area I caught a 5 minute local news segment on the "smilocracy party" and their happyface sticker candidate for those who are too bummed out by the negative election campaigns.

[MineralMan]

8. A little humor break, eh?

Whatever. We take this election very seriously. Most people don't. Most people who vote do so based on almost no information at all. However, it is the serious voters who actually try to get information who end up deciding elections.

That's why door-to-door canvassing and phone banking is so important. The information delivered can influence typical voters, if they bother to listen. Most don't. Most won't even listen to that.

People vote based on their own limited take on the election. Often it's a single thing that convinces them how to vote. And that single thing can be different for each person.

[shraby]

3. Yup, even here along the lake in WI, where we have cable, many will

not pay what it costs, so don't watch it.

[MineralMan]

5. Even people who have cable don't necessary watch cable news.

I don't. And I'm a news wonker. My wife has MSNBC on all the time, but I work downstairs and don't see it. I do watch my local CBS affiliate, though, in the AM and at the dinner hour. That's plenty of TV news for me.

Folks on DU will be sure to let me know what the cable news folks are up to, though.

The presidential election will have up to 200 million voters. Most of them will not have seen any cable news at all. Most of them don't get the daily paper. Most of them tune into local and network broadcast news sometimes, though. That's where the real influence is. That's where the campaign ads are. That's what matters.

MSNBC has a laughably small percentage of the total number voters in its audience. It's insignificant, really. Maybe 2 million at its most-watched times. Maybe 1% of the voting public watch it. Same thing applies to CNN and Fox News.

If you watch any of them, you're part of a minority group, really. Collectively, though, the broadcast network news programs have somewhat more than 20 million viewers every evening. Even that's only 10% of the voters.

Most people vote based on very, very little information at all.

[Awsi Dooger]

4. Yeah, but that's one of the problems with the Comey story

Those voters who don't pay close attention were seeing and hearing headlines like "reopening of email investigation" and "warrant," not the details denouncing Comey's move or that it's likely nothing.

[MineralMan]

7. And most of those voters couldn't care less about it.

That's the actual truth of the matter. They're more likely to decide based on 30-second TV ads.

I'm sorry to say it, but most votes are cast based on preset ideas or whims.