ENTERTAINMENT NEWS DIGEST: Healthy ratings for Winfrey network

Healthy ratings for Winfrey network

NEW YORK

On its debut weekend, Oprah Winfrey’s cable network got some healthy sampling from viewers. During the three-hour block beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network averaged 1 million viewers, according to preliminary Nielsen Co. figures released Monday by the network.

OWN said that, during Saturday’s 8 and 9 p.m. hour, the network ranked third among all ad-supported cable networks in the 25-to-54-year-old audience demographic. OWN was airing episodes of its reality series, “Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes.” Only ESPN and USA Network ranked higher. Sunday in prime time, the network averaged 822,000 viewers.

OWN, which launched at noon Saturday, is available in 80 percent of homes that have cable.

Fox News hires veteran reporter

NEW YORK

Veteran CNN and CBS reporter and anchorman John Roberts is joining Fox News Channel.

The network announced Monday that Roberts was joining the network as a senior national correspondent.

Roberts most recently was a host of CNN’s “American Morning,” but he was bumped from that job when the network announced a reorganization last month. He had been discussing a transfer to Atlanta, home base for his fianc e, CNN anchor Kyra Phillips.

Roberts spent 14 years with CBS, working as a White House correspondent and anchor of the weekend evening news. He joined CNN in 2006.