He arrived back on New Mexico's TV screens in January to great fanfare and with high hopes for KOB-TV's ratings. So how is veteran anchorman Nelson Martinez doing after a month of anchoring the NBC affiliates noon and 5 p.m. newscasts? Not too shabby, if the latest ratings are accurate. TV insiders tell "NM Politics With Joe Monahan" that Nelson "started off flat" his first couple of weeks but lately "has spiked KOB's noon & 5 p.m. ratings a bit." February is one of several crucial "sweeps" months when stations fight for big audiences so they can command healthy advertising rates. Martinez was hired by KOB after years on the anchor desk at KOAT, in part, to boost viewing in Hispanic households where he has a strong following. Nelson's hiring, we are told by insiders, rocked the boat a bit at KOB, but in TV good ratings rule, and if he continues to score you will continue to see Nelson on a tube near you.

And there's more action to report in TV ratings land. According to our sources, the big surprise so far this month has been the rise of KRQE-TV 13 in the 10 p.m. ratings. The CBS affiliate is now a close second to number one KOB with KOAT-TV, the ABC affiliate, coming in third at 10. But there are some big 'ifs' here. These ratings are the "overnights" and do not reflect the "Super Millionaire" series that ABC is now hyping. The insiders say that should give a late boost to 7 at 10 p.m. Also, my TV experts say Channel 13 "continues to skew older" winning an audience that is not "quite as attractive" to advertisers as the other two combatants.

It does appear Channel 13 is getting its money's worth out of Larry Barker, who jumped the KOAT ship to join his old cohort Dick Knipfing who co-anchors late night with Erika Ruiz. Barker is bringing back hallway chases and shouted questions to his investigative reports. He's being challenged in court by one of his subjects generating publicity for the station statewide. Larry's lawyer points out that he is not being challenged on the content of his investigative report. Maybe all the commotion is helping out the news ratings there. We shall see.

THE GOP'S GAY BRIGADE

A couple of prominent GOP political insiders have signed up with the gay and lesbian Log Cabin group and are forming a chapter of the national organization in NM. Patrick Killen, political director for the John Sanchez 02' Guv campaign and a two-time campaign manager for former state GOP Chair John Dendahl, and Troy Benavidez, a onetime aide to Senator Domenici, are among the chapter's first members here.

Killen, 24, stresses that the group supports President Bush and his policies, but part ways with him on the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. They think that matter should be left to the states. The Log Cabin Republicans formed in California in the 1970's and has spread nationally. They work to "support a more inclusive Republican Party." The latest national polling shows young voters overwhelmingly opposed to the anti-marriage amendment, but support is higher among older voters. The group gets its name from Abe Lincoln and his birth in a log Cabin and his support of civil rights.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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