Showtime’s “Queer as Folk”
proved there was an audience for later gay-themed entertainment like
“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” “The L Word” and the
recently launched cable network Logo.
But in its final season, “Folk” has lost most of
that audience. Ratings for the once-hip show have fallen by more
than half since its 2000 debut, and it’s in the midst of its worst
year ever.
Through July 10, the most recent data available, new
“Folk” episodes are averaging a 0.30 household rating, according
to Nielsen numbers provided by Magna Global USA. That’s down 12
percent from last year’s 0.34 average.
It’s off 57 percent from the show’s third-season average
of 0.7, and down 66 percent from 2000-2001’s premiere season
average of 0.87.
Most shows fade somewhat by their fifth season, but why
the steep dropoff for “Folk,” which has remained in the same
Sunday 10 p.m. timeslot and enjoyed lots of press coverage for its
sex-soaked storylines?
Actually, it may be because of those storylines. A year after
gay marriage was a critical, and very divisive, issue in the 2004
election, a show like “Folk” was bound to slip.
While “Queer Eye” and “Will &Grace” play
gay for laughs, “Folk” stays serious and issue-oriented, with
the gay marriage debate showing up in this year’s storylines. And
that may be too much for formerly casual viewers to take.
“Look at where the gay community was five years ago
and what's happened since the election,” “Folk”
writer-producer Daniel Lipman told the Associated Press during last week’s Showtime
Television Critics Association presentation.
With gays feeling increasing scrutiny over gay marriage
and adoption, some homosexual viewers may have become exasperated
with the promiscuity of several “Folk” characters, not wanting
to watch a show that some say enforces stereotypes.
“Queer’s” final season ends Aug. 7.
In other cable ratings
for the week ended July 17:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, ESPN,
Lifetime
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TNT, Lifetime,
USA, ESPN, Nick at Nite
Top movie (18-49s): Lifetime’s “Murder in the Hamptons”
(Monday, 9 p.m.) 1.9 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s Nextel Cup Racing
(Sunday, 2:13 p.m.) 7.3 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s
and 25-54s: ESPN’s Home Run Derby
(Monday, 8 p.m.); TNT’s Nextel Cup Racing (Sunday, 2:13 p.m.);
Spike’s WWE Entertainment (Monday, 10 p.m.)
Show on the rise:
“Battlestar Galactica,” Sci Fi, 10 p.m. With “Star Trek:
Enterprise” retired, it seems viewers are getting their space fix
from “Battlestar Galactica.” The show’s second-season premiere
was its highest-rated episode ever, with more than 3 million total
viewers and a 2.6 household rating. Sci Fi’s “Stargate SG-1”
and "Stargate Atlantis” also had their best season premieres
last Friday, “SG-1” averaging 2.6 million total viewers for its
ninth season and “Atlantis” averaging 2.8 million for season
two.
Show on the decline:
“Hogan Knows Best,” VH1, Sunday 9:30 p.m. Curious viewers
flocked to last week’s premiere to see wrestling legend Hulk Hogan
play daddy, but apparently he was better in the ring. After debuting
with 1.94 million viewers 18-49, “Hogan Knows Best” fell out of
the top 50 programs in that demo last week. Among 18-34s, the show
averaged 849,000 viewers, down 35 percent from its 1.31 million
debut.
|
TOP 25
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
2075 |
NICK |
1611 |
|
2 |
LIF |
1845 |
NAN* |
1419 |
|
3 |
USA |
1680 |
TNT |
1164 |
|
4 |
FOXN |
1489 |
TOON |
1107 |
|
5 |
NAN |
1485 |
ADSM* |
1065 |
|
6 |
ESPN |
1377 |
LIF |
1042 |
|
7 |
TOON |
1233 |
TBSC |
797 |
|
8 |
TBSC |
1182 |
FOXN |
780 |
|
9 |
SPK |
1182 |
USA |
759 |
|
10 |
AMC |
1051 |
MTV |
601 |
|
11 |
SCIF |
1017 |
ESPN |
567 |
|
12 |
FX |
903 |
FAM |
562 |
|
13 |
MTV |
864 |
SPK |
531 |
|
14 |
DISC |
826 |
AMC |
527 |
|
15 |
FAM |
824 |
SCIF |
519 |
|
16 |
AEN |
822 |
AEN |
502 |
|
17 |
TVLD |
789 |
FX |
502 |
|
18 |
HALL |
748 |
HALL |
499 |
|
19 |
HGTV |
688 |
TVLD |
498 |
|
20 |
HIST |
664 |
HIST |
457 |
|
21 |
CMDY |
655 |
DISC |
454 |
|
22 |
CORT |
655 |
HGTV |
442 |
|
23 |
CNN |
632 |
FOOD |
416 |
|
24 |
VH1 |
620 |
CORT |
402 |
|
25 |
FOOD |
567 |
CMDY |
401 |
|
* Network broadcasts
less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from
Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 25
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 17
|
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
Nextel Cup Racing/Loudon |
TNT |
4954 |
|
2 |
Home Run Derby |
ESPN |
4439 |
|
3 |
Murder In The Hamptons |
LIF |
3944 |
|
4 |
The Closer |
TNT |
3717 |
|
5 |
Monk |
USA |
3586 |
|
6 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
3386 |
|
7 |
Real World XVI |
MTV |
3040 |
|
8 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
2958 |
|
9 |
Yankees/Red Sox |
ESPN |
2830 |
|
10 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
2779 |
|
11 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
2741 |
|
12 |
Into The West |
TNT |
2629 |
|
13 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
2626 |
|
14 |
Murder In The Hamptons |
LIF |
2585 |
|
15 |
Bank Of America Pre-Race |
TNT |
2514 |
|
16 |
Futurama |
ADSM |
2492 |
|
17 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2475 |
|
18 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2455 |
|
19 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2447 |
|
20 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
2422 |
|
21 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2415 |
|
22 |
Lethal Vows |
LIF |
2414 |
|
23 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
2408 |
|
24 |
The High And Mighty |
AMC |
2379 |
|
25 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2374 |
|
Source: Turner
Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media
Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults
18-34
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
PRIME
TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TBSC |
523 |
ADSM* |
435 |
|
2 |
ESPN |
516 |
NAN* |
376 |
|
3 |
MTV |
430 |
TBSC |
323 |
|
4 |
USA |
422 |
NICK |
264 |
|
5 |
TNT |
377 |
MTV |
260 |
|
6 |
FX |
367 |
ESPN |
228 |
|
7 |
LIF |
353 |
LIF |
223 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
323 |
TNT |
222 |
|
9 |
SPK |
323 |
USA |
219 |
|
10 |
VH1 |
323 |
VH1 |
204 |
|
* Network broadcasts
less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from
Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Real World XVI |
MTV |
2163 |
|
2 |
Home Run Derby |
ESPN |
1818 |
|
3 |
MTV's The 70's House |
MTV |
1527 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
1214 |
|
5 |
Futurama |
ADSM |
1130 |
|
6 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1089 |
|
7 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1087 |
|
8 |
Espy Awards |
ESPN |
1063 |
|
9 |
Nextel Cup Racing/Loudon |
TNT |
1057 |
|
10 |
American Pie Il |
USA |
1033 |
|
Source: Turner
Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media
Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
PRIME
TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1062 |
NAN* |
709 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1001 |
TNT |
613 |
|
3 |
TNT |
999 |
TBSC |
589 |
|
4 |
ESPN |
975 |
ADSM* |
577 |
|
5 |
LIF |
934 |
LIF |
545 |
|
6 |
SPK |
808 |
USA |
484 |
|
7 |
SCIF |
746 |
NICK |
424 |
|
8 |
FX |
721 |
ESPN |
403 |
|
9 |
DISC |
652 |
FX |
374 |
|
10 |
MTV |
559 |
SPK |
363 |
|
* Network broadcasts
less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from
Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Home Run Derby |
ESPN |
3301 |
|
2 |
Nextel Cup Racing/Loudon |
TNT |
3268 |
|
3 |
Real World XVI |
MTV |
2600 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
2537 |
|
5 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
2148 |
|
6 |
Monk |
USA |
2084 |
|
7 |
Espy Awards |
ESPN |
1924 |
|
8 |
Murder In The Hamptons |
LIF |
1915 |
|
9 |
MTV's The 70's House |
MTV |
1890 |
|
10 |
Shark Week 2005 |
DISC |
1888 |
|
Source: Turner
Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media
Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending July 17 |
|
|
PRIME
TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
1161 |
TNT |
706 |
|
2 |
USA |
1096 |
NAN* |
589 |
|
3 |
LIF |
1057 |
LIF |
582 |
|
4 |
ESPN |
928 |
TBSC |
502 |
|
5 |
SPK |
859 |
USA |
473 |
|
6 |
TBSC |
853 |
SCIF |
374 |
|
7 |
SCIF |
833 |
SPK |
374 |
|
8 |
FX |
648 |
ESPN |
371 |
|
9 |
DISC |
639 |
ADSM* |
342 |
|
10 |
AMC |
529 |
FX |
339 |
|
* Network broadcasts
less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from
Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending July 17 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Nextel Cup Racing/Loudon |
TNT |
3769 |
|
2 |
Home Run Derby |
ESPN |
2965 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
2405 |
|
4 |
Monk |
USA |
2400 |
|
5 |
Murder In The Hamptons |
LIF |
2379 |
|
6 |
WWE Entertainment |
SPK |
2069 |
|
7 |
Battlestar Galactica (Orig) |
SCIF |
2061 |
|
8 |
The Closer |
TNT |
2034 |
|
9 |
The Dead Zone |
USA |
2019 |
|
10 |
The 4400 |
USA |
1917 |
|
Source: Turner
Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media
Research.
|
|
