When you take sports out of the equation, ABC has a comfortable lead on NBC this season.
But counting the Winter Olympics and "Sunday Night Football," NBC is out ahead.
If ABC's spring schedule, which includes the returns of "FlashForward," "V" and "Dancing with the Stars," doesn't help boost its average, the network may finish the season in fourth place among adults 18-49.
Through Sunday, the most recent numbers available from Nielsen, ABC is in fourth place with an average 2.7 adults 18-49 rating and 7 share, off 7 percent from last season, when it was in third place.
NBC is averaging a 2.9/8 this season, down 3 percent from last year.
Fox leads with a 3.7/10, up 6 percent from last year, while CBS is second at 3.3/9, up 3 percent.
Up until last month's Olympics, ABC led NBC, but the Winter Games pushed the latter ahead.
ABC has been hurt by declining numbers for longtime stalwarts "Grey's Anatomy" and "Desperate Housewives," whose strong ratings were once enough to make up for ratings bummers like "Scrubs" and "The Deep End," shows that filled in while "FlashForward" and "V" were off the air.
With the Olympics over, on a week-to-week basis, ABC and NBC are neck and neck. The two tied for third last week with a 2.1 rating.
Thus the next few weeks will be critical for ABC's chances at finishing third. The network's top show among total viewers, "Dancing with the Stars," returns Monday with ratings-bait celebrities such as Kate Gosselin ("Jon & Kate Plus 8"), Jake Pavelka ("The Bachelor") and Erin Andrews, ESPN's popular sideline reporter/internet pinup.
But perhaps more important for the network will be the performance of the first-year sci fi dramas, No. 1 new scripted show "V" and "FlashForward," that had promising premieres but saw their ratings fall.
Both have been off the schedule more than three months, and they will need their ratings to show some bounce in order to earn second seasons.
ABC declines to project where it will finish among 18-49s this season, but the network points out that it airs three of the top four scripted series on television with "Lost," "Grey's" and "Housewives," and five of the top 15 programs overall, including "V" and "Bachelor."
ABC also says that excluding sporting events, it would have a 2.7-2.1 lead over NBC this season, a 29 percent advantage.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended March 14:
Among adults 18-49, Fox was first with a 3.4 average rating and a 10 share, followed by CBS at 2.8/8, ABC and NBC at 2.1/6, Univision at 1.2/4, CW at 0.8/2, Telemundo at 0.5/2, Telefutura at 0.4/1, Ion at 0.3/1, and Azteca and Estrella (new to the national ratings this week) at 0.1/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “American Idol-Tuesday” 8.2; 2. Fox’s “American Idol-Wednesday” 7.5; 3. Fox’s “American Idol-Thursday” 6.3; 4. CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” 5.9; 5. CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” 5.8.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. Fox’s “American Idol-Tuesday” 22.75 million; 2. Fox’s “American Idol-Wednesday” 20.7 million; 3. CBS’s “NCIS” 19.58 million; 4. Fox’s “American Idol – Thursday” 19.34 million; 5. CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” 17.61 million.
Show on the rise: “Modern Family” ABC, Wednesday 9 p.m. The first-year comedy averaged a 3.8 rating among viewers 18-49, up 12 percent from a 3.4 the previous week.
Show on the decline: “The Marriage Ref” NBC, Thursday 10 p.m. Jerry Seinfeld’s reality comedy series slipped 24 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from a 3.4 rating to a 2.6.
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 14
Network
Households
People 2+
Adults 18-49
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
CBS
6.9
7970
12
3.9
11260
10
2.8
3650
8
FOX
5.5
6320
9
3.2
9400
8
3.4
4510
10
ABC
4.2
4820
7
2.2
6480
6
2.1
2700
6
NBC
4.0
4590
7
2.2
6300
6
2.1
2730
6
UNI
1.7
1910
3
1.1
3240
3
1.2
1610
4
CW
1.2
1380
2
0.6
1760
2
0.8
1010
2
ION
0.7
760
1
0.3
1020
1
0.3
400
1
TEL
0.6
660
1
0.4
1090
1
0.5
670
2
TF
0.5
540
1
0.3
960
1
0.4
530
1
ETV
0.1
150
0
0.1
260
0
0.1
140
0
AZA
0.1
140
0
0.1
210
0
0.1
120
0
*Each rating point is equivalent to 1. 149 million homes
Source: Nielsen
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 14
Network
Households
People 2+
Adults 18-49
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
CBS
7.3
8440
12
4.1
12100
10
3.3
4290
9
FOX
5.9
6770
9
3.5
10100
9
3.7
4910
10
NBC
5.5
6300
9
3.1
9020
8
2.9
3840
8
ABC
5.4
6230
9
3.0
8630
7
2.7
3570
7
UNI
1.8
2070
3
1.2
3540
3
1.4
1800
4
CW
1.3
1490
2
0.7
1980
2
0.9
1210
2
ION
0.7
770
1
0.4
1030
1
0.3
400
1
TEL
0.5
610
1
0.4
1050
1
0.5
630
1
TF
0.5
540
1
0.3
980
1
0.4
560
1
ETV
0.1
150
0
0.1
260
0
0.1
140
0
AZA
0.1
140
0
0.1
210
0
0.1
120
0
*Each rating point is equivalent to 1. 149 million homes
Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average of pre-TSV and Live+SD data.
Source: Nielsen
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 14
#
PROGRAMS
Net
HOUSEHOLDS
PERSONS 2+
Rtg%
Shr
(000)
#
Rtg%
(000)
1
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY
FOX
12.8
20
14690
1
7.8
22752
2
NCIS
CBS
12.0
19
13843
3
6.7
19579
3
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
FOX
11.9
19
13618
2
7.1
20701
4
AMERICAN IDOL THU SP-3/11(S)
FOX
11.2
18
12848
4
6.6
19339
5
TWO AND A HALF MEN
CBS
10.5
16
12105
5
6.0
17612
6
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
CBS
10.3
16
11835
6
5.8
16990
7
MENTALIST, THE
CBS
10.0
18
11435
8
5.5
16024
8
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
9.7
15
11163
7
5.6
16315
9
CSI
CBS
9.3
15
10653
9
5.2
15249
10
GOOD WIFE, THE
CBS
9.0
16
10319
10
4.8
13950
11
CRIMINAL MINDS
CBS
8.2
13
9374
12
4.5
13287
12
UNDERCOVER BOSS
CBS
7.8
12
8938
11
4.6
13510
13
60 MINUTES
CBS
7.7
14
8804
15
4.1
11977
14
CSI:
MIAMI
CBS
7.6
13
8676
15
4.1
11930
15
HOUSE
FOX
7.5
12
8663
13
4.4
12815
16
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
ABC
7.4
12
8493
15
4.1
12013
17
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
ABC
7.2
12
8229
19
3.7
10942
18
CSI: NY
CBS
7.1
13
8199
18
3.8
11072
19
SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS
CBS
7.0
11
8000
14
4.2
12123
20
COLD CASE
CBS
6.3
11
7232
20
3.5
10226
21
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
CBS
6.2
10
7105
22
3.4
10057
22
JASON AND MOLLY'S WEDDING(S)
ABC
6.1
10
7066
24
3.2
9300
22
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
CBS
6.1
9
7011
22
3.4
10072
24
AMAZING RACE 16
CBS
5.8
10
6658
20
3.5
10096
24
CASTLE
ABC
5.8
10
6720
26
3.1
9111
Source: Nielsen
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST Adults 18-49
Week Ending March 14
Rank
Program
Net
Rtg%
(000)
1
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY
FOX
8.2
10841
2
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
FOX
7.5
9882
3
AMERICAN IDOL THU SP-3/11(S)
FOX
6.3
8292
4
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
5.9
7771
5
TWO AND A HALF MEN
CBS
5.8
7666
6
HOUSE
FOX
4.8
6303
7
LOST
ABC
4.2
5555
8
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
ABC
3.9
5089
8
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
CBS
3.9
5130
8
UNDERCOVER BOSS
CBS
3.9
5160
11
MODERN FAMILY
ABC
3.8
4992
11
NCIS
CBS
3.8
5056
11
OFFICE
NBC
3.8
5023
14
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
ABC
3.7
4841
15
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
CBS
3.6
4689
15
SURVIVOR: HEROES-VILLAINS
CBS
3.6
4749
17
FAMILY GUY
FOX
3.5
4552
17
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
CBS
3.5
4590
19
CRIMINAL MINDS
CBS
3.4
4489
19
MENTALIST, THE
CBS
3.4
4475
21
CSI
CBS
3.3
4377
21
CSI:
MIAMI
CBS
3.3
4384
23
APPRENTICE 9
NBC
3.2
4235
24
AMAZING RACE 16
CBS
3.0
3987
24
BIGGEST LOSER 9
NBC
3.0
3966
24
KITCHEN NIGHTMRS-3/11 9P(S)
FOX
3.0
3996
Source: Nielsen
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED) Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 7
#
PROGRAMS
Net
Rtg
P2+ (000)
1
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR GF3/7(S)-03/07/2010
UNI
23.2
5624
2
CRISTINA MON
UNI
19.6
4030
2
HASTA DINERO SEPARE M-F
UNI
19.6
4765
4
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR M-F
UNI
19.5
4316
5
CORAZON SALVAJE M-F
UNI
16.9
3751
6
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR 3/7(S)-03/07/2010
UNI
14.5
3122
7
MUJERES ASESINAS 2 THU
UNI
14.4
3032
8
IMAGENES DE IMPACTO SUN
UNI
13.8
3147
9
RUMBO AL MUNDIAL
TEL
13.0
2969
10
AQUI Y AHORA TUE
UNI
12.9
2599
11
SABADO GIGANTE SAT
UNI
12.7
2672
12
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA WE
UNI
12.5
2382
13
ELLAS SON..ALEGRIA HG FRI
UNI
9.4
1914
14
HERMANOS Y DETECTIVES SAT
UNI
7.9
1642
15
CAPO, EL M-F
TF
5.8
1242
16
ANTESALA
TEL
5.4
1267
17
CLON M-F
TEL
5.3
1077
18
JUNTO AL TRI
TEL
5.1
1103
19
PERRO AMOR M-F
TEL
5.0
1129
20
VECINOS M-F
TF
4.6
1044
21
CINE MILLONARIO
TEL
4.5
980
22
CINE DE LAS ESTRELLAS M-F
TF
4.1
929
23
CINE DE LAS ESTREL SUN
TF
3.8
763
24
CINE DE LAS ESTREL SAT
TF
3.5
840
25
SN TTS NO HAY PARAISO F
TEL
3.4
773
Source: Nielsen
HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 7
#
PROGRAMS
Net
Rtg
P2+(000)
1
ACADEMY AWARDS(S)-03/07/2010
ABC
14.9
3267
2
OSCAR'S RED CARPET 2010(S)-03/07/2010
ABC
8.5
1794
3
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
FOX
6.9
1434
4
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY
FOX
6.8
1564
5
AMERICAN IDOL THU SP-3/4(S)-03/04/2010
FOX
5.4
1169
6
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
4.7
908
7
BARBARA WALTERS SP-3/7(S)-03/07/2010
ABC
4.6
903
8
TWO AND A HALF MEN
CBS
4.5
880
9
BACHELOR, THE
ABC
4.2
801
10
NCIS
CBS
4.1
827
Source: Nielsen
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 7
#
PROGRAMS
Net
Rtg
P2+(000)
1
ACADEMY AWARDS
ABC
20.9
4317
2
OSCAR'S RED CARPET 2010
ABC
13.9
2687
3
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY
FOX
12.8
2491
4
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY
FOX
12.6
2439
5
AMERICAN IDOL THU SP-3/4
FOX
10.1
2011
6
BARBARA WALTERS SP-3/7
ABC
10.1
1873
7
GOOD WIFE, THE
CBS
9.7
1812
8
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
CBS
9.2
1732
9
NCIS
CBS
8.4
1594
10
CSI: NY
CBS
8.4
1468
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes.
Source: Nielsen
TOP 20 NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS Ranked on Households
Week Ending March 7
