medialifemagazine.com
Broadcast season starts off with a bang
By Toni Fitzgerald
Sep 23, 2009 - 8:00:26 AM
The new season has only barely begun, but after years of ratings declines for broadcast, the Big Five networks are off to a strong start to the season.
Several new shows had record debuts, a handful of returning shows have seen ratings rise over last year, and the NFL seems on the brink of its best season in years. Even the long-dogging Emmys saw viewership rise.
While it hardly means an end to years of broadcast erosion, the strong results may mean this season, unlike the past few years, viewers are eagerly anticipating the new shows. Perhaps we’ll even see a few new hits.
Premiering new shows before the official start to the season brought strong results for a trio of first-year programs. Fox’s “Glee” had the network’s top debut for a fall scripted series in three years, averaging a 3.5 adults 18-49 rating and growing on its lead-in.
The CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” set a viewership record for its premiere, while NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show” drew 18.4 million total viewers for its debut, the network’s best audience in the 10 p.m. Monday timeslot in more than a year.
But it wasn’t just the new shows that performed well. So did a few veterans.
Fox’s sixth-year drama “House” was up 14 percent over last year for Monday’s premiere, despite expanding from one to two hours.
CBS’s third-year “The Big Bang Theory” set a series high with a 4.6 rating Monday at 9:30 p.m., up 28 percent from last year.
And NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” has had a huge opening two weeks. Sunday’s game averaged a 9.8 18-49 rating and 24.8 million total viewers, the latter marking the best delivery for any primetime game in 12 years. The first two weeks of “SNF” have seen double-digit increases over last season.
But the most telling indicator of broadcast’s somewhat revived fortunes was Sunday’s Emmy telecast.
The ceremony has been falling for years, and while this year’s ceremony hardly revived to its pre-2005 levels, the show did see its first year-to-year increase in four years and bettered last year’s 12.3 million, nearly a record low, by 8 percent, or nearly 1 million viewers.
During the ceremony, host Neil Patrick Harris and presenters such as Tina Fey lobbed jabs at broadcast TV’s sinking numbers, marking perhaps the first time on record that the Academy acknowledged broadcast’s limitations
Maybe all it took was for broadcast to get in on the joke to reverse the trend.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended Sept. 20:
Among adults 18-49, NBC was first with a 3.7 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS at 2.4/7, Fox third at 2.0/6, Univision and ABC at 1.4/4, CW at 0.9/3, MyNetworkTV at 0.5/1, Telemundo and Telefutura at 0.4/1, Ion at 0.2/1 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” 9.8; 2. NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show-Monday” 5.3; 3. NBC’s “Football Night in America Part 3” 4.9; 4. CBS’s “Emmy Awards” 4.2; 5. NBC’s “The Office” 4.1.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC’s “Sunday night Football” 24.82 million; 2. NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show-Monday” 18.42 million; 3. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent-Wednesday” 15.79 million; 4. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent-Monday” 13.90 million; 5. CBS’s “Emmy Awards” 13.47 million.
Top five time-shifted English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, by Live+7 playback, week ended Aug. 30): 1. Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” 1.65 million (up 32 percent); 2. CBS’s “Big Brother-Thursday” 1.30 million (up 34 percent); 3. CBS’s “Big Brother-Tuesday” 1.19 million (up 32 percent); 4. CBS’s “Big Brother-Sunday” 1.14 million (up 32 percent); 5. ABC’s “Wipeout” 0.85 million (up 23 percent).
Show on the rise: “Sunday Night Football,” NBC, Sunday 8:30 p.m. Sunday’s game between the Giants and Cowboys averaged 24.8 million total viewers, the most in NBC’s “SNF” history and also the most-watched NFL primetime regular season game in 12 years. The game posted a 9.8 rating among 18-49s, up 14 percent from an 8.6 the previous week.
Show on the decline: “So You Think You Can Dance,” Fox, Wednesday 8 p.m. The dance competition slipped 11 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from a 2.7 rating to a 2.4.
|
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 20 |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
NBC
|
7.3
|
8330
|
12
|
4.0
|
11630
|
11
|
3.7
|
4830
|
11
|
|
CBS
|
5.3
|
6120
|
9
|
2.8
|
8270
|
8
|
2.4
|
3140
|
7
|
|
FOX
|
3.3
|
3780
|
6
|
1.8
|
5310
|
5
|
2.0
|
2620
|
6
|
|
ABC
|
2.9
|
3310
|
5
|
1.5
|
4420
|
4
|
1.4
|
1820
|
4
|
|
UNI
|
1.8
|
2050
|
3
|
1.2
|
3490
|
3
|
1.4
|
1840
|
4
|
|
CW
|
1.3
|
1520
|
2
|
0.7
|
1930
|
2
|
0.9
|
1160
|
3
|
|
MNT
|
1.0
|
1110
|
2
|
0.5
|
1480
|
1
|
0.5
|
620
|
1
|
|
ION
|
0.5
|
610
|
1
|
0.3
|
790
|
1
|
0.2
|
290
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.4
|
510
|
1
|
0.3
|
900
|
1
|
0.4
|
550
|
1
|
|
TF
|
0.4
|
510
|
1
|
0.3
|
880
|
1
|
0.4
|
520
|
1
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
120
|
0
|
0.1
|
170
|
0
|
0.1
|
110
|
0
|
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to
1. 145
million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 20 |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS
|
6.1
|
6960
|
10
|
3.3
|
9610
|
9
|
2.4
|
3220
|
7
|
|
FOX
|
4.7
|
5350
|
8
|
2.7
|
7780
|
7
|
2.8
|
3740
|
8
|
|
ABC
|
4.5
|
5200
|
8
|
2.5
|
7120
|
7
|
2.2
|
2950
|
6
|
|
NBC
|
4.3
|
4940
|
7
|
2.4
|
6880
|
6
|
2.3
|
2990
|
7
|
|
UNI
|
1.9
|
2130
|
3
|
1.3
|
3680
|
3
|
1.5
|
1920
|
4
|
|
CW
|
1.1
|
1240
|
2
|
0.6
|
1610
|
1
|
0.7
|
890
|
2
|
|
MNT
|
1.0
|
1120
|
2
|
0.5
|
1570
|
1
|
0.5
|
680
|
2
|
|
TEL
|
0.6
|
660
|
1
|
0.4
|
1150
|
1
|
0.5
|
670
|
1
|
|
ION
|
0.4
|
490
|
1
|
0.2
|
630
|
1
|
0.2
|
210
|
0
|
|
TF
|
0.4
|
420
|
1
|
0.3
|
730
|
1
|
0.3
|
420
|
1
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
120
|
0
|
0.1
|
180
|
0
|
0.1
|
110
|
0
|
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to
1. 145
million homes
Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average of pre-TSV and Live+SD data.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 20 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
15.1
|
25
|
17340
|
1
|
8.5
|
24817
|
|
2
|
JAY LENO SHOW-MON
|
NBC
|
11.5
|
19
|
13186
|
3
|
6.3
|
18418
|
|
2
|
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK
|
NBC
|
11.5
|
19
|
13250
|
2
|
6.5
|
18910
|
|
4
|
CBS NFL NATL POST GAME
|
CBS
|
9.7
|
18
|
11091
|
5
|
5.3
|
15515
|
|
5
|
AMERICA
GOT TALENT-WED 9P
|
NBC
|
9.5
|
16
|
10951
|
4
|
5.4
|
15788
|
|
6
|
EMMY AWARDS(S)
|
CBS
|
8.7
|
14
|
10015
|
7
|
4.6
|
13471
|
|
7
|
AMERICA
GOT TALENT 9/14(S)
|
NBC
|
8.5
|
13
|
9749
|
6
|
4.8
|
13902
|
|
7
|
JAY LENO SHOW-WED
|
NBC
|
8.5
|
15
|
9785
|
7
|
4.6
|
13363
|
|
9
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
8.4
|
14
|
9698
|
10
|
4.5
|
13122
|
|
10
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 3
|
NBC
|
8.3
|
14
|
9513
|
7
|
4.6
|
13362
|
|
11
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
8.0
|
13
|
9150
|
11
|
4.3
|
12435
|
|
12
|
JAY LENO SHOW-TUE
|
NBC
|
7.1
|
12
|
8201
|
13
|
3.8
|
11085
|
|
13
|
SURVIVOR:
SAMOA - SPECIAL(S)
|
CBS
|
6.8
|
11
|
7813
|
12
|
4.0
|
11664
|
|
14
|
BONES
|
FOX
|
6.3
|
11
|
7212
|
14
|
3.5
|
10363
|
|
15
|
BIGGEST LOSER 8
|
NBC
|
6.2
|
10
|
7108
|
15
|
3.4
|
9900
|
|
15
|
MENTALIST, THE
|
CBS
|
6.2
|
11
|
7128
|
16
|
3.1
|
9069
|
|
17
|
CSI
|
CBS
|
5.7
|
9
|
6596
|
17
|
3.0
|
8800
|
|
17
|
JAY LENO SHOW-THU
|
NBC
|
5.7
|
10
|
6522
|
17
|
3.0
|
8823
|
|
19
|
CSI: NY
|
CBS
|
5.2
|
9
|
6021
|
20
|
2.7
|
7756
|
|
20
|
DATELINE FRI
|
NBC
|
5.1
|
10
|
5851
|
25
|
2.5
|
7380
|
|
21
|
JAY LENO SHOW-FRI
|
NBC
|
5.0
|
9
|
5773
|
24
|
2.6
|
7599
|
|
22
|
BIG BROTHER 11-TUE
|
CBS
|
4.8
|
8
|
5490
|
20
|
2.7
|
7780
|
|
22
|
OFFICE
|
NBC
|
4.8
|
8
|
5572
|
19
|
2.8
|
8211
|
|
24
|
COMMUNITY
|
NBC
|
4.7
|
8
|
5411
|
20
|
2.7
|
7887
|
|
25
|
CRIMINAL MINDS
|
CBS
|
4.6
|
7
|
5304
|
27
|
2.3
|
6724
|
|
25
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 2
|
NBC
|
4.6
|
8
|
5235
|
26
|
2.4
|
7091
|
|
25
|
FRINGE
|
FOX
|
4.6
|
8
|
5332
|
20
|
2.7
|
7817
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending September 20 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
9.8
|
12946
|
|
2
|
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK
|
NBC
|
7.2
|
9472
|
|
3
|
JAY LENO SHOW-MON
|
NBC
|
5.3
|
6931
|
|
4
|
CBS NFL NATL POST GAME
|
CBS
|
5.2
|
6870
|
|
5
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 3
|
NBC
|
4.9
|
6492
|
|
6
|
EMMY AWARDS(S)
|
CBS
|
4.2
|
5577
|
|
7
|
OFFICE
|
NBC
|
4.1
|
5408
|
|
8
|
BIGGEST LOSER 8
|
NBC
|
3.8
|
5060
|
|
8
|
COMMUNITY
|
NBC
|
3.8
|
4958
|
|
10
|
SURVIVOR:
SAMOA - SPECIAL(S)
|
CBS
|
3.6
|
4766
|
|
11
|
AMERICA
GOT TALENT-WED 9P
|
NBC
|
3.5
|
4556
|
|
11
|
JAY LENO SHOW-WED
|
NBC
|
3.5
|
4590
|
|
13
|
JAY LENO SHOW-TUE
|
NBC
|
3.4
|
4476
|
|
14
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
3.3
|
4332
|
|
14
|
AMERICA
GOT TALENT 9/14(S)
|
NBC
|
3.3
|
4316
|
|
16
|
GLEE
|
FOX
|
3.2
|
4152
|
|
17
|
BONES
|
FOX
|
3.1
|
4066
|
|
18
|
FRINGE
|
FOX
|
3.0
|
3916
|
|
19
|
BIG BROTHER 11-TUE
|
CBS
|
2.8
|
3729
|
|
20
|
FAMILY GUY
|
FOX
|
2.7
|
3492
|
|
20
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 2
|
NBC
|
2.7
|
3544
|
|
20
|
JAY LENO SHOW-THU
|
NBC
|
2.7
|
3614
|
|
23
|
SIMPSONS-SUN 8:30P
|
FOX
|
2.5
|
3276
|
|
24
|
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE THU
|
UNI
|
2.4
|
3118
|
|
24
|
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE WED
|
UNI
|
2.4
|
3194
|
|
24
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
2.4
|
3178
|
|
24
|
SO YOU THINK CN DANCE-WED
|
FOX
|
2.4
|
3200
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED)
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 13 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+ (000) |
|
1
|
MANANA PARA SIEMPRE M-F
|
UNI
|
22.1
|
5135
|
|
2
|
RUMBO AL MUNDIAL 9/9(S)-09/09/2009
|
TEL
|
17.7
|
4913
|
|
3
|
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR M-F
|
UNI
|
17.0
|
3777
|
|
4
|
CRISTINA MON
|
UNI
|
16.3
|
3585
|
|
5
|
AQUI Y AHORA TUE
|
UNI
|
15.5
|
3186
|
|
6
|
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR MON
|
UNI
|
14.3
|
3230
|
|
7
|
ROSA DE GUADALUPE THU-FRI
|
UNI
|
13.6
|
3298
|
|
8
|
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA WE
|
UNI
|
12.3
|
2468
|
|
9
|
GANCHO AL CORAZON M-F
|
UNI
|
11.6
|
2542
|
|
10
|
SABADO GIGANTE SAT
|
UNI
|
11.5
|
2528
|
|
11
|
VIVA EL SUENO SUN
|
UNI
|
10.1
|
2021
|
|
12
|
REVIVA EL SUENO 09/10(S)-09/10/2009
|
UNI
|
9.5
|
1957
|
|
13
|
QUIEN TIENE RAZON? EE SUN
|
UNI
|
9.4
|
1885
|
|
14
|
BETTY LA FEA M-F
|
TF
|
7.4
|
1652
|
|
15
|
FAMILIA P. LUCHE SAT
|
UNI
|
6.8
|
1390
|
|
16
|
JUNTO AL TRI 9/9(S)-09/09/2009
|
TEL
|
6.2
|
1393
|
|
17
|
HORA PICO SUN
|
UNI
|
6.0
|
1236
|
|
18
|
CELEB EL GRITO 9/13(S)-09/13/2009
|
TEL
|
5.8
|
1300
|
|
19
|
VICTORINOS M-F
|
TEL
|
5.0
|
1270
|
|
20
|
MAS SABE EL DIABLO M-F
|
TEL
|
4.6
|
970
|
|
21
|
FIFA ELIMINATORIA COPA9/9(S)-09/09/2009
|
TF
|
4.5
|
976
|
|
22
|
CELEB EL GRITO II(S)-09/12/2009
|
TEL
|
4.3
|
1000
|
|
23
|
FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT
|
TF
|
4.1
|
901
|
|
24
|
VIVA MEXICO:EL GRITO 9/13(S)-09/13/2009
|
TEL
|
4.0
|
844
|
|
24
|
NINOS RICOS M-F
|
TEL
|
4.0
|
933
|
|
24
|
CINE LAS ESTRELLAS 09/07(S)-09/07/2009
|
TF
|
4.0
|
925
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 13 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1
|
NBC NFL THURSDAY SPECIAL(S)-09/10/2009
|
NBC
|
6.8
|
1226
|
|
2
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
6.1
|
1212
|
|
3
|
NBC NFL THURSDAY PRE-KICK(S)-09/10/2009
|
NBC
|
4.5
|
847
|
|
4
|
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK
|
NBC
|
4.4
|
886
|
|
5
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
3.8
|
674
|
|
6
|
VAMPIRE DIARIES
|
CW
|
3.7
|
684
|
|
7
|
AMERICA
'S GOT TALENT-TUE
|
NBC
|
3.6
|
642
|
|
8
|
HELL'S KITCHEN
|
FOX
|
3.3
|
756
|
|
9
|
AMERICA
GOT TALENT-WED 9P
|
NBC
|
2.8
|
508
|
|
9
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 3
|
NBC
|
2.8
|
600
|
|
9
|
NFL OPENING KICK-OFF SHOW(S)-09/10/2009
|
NBC
|
2.8
|
510
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
Ranked on Households
Week Ending September 13
|
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1
|
NBC NFL THURSDAY SPECIAL
|
NBC
|
16.2
|
3043
|
|
2
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
13.9
|
2715
|
|
3
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
11.7
|
2361
|
|
4
|
NBC NFL THURSDAY PRE-KICK
|
NBC
|
11.2
|
2011
|
|
5
|
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK
|
NBC
|
10.2
|
2084
|
|
6
|
DATELINE FRI
|
NBC
|
8.6
|
1601
|
|
7
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
7.7
|
1394
|
|
8
|
FOOTBALL NT
AMERICA PT 3
|
NBC
|
6.9
|
1409
|
|
9
|
NFL OPENING KICK-OFF SHOW
|
NBC
|
6.6
|
1155
|
|
10
|
AMERICA
'S GOT TALENT-TUE
|
NBC
|
6.5
|
1209
|
|
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
TOP 10 NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week ending September 13 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
US
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
FOX NFL SUNDAY-NATIONAL-09/13/2009 (VARIOUS)
|
FOX
|
14.8
|
25109
|
|
2 |
NBC NFL THURSDAY SPECIAL-09/10/2009 (PIT/TEN)
|
NBC
|
12.8
|
20909
|
|
3 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL-09/13/2009 (CHI/GB)
|
NBC
|
12.6
|
21102
|
|
4 |
FOX NFL SUNDAY-REGIONAL-09/13/2009 (VARIOUS)
|
FOX
|
8.6
|
14149
|
|
5 |
CBS NFL SINGLE-09/13/2009 (VARIOUS)
|
CBS
|
7.1
|
11374
|
|
6 |
ABC
COLLEGE
FTBL GM-LATE-09/12/2009 (ND/UM)
|
ABC
|
5.2
|
8391
|
|
7 |
CHEVY ROCK AND ROLL 400-09/12/2009
|
ABC
|
3.5
|
5535
|
|
8 |
US OPEN TEN-SU-SEMI-09/13/2009
|
CBS
|
2.6
|
3860
|
|
9 |
BMW GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP-SUN-09/13/2009
|
NBC
|
2.3
|
3428
|
|
10 |
DEUTSCHE GOLF-MON-09/07/2009
|
NBC
|
2.2
|
3182
|
|
|
© 2012 Media Life
|
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