medialifemagazine.com
Faltering, once sure-fire medical dramas
By Toni Fitzgerald
Nov 4, 2009 - 1:10:16 AM
Medical dramas used to be a sure bet on television, from "ER" to "House" to "Grey's Anatomy."
Not anymore.
Seven months after "ER" aired its series finale, the three new medical dramas on broadcast are floundering, drawing some of the lowest ratings for any first-year programs.
NBC has already said it will not order any additional episodes of "Trauma" once it has aired the initial 13. Media people are just waiting for CBS to drop the axe on "Three Rivers," its lowest-rated new show. And while NBC's "Mercy" has received a full-season order, it has finished third in its timeslot.
"Trauma," about a team of emergency first-responders, averaged a 1.9 adults 18-49 rating last week in the Monday 9 p.m. slot, losing 32 percent of "Heroes'" lead-in audience, according to Nielsen. It finished fourth in the timeslot, just barely ahead of a Univision telenovela.
"Rivers," which follows a team of transplant surgeons, averaged a mere 1.6, making it CBS's lowest-rated scripted series of the week. It airs Sundays at 9 p.m.
"Mercy," which looks at medicine from the nurses' perspective, was preempted last week by a Halloween special that averaged a 2.0 rating. Tellingly, that outrated "Mercy's" most recent episode, which managed a mere 1.9 in one of the least-competitive slots on television, Wednesday at 8 p.m. It placed third in the hour.
Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that viewers prefer their medical dramas with fewer gimmicks. "Trauma," "Rivers" and "Mercy" all try to put a new spin on the old premise of troubled doctors doing their job in a hectic hospital.
But viewers seem to prefer the old way to the new. Ratings for "Grey's" and "House" have been up this season, and they're also the two most-DVRed shows on broadcast.
Meanwhile "ER" went out strong with 16.3 million viewers last spring, the most-watched drama series finale on any network since "Murder She Wrote" in 1996.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended Nov. 1:
Among adults 18-49, Fox was first with a 4.8 average rating and a 13 share, followed by ABC at 2.7/8, CBS at 2.3/6, NBC at 1.9/5, Univision at 1.2/3, CW at 1.1/3, Telemundo at 0.5/1, Telefutura at 0.4/1, Ion at 0.3/1 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “World Series Game 4” 7.8; 2. Fox’s “World Series Game 1” 6.3; 3. Fox’s “The OT” 6.2; 4. Fox’s “World Series Game 4 Pregame” 6.0; 5. Fox’s “World Series Game 2” 5.8.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. Fox’s “World Series Game 4” 22.76 million; 2. Fox’s “World Series Game 1” 19.51 million; 3. Fox’s “World Series Game 2” 18.90 million; 4. Fox’s “World Series Game 4 Pregame” 17.82 million; 5. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” 17.38 million.
Top five time-shifted English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, by Live+7 playback, week ended Oct. 11): 1. Fox’s “House” 2.7 increase (up 40 percent); 2. ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” 2.5 increase (up 37 percent); 3. NBC’s “The Office” 2.5 increase (up 42 percent); 4. CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” 1.6 increase (up 29 percent); 5. ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” 1.6 increase (up 30 percent).
Show on the rise: “Vampire Diaries,” CW, Thursday 8 p.m. The first-year drama posted a 2.0 rating among 18-49s, up 11 percent from a 1.8 for its previous original episode two weeks earlier.
Show on the decline: “Dancing with the Stars,” ABC, Tuesday 9 p.m. The results edition slipped 12 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from a 3.4 rating to a 3.0.
|
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending November 1 |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
FOX
|
8.8
|
10150
|
14
|
5.0
|
14680
|
13
|
4.8
|
6340
|
13
|
|
CBS
|
6.2
|
7160
|
10
|
3.4
|
9840
|
9
|
2.3
|
3050
|
6
|
|
ABC
|
6.0
|
6890
|
10
|
3.2
|
9450
|
8
|
2.7
|
3610
|
8
|
|
NBC
|
3.5
|
4010
|
6
|
1.9
|
5590
|
5
|
1.9
|
2440
|
5
|
|
UNI
|
1.7
|
1990
|
3
|
1.1
|
3250
|
3
|
1.2
|
1620
|
3
|
|
CW
|
1.4
|
1640
|
2
|
0.8
|
2240
|
2
|
1.1
|
1390
|
3
|
|
ION
|
0.6
|
670
|
1
|
0.3
|
870
|
1
|
0.3
|
340
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.5
|
580
|
1
|
0.3
|
980
|
1
|
0.5
|
600
|
1
|
|
TF
|
0.4
|
500
|
1
|
0.3
|
860
|
1
|
0.4
|
540
|
1
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
160
|
0
|
0.1
|
240
|
0
|
0.1
|
160
|
0
|
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to
1. 149
million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending November 1 |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS
|
7.5
|
8640
|
12
|
4.1
|
12080
|
11
|
3.2
|
4240
|
9
|
|
ABC
|
6.4
|
7370
|
10
|
3.4
|
10020
|
9
|
3.0
|
3980
|
8
|
|
FOX
|
6.0
|
6840
|
10
|
3.4
|
9980
|
9
|
3.7
|
4910
|
10
|
|
NBC
|
4.7
|
5440
|
8
|
2.6
|
7540
|
7
|
2.6
|
3470
|
7
|
|
UNI
|
1.9
|
2130
|
3
|
1.2
|
3580
|
3
|
1.4
|
1840
|
4
|
|
CW
|
1.6
|
1900
|
3
|
0.9
|
2490
|
2
|
1.2
|
1580
|
3
|
|
ION
|
0.5
|
620
|
1
|
0.3
|
800
|
1
|
0.2
|
310
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.5
|
600
|
1
|
0.4
|
1040
|
1
|
0.5
|
640
|
1
|
|
TF
|
0.4
|
500
|
1
|
0.3
|
860
|
1
|
0.4
|
530
|
1
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
140
|
0
|
0.1
|
210
|
0
|
0.1
|
130
|
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 Media Research
|
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Ranked on Households
Week Ending November 1 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 4(S)
|
FOX
|
13.5
|
22
|
15501
|
1
|
7.8
|
22761
|
|
2
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 1(S)
|
FOX
|
11.9
|
19
|
13711
|
2
|
6.7
|
19511
|
|
3
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 2(S)
|
FOX
|
11.7
|
19
|
13463
|
3
|
6.5
|
18897
|
|
4
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
11.3
|
17
|
12962
|
5
|
6.0
|
17380
|
|
5
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GM4-PRE(S)
|
FOX
|
10.7
|
17
|
12259
|
4
|
6.1
|
17815
|
|
6
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
10.4
|
16
|
11928
|
6
|
5.7
|
16697
|
|
7
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
9.8
|
16
|
11273
|
6
|
5.7
|
16607
|
|
8
|
MENTALIST, THE
|
CBS
|
9.7
|
16
|
11174
|
8
|
5.3
|
15528
|
|
9
|
DANCING W/STARS RESULTS
|
ABC
|
9.6
|
15
|
11086
|
10
|
5.2
|
15198
|
|
10
|
CSI
|
CBS
|
9.2
|
14
|
10601
|
10
|
5.2
|
15240
|
|
11
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 3(S)
|
FOX
|
9.1
|
18
|
10475
|
8
|
5.3
|
15397
|
|
12
|
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
|
ABC
|
8.8
|
13
|
10110
|
12
|
4.8
|
14078
|
|
12
|
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
|
ABC
|
8.8
|
13
|
10054
|
13
|
4.7
|
13737
|
|
14
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
8.4
|
13
|
9606
|
14
|
4.4
|
12937
|
|
15
|
CSI:
MIAMI
|
CBS
|
7.6
|
13
|
8680
|
16
|
3.9
|
11524
|
|
16
|
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
|
CBS
|
7.2
|
11
|
8264
|
18
|
3.8
|
11093
|
|
17
|
TWO AND A HALF MEN
|
CBS
|
7.1
|
11
|
8190
|
16
|
3.9
|
11411
|
|
18
|
SURVIVOR:
SAMOA
|
CBS
|
6.9
|
11
|
7914
|
15
|
4.2
|
12187
|
|
19
|
CASTLE
|
ABC
|
6.8
|
11
|
7762
|
22
|
3.4
|
9987
|
|
20
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
6.6
|
10
|
7555
|
20
|
3.7
|
10855
|
|
21
|
AMAZING RACE 15
|
CBS
|
6.5
|
10
|
7413
|
18
|
3.8
|
11220
|
|
21
|
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P
|
ABC
|
6.5
|
10
|
7420
|
20
|
3.7
|
10752
|
|
23
|
GOOD WIFE, THE
|
CBS
|
6.4
|
11
|
7310
|
25
|
3.2
|
9338
|
|
24
|
CRIMINAL MINDS
|
CBS
|
6.3
|
10
|
7293
|
22
|
3.4
|
9886
|
|
24
|
CSI: NY
|
CBS
|
6.3
|
10
|
7271
|
25
|
3.2
|
9462
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending November 1 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 4(S)
|
FOX
|
7.8
|
10244
|
|
2
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 1(S)
|
FOX
|
6.3
|
8250
|
|
3
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
6.2
|
8112
|
|
4
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GM4-PRE(S)
|
FOX
|
6.0
|
7845
|
|
5
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 2(S)
|
FOX
|
5.8
|
7641
|
|
6
|
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
|
ABC
|
5.2
|
6844
|
|
7
|
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
|
ABC
|
5.0
|
6577
|
|
8
|
FOX WORLD SERIES GAME 3(S)
|
FOX
|
4.7
|
6195
|
|
9
|
OFFICE
|
NBC
|
4.2
|
5590
|
|
10
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
3.8
|
4935
|
|
11
|
BIGGEST LOSER 8
|
NBC
|
3.7
|
4877
|
|
11
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
3.7
|
4852
|
|
11
|
SURVIVOR:
SAMOA
|
CBS
|
3.7
|
4863
|
|
14
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
3.6
|
4691
|
|
14
|
MENTALIST, THE
|
CBS
|
3.6
|
4734
|
|
14
|
PRIVATE PRACTICE
|
ABC
|
3.6
|
4706
|
|
17
|
TWO AND A HALF MEN
|
CBS
|
3.5
|
4572
|
|
18
|
CSI
|
CBS
|
3.4
|
4509
|
|
19
|
AMAZING RACE 15
|
CBS
|
3.3
|
4375
|
|
19
|
BROTHERS & SISTERS
|
ABC
|
3.3
|
4386
|
|
19
|
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P
|
ABC
|
3.3
|
4395
|
|
19
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
3.3
|
4281
|
|
23
|
COUGAR
TOWN
|
ABC
|
3.2
|
4167
|
|
24
|
30 ROCK
|
NBC
|
3.1
|
4016
|
|
24
|
CSI:
MIAMI
|
CBS
|
3.1
|
4081
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED)
Ranked on Households
Week Ending October 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+ (000) |
|
1
|
SORTILEGIO M-F
|
UNI
|
21.3
|
4795
|
|
2
|
EN NOMBRE DEL AMOR M-F
|
UNI
|
17.1
|
3794
|
|
3
|
AQUI Y AHORA TUE
|
UNI
|
15.8
|
3195
|
|
4
|
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA WE
|
UNI
|
14.3
|
2917
|
|
5
|
ROSA DE GUADALUPE THU-FRI
|
UNI
|
13.2
|
3137
|
|
6
|
CRISTINA MON
|
UNI
|
13.1
|
2561
|
|
7
|
GANCHO AL CORAZON M-F
|
UNI
|
12.9
|
2813
|
|
8
|
SABADO GIGANTE SAT
|
UNI
|
12.0
|
2455
|
|
9
|
VIVA EL SUENO SUN
|
UNI
|
10.2
|
2098
|
|
10
|
LUCERO: VIDA NOVELA 10/25(S)-10/25/2009
|
UNI
|
8.8
|
1888
|
|
11
|
FAMILIA P. LUCHE SAT
|
UNI
|
8.4
|
1831
|
|
12
|
MAS SABE EL DIABLO M-F
|
TEL
|
6.0
|
1301
|
|
12
|
CINE MILLONARIO
|
TEL
|
6.0
|
1550
|
|
14
|
BETTY LA FEA M-F
|
TF
|
5.7
|
1291
|
|
15
|
VICTORINOS M-F
|
TEL
|
4.6
|
1055
|
|
16
|
VECINOS M-F
|
TF
|
4.5
|
1065
|
|
17
|
FUTBOL LIGA MEX MON 10/19(S)-10/19/2009
|
TF
|
4.4
|
916
|
|
18
|
CINE EN CASA
|
TEL
|
4.0
|
1058
|
|
19
|
NINOS RICOS M-F
|
TEL
|
3.9
|
869
|
|
20
|
CINE DE LAS ESTRELLAS M-F
|
TF
|
3.7
|
948
|
|
21
|
12 CORAZONES M-F
|
TEL
|
3.6
|
715
|
|
22
|
CINE DE LAS ESTREL SUN 2
|
TF
|
3.3
|
779
|
|
22
|
VEREDICTO FINAL M-F
|
TF
|
3.3
|
606
|
|
22
|
CINE DE LAS ESTREL SUN
|
TF
|
3.3
|
746
|
|
22
|
FIESTA DE PELICULA THR
|
TF
|
3.3
|
713
|
|
26
|
CONCACAF L.D.C. TUE 10/20(S)-10/20/2009
|
TF
|
2.9
|
632
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
Ranked on Households
Week Ending October 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 6(S)-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
9.7
|
1911
|
|
2
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 5(S)-10/22/2009
|
FOX
|
7.9
|
1467
|
|
3
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 4(S)-10/20/2009
|
FOX
|
6.8
|
1218
|
|
4
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 6 PRE(S)-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
6.7
|
1164
|
|
5
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
6.1
|
1214
|
|
6
|
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
|
ABC
|
4.7
|
852
|
|
7
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
4.5
|
866
|
|
7
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
4.5
|
890
|
|
9
|
DANCING W/STARS RESULTS
|
ABC
|
4.4
|
896
|
|
10
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
3.8
|
670
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
Ranked on Households
Week Ending October 25
|
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1
|
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
|
NBC
|
12.2
|
2471
|
|
2
|
OT, THE
|
FOX
|
12.0
|
2373
|
|
3
|
CSI: NY
|
CBS
|
10.1
|
1840
|
|
4
|
CSI:
MIAMI
|
CBS
|
9.9
|
1918
|
|
5
|
NCIS: LOS ANGELES
|
CBS
|
9.7
|
1739
|
|
6
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 6 PRE
|
FOX
|
9.2
|
1742
|
|
7
|
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM
|
ABC
|
8.8
|
1710
|
|
8
|
GOOD WIFE, THE
|
CBS
|
8.6
|
1406
|
|
9
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
8.5
|
1575
|
|
10
|
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 6
|
FOX
|
8.3
|
1591
|
|
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
TOP 20 NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending October 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Episode |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
US
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
(000) |
|
1 |
FOX NFL SUNDAY-NATIONAL-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES
|
16.8
|
32
|
19277
|
28399
|
|
2 |
FOX NFL SUNDAY-REGIONAL-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES
|
11.4
|
25
|
13091
|
18512
|
|
3 |
FOX NFL SUNDAY-PST GN-NAT-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
NEW ORLEANS
AT
MIAMI
|
9.9
|
17
|
11375
|
16682
|
|
4 |
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 6-10/25/2009
|
FOX
|
LA ANGELS AT NY YANKEES
|
9.3
|
15
|
10735
|
15481
|
|
5 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL-10/25/2009
|
NBC
|
ARIZONA
AT NY GIANTS
|
9.1
|
15
|
10452
|
14975
|
|
6 |
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 5-10/22/2009
|
FOX
|
NY YANKEES AT LA ANGELS
|
7.6
|
13
|
8708
|
11851
|
|
7 |
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 4-10/20/2009
|
FOX
|
NY YANKEES AT LA ANGELS
|
6.7
|
11
|
7670
|
10303
|
|
8 |
CBS NFL SINGLE-10/25/2009
|
CBS
|
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES
|
6.4
|
14
|
7357
|
10486
|
|
9 |
FOX MLB ALCS GAME 3-10/19/2009
|
FOX
|
NY YANKEES AT LA ANGELS
|
4.8
|
10
|
5540
|
7247
|
|
10 |
ABC
COLLEGE
FTBL GM-LATE-10/24/2009
|
ABC
|
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES
|
4.5
|
10
|
5192
|
7243
|
|
11 |
HOME DEPOT CLLG FOOTBALL2-10/24/2009
|
CBS
|
TENNESSEE
AT
ALABAMA
|
3.6
|
8
|
4186
|
5714
|
|
12 |
SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL-10/24/2009
|
ABC
|
TX AT MO/OREGON ST AT USC
|
3.4
|
6
|
3932
|
5588
|
|
13 |
NASCAR SPRINT CUP-SUN-10/25/2009
|
ABC
|
MARTINSVILLE
|
2.9
|
6
|
3382
|
4702
|
|
14 |
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL-10/24/2009
|
NBC
|
BOSTON
COLLEGE
AT NOTRE DAME
|
2.2
|
5
|
2531
|
3438
|
|
15 |
FUTBOL LIGA MEXICANA SUN-10/25/2009
|
UNI
|
AMERICA
VS
GUADALAJARA
|
1.4
|
2
|
1628
|
3168
|
|
16 |
NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 10/25C-10/25/2009
|
NBC
|
SKATING
|
1.2
|
3
|
1417
|
1881
|
|
17 |
NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 10/25B-10/25/2009
|
NBC
|
GYMNASTICS
|
1.1
|
2
|
1264
|
1619
|
|
18 |
NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 10/24-10/24/2009
|
NBC
|
GYMNASTICS
|
1
|
3
|
1130
|
1484
|
|
19 |
NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 10/25A-10/25/2009
|
NBC
|
SKATING -
RUSSIA
|
0.8
|
2
|
896
|
1036
|
|
20 |
CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR-SU-10/25/2009
|
CBS
|
BULL RIDING:MOHEGAN SUN INVT'L
|
0.7
|
1
|
759
|
1020
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
© 2010 Media Life
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