Media buyers and planners have long argued that the broadcast networks should program more scripted fare in the summer.
If only viewers agreed with them.
The broadcast networks rolled out more than half a dozen original scripted series this summer, and there hasn’t been a winner among them.
The latest reminder of just how disinterested viewers are in broadcast's scripted summer series came last week, the week ended Aug. 16, when the two-hour series finale of Fox’s “Mental” and the season-ender of ABC’s “Better Off Ted” both aired to miniscule ratings.
“Mental,” about an unconventional psychiatrist, averaged a 0.8 adults 18-49 rating at 8 p.m. Friday night, tying for fourth in its timeslot behind even MyNetworkTV.
On Tuesday, back-to-back episodes of workplace comedy “Ted” averaged an equally lowly 0.8 apiece, just 0.2 ahead of repeats of “Jail” on MNTV.
Of the five original scripted series that aired on broadcast last week, only one, “The Philanthropist,” averaged better than a 1.0, and it managed a mere 1.1 rating.
It’s summer, of course, and vacation time to boot, and there are very few shows that manage strong ratings. But broadcast viewers seem to be consciously tuning out of the scripted fare. “Philanthropist,” “Ted” and ABC’s “Defying Gravity” all lost at least a third of their lead-ins last week.
One might argue the shows are getting low numbers because they aren't very good, and indeed most were panned by critics, notably “Mental” and “Gravity.”
Yet “Ted” has received critical raves and it's doing poorly, while cable's “Royal Pains” on USA is the summer’s No. 1 new series, despite lukewarm reviews.
More likely the shows are doing poorly because viewers aren't used to looking to broadcast for scripted series during the summer and the networks are not doing enough to change that behavior.
The networks don't promote the series the way they do shows that debut during the regular season, when pilots are posted on the web, clever alternative media campaigns are rolled out, and on-air plugs blanket broadcast and cable.
***
Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended Aug. 16:
Among adults 18-49, CBS was first with a 1.6 average rating and a 5 share, followed by Fox at 1.5/5, NBC at 1.4/5, Univision at 1.3/4, ABC at 1.2/4, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.5/2, CW and Telefutura at 0.4/1, Ion at 0.2/1 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Among adults 18-34, Fox and Univision tied for first, each with a 1.4 average rating and a 5 share, followed by CBS at 1.1/4, NBC at 1.0/4, ABC at 0.9/3, Telemundo at 0.6/2, MyNetworkTV at 0.5/2, Telefutura at 0.4/2, CW at 0.4/1 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Among adults 25-54, CBS was first with a 2.0 average rating and a 6 share, followed by NBC at 1.8/5, Fox at 1.6/5, ABC at 1.4/4, Univision at 1.2/4, MyNetworkTV at 0.5/2, CW, Telemundo and Telefutura at 0.4/1, and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent-Tuesday” 3.6; 2. Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” 3.2; 3. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent – Wednesday” 3.0; 4. CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” 2.8; Tie-5. CBS’s “Big Brother-Thursday” and “Big Brother-Sunday” 2.6.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent - Tuesday” 12.88 million; 2. CBS’s “60 Minutes” 12.03 million; 3. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent - Wednesday” 11.79 million; 4. CBS’s “NCIS” 9.15 million; 5. CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” 8.83 million.
Top five time-shifted English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, by Live+7 playback, week ended July 26): 1. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance - Wednesday” 1.70 million (up 37 percent); 2. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance - Thursday” 1.54 million (up 34 percent); 3. Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen Special” 1.50 million (up 31 percent); 4. Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” 1.42 million (up 32 percent); 5. CBS’s “Big Brother – Sunday” 1.13 million (up 39 percent).
Show on the rise: “Shark Tank,” ABC, Sunday 9 p.m. In its second airing the reality competition jumped 39 percent among 18-49s, from a 1.3 rating to a 1.8.
Show on the decline: “CSI: Miami,” CBS, Monday 10 p.m. A rerun slipped 15 percent among 18-49s week-to-week, from a 2.0 to a 1.7.
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK Ranked on Households
Week Ending August 16
Network
Households
People 2+
Adults 18-49
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
CBS
4.1
4710
8
2.2
6250
6
1.6
2050
5
NBC
3.4
3860
6
1.8
5270
5
1.4
1880
5
ABC
2.8
3190
5
1.5
4330
4
1.2
1570
4
FOX
2.5
2850
5
1.4
4050
4
1.5
2010
5
UNI
1.6
1860
3
1.1
3090
3
1.3
1670
4
MNT
0.9
1070
2
0.5
1480
2
0.5
620
2
CW
0.6
740
1
0.3
980
1
0.4
500
1
TEL
0.5
580
1
0.4
1050
1
0.5
640
2
TF
0.4
510
1
0.3
880
1
0.4
500
1
ION
0.4
420
1
0.2
550
1
0.2
220
1
AZA
0.1
120
0
0.1
200
0
0.1
130
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 August 16
Network
Households
People 2+
Adults 18-49
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
Rtg%
(000)
Shr
CBS
6.3
7180
11
3.4
9930
9
2.5
3320
7
FOX
4.8
5540
8
2.8
8080
7
2.9
3870
8
ABC
4.7
5410
8
2.6
7420
7
2.3
3080
7
NBC
4.2
4850
7
2.3
6780
6
2.3
2980
7
UNI
1.9
2150
3
1.3
3720
3
1.5
1940
4
CW
1.1
1240
2
0.6
1630
1
0.7
900
2
MNT
1.0
1130
2
0.5
1580
1
0.5
680
2
TEL
0.6
670
1
0.4
1160
1
0.5
670
1
ION
0.4
480
1
0.2
630
1
0.2
210
0
TF
0.4
410
1
0.2
700
1
0.3
410
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 August 16
#
PROGRAMS
Net
HOUSEHOLDS
PERSONS 2+
Rtg%
Shr
(000)
#
Rtg%
(000)
1
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE
NBC
7.7
13
8824
1
4.4
12882
2
60 MINUTES
CBS
7.6
15
8723
2
4.1
12033
3
AMERICAGOT TALENT-WED 9P
NBC
7.1
12
8125
2
4.1
11785
4
NCIS
CBS
5.9
11
6802
4
3.2
9153
5
TWO AND A HALF MEN
CBS
5.8
10
6682
5
3.0
8825
6
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
5.7
9
6577
5
3.0
8637
7
MENTALIST, THE
CBS
5.2
9
5924
7
2.6
7643
8
CSI:
MIAMI
CBS
4.8
8
5439
12
2.4
7076
8
MILLIONAIRE-8/10(S)
ABC
4.8
8
5488
10
2.5
7271
10
BIG BROTHER 11-THU
CBS
4.7
9
5391
7
2.6
7484
10
CSI: NY
CBS
4.7
8
5402
15
2.3
6747
12
BIG BROTHER 11-SUN
CBS
4.6
8
5225
7
2.6
7636
12
MILLIONAIRE-8/13(S)
ABC
4.6
8
5247
10
2.5
7237
14
CSI
CBS
4.5
8
5197
15
2.3
6789
15
DATELINE NBC-MON
NBC
4.4
8
4999
18
2.2
6338
15
MILLIONAIRE-8/16(S)
ABC
4.4
8
5069
12
2.4
7020
17
BIG BROTHER 11-TUE
CBS
4.3
7
4877
15
2.3
6776
18
DATELINE FRI
NBC
4.2
8
4808
21
2.1
6149
18
MILLIONAIRE-8/12(S)
ABC
4.2
8
4787
18
2.2
6517
20
CRIMINAL MINDS
CBS
4.1
7
4690
21
2.1
5988
21
AMERICAGOT TALENT-TUE 8P
NBC
4.0
7
4531
18
2.2
6268
21
HELL'S KITCHEN
FOX
4.0
7
4538
12
2.4
6917
21
MILLIONAIRE-8/11(S)
ABC
4.0
7
4534
21
2.1
6070
24
AMERICAGOT TALENT:RECAP
NBC
3.9
7
4436
21
2.1
6029
25
48 HOURS MYSTERY
CBS
3.8
8
4384
27
1.9
5570
Source: Nielsen Media Research
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST Adults 18-49
Week Ending August 16
Rank
Program
Net
Rtg%
(000)
1
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE
NBC
3.6
4688
2
HELL'S KITCHEN
FOX
3.2
4174
3
AMERICAGOT TALENT-WED 9P
NBC
3.0
3957
4
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
CBS
2.8
3642
5
BIG BROTHER 11-SUN
CBS
2.6
3428
5
BIG BROTHER 11-THU
CBS
2.6
3495
7
60 MINUTES
CBS
2.5
3326
7
BIG BROTHER 11-TUE
CBS
2.5
3249
7
FAMILY GUY
FOX
2.5
3335
10
FAMILY GUY SP-8/16 8:30P(S)
FOX
2.4
3110
10
TWO AND A HALF MEN
CBS
2.4
3216
12
FAMILY GUY SP-8/16 9:30P(S)
FOX
2.3
3010
12
SIMPSONS
FOX
2.3
2986
14
WIPEOUT
ABC
2.2
2877
15
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE WED
UNI
2.1
2820
16
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE MON
UNI
2.0
2590
16
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE THU
UNI
2.0
2704
16
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE TUE
UNI
2.0
2600
19
MANANA
PARA SIEMPRE FRI
UNI
1.9
2449
19
NCIS
CBS
1.9
2548
21
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA WE
UNI
1.8
2333
21
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
CBS
1.8
2379
21
SHARK TANK
ABC
1.8
2364
24
CSI:
MIAMI
CBS
1.7
2300
24
DATING IN THE DARK
ABC
1.7
2253
24
MORE TO LOVE
FOX
1.7
2237
Source: Nielsen Media Research
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED) Ranked on Households
Week Ending August 9
