It all goes back to the sex tape, or the alleged sex tape, depending on who you believe.
On last week’s third-season premiere of MTV’s reality show “The Hills,” rumors about the tape had blonde co-stars Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag spitting mad during a loud brawl on the telephone.
Conrad accused former best friend Montag and her fiancé, Spencer Pratt, of starting the rumor about the existence of a sex tape starring Conrad and her ex-boyfriend, which has prompted major tabloid speculation. Conrad claims no such tape exists.
“You know what you did,” Lauren howled at Heidi. “You are a sad, pathetic person!”
Viewers ate it up. “Hills’” had its best-ever debut among total viewers and MTV’s target viewers 12-34, capping a feud that had been simmering since Heidi moved out of Lauren’s apartment on last season’s “Hills” finale.
Back-to-back episodes of the show, a reality spinoff of “Laguna Beach” that follows a quartet of fashion industry wannabes, aired Monday, Aug. 13, at 10 p.m. and averaged 3.6 million viewers, making it MTV’s top series of the week. Its No. 2 show, “Real World XX,” drew barely half that audience, 2.14 million viewers.
Among viewers 12-34, MTV’s target audience, “Hills” averaged a 3.8 rating, up 44 percent over its second-season debut and the network’s highest rating in the demographic this year.
“Hills’” success comes at a time when MTV is struggling to reestablish itself as a top draw among young viewers after several years of ratings declines. The network got big numbers for celebrity reality shows chronicling the Osbourne family, Jessica Simpson’s marriage and Ashton Kutcher’s pranks, but those shows burned out when the stars became overexposed.
MTV is hoping the same won’t happen for “Hills.” In a way, the show's a throwback to the network's long-running "Real World," where participants become stars only after they've been on TV and don't have tabloid burnout beforehand.
Some have said the network encouraged Conrad to save the drama for TV after season two. She had spoken sparingly about Montag and Pratt since, and last Monday’s episode marked her first public smackdown with Montag since the latter moved out last season.
And though the tabloids have speculated endlessly over whether publicity-loving couple Montag and Pratt were engaged after the former began sporting a diamond ring, the two played coy for months. Their betrothal was not confirmed until the season premiere.
Meanwhile, there’s still no evidence to back up the existence of a sex tape. Conrad’s ex and alleged co-star in the tape, Jason Wahler, also has denied its existence, and Pratt now claims Conrad destroyed it.
Meanwhile, in other ad-supported cable ratings for the week ended Aug. 19:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, ESPN, TNT, FX
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, ESPN, TBS, Cartoon
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (Sunday, 8:02 p.m.) 1.71 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Broncos/49ers” (Monday, 8 p.m.) 4.35 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Broncos/49ers” (Monday, 8 p.m.); USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday 9 & 10 p.m.); History’s “Ice Road Truckers” (Sunday, 10 p.m.)
Show on the rise: History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers," 10 p.m. The season finale became the most-watched show in the channel's history, and was No. 1 for the week in several demos.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2082
|
NICK
|
1743
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1703
|
TOON
|
1110
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
1513
|
NAN *
|
1040
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
1339
|
TNT
|
974
|
|
5
|
LIF
|
1246
|
USA
|
966
|
|
6
|
TOON
|
1242
|
ADSM*
|
963
|
|
7
|
FOXN
|
1163
|
LIF
|
753
|
|
8
|
HGTV
|
1038
|
FOXN
|
749
|
|
9
|
HALL
|
1013
|
TBSC
|
740
|
|
10
|
AEN
|
992
|
ESPN
|
672
|
|
11
|
FX
|
933
|
AEN
|
606
|
|
12
|
DISC
|
891
|
HALL
|
583
|
|
13
|
CORT
|
883
|
DISC
|
573
|
|
14
|
NAN
|
876
|
HGTV
|
551
|
|
15
|
SPK
|
876
|
CNN
|
548
|
|
16
|
HIST
|
873
|
MTV
|
538
|
|
17
|
SCIF
|
826
|
FX
|
525
|
|
18
|
MTV
|
820
|
HIST
|
509
|
|
19
|
CNN
|
773
|
CORT
|
502
|
|
20
|
AMC
|
731
|
SPK
|
502
|
|
21
|
CMDY
|
690
|
TVLD
|
477
|
|
22
|
TVLD
|
688
|
CMDY
|
451
|
|
23
|
TLC
|
631
|
FOOD
|
427
|
|
24
|
FAM
|
611
|
FAM
|
423
|
|
25
|
VH1
|
606
|
AMC
|
388
|
|
* 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 Aug. 19 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
5488
|
|
2
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3659
|
|
3
|
Saving Grace
|
TNT
|
3588
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3499
|
|
5
|
Monk
|
USA
|
3382
|
|
6
|
Broncos/49ers
|
ESPN
|
3298
|
|
7
|
Ice Road Truckers
|
HIST
|
3244
|
|
8
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
3096
|
|
9
|
Dolphins/Kansas City
|
ESPN
|
3061
|
|
10
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
3033
|
|
11
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2970
|
|
12
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2935
|
|
13
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2787
|
|
13
|
Psych
|
USA
|
2787
|
|
15
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2777
|
|
16
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2748
|
|
17
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2699
|
|
18
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2684
|
|
19
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2659
|
|
20
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2657
|
|
21
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2654
|
|
22
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2638
|
|
23
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2614
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2613
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2581
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
547
|
ADSM*
|
433
|
|
2
|
MTV
|
521
|
NICK
|
314
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
486
|
NAN *
|
282
|
|
4
|
ESPN
|
459
|
TBSC
|
269
|
|
5
|
FX
|
355
|
MTV
|
263
|
|
6
|
CMDY
|
325
|
USA
|
238
|
|
7
|
TNT
|
314
|
ESPN
|
236
|
|
8
|
AEN
|
313
|
TOON
|
226
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
313
|
CMDY
|
216
|
|
10
|
VH1
|
297
|
TNT
|
208
|
|
* 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 Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2362
|
|
2
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2187
|
|
3
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1474
|
|
4
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1383
|
|
5
|
Real World XIX
|
MTV
|
1356
|
|
6
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1229
|
|
7
|
Ice Road Truckers
|
HIST
|
1219
|
|
8
|
Schools of Life
|
TLC
|
1211
|
|
9
|
Broncos/49ers
|
ESPN
|
1178
|
|
10
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1168
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1252
|
USA
|
552
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
951
|
ADSM*
|
548
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
936
|
TNT
|
523
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
810
|
NICK
|
498
|
|
5
|
FX
|
708
|
NAN *
|
497
|
|
6
|
DISC
|
656
|
TBSC
|
497
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
648
|
ESPN
|
442
|
|
8
|
MTV
|
638
|
LIF
|
395
|
|
9
|
LIF
|
633
|
DISC
|
392
|
|
10
|
SPK
|
615
|
FX
|
376
|
|
* 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 Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Ice Road Truckers
|
HIST
|
2843
|
|
2
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2734
|
|
3
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2540
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2454
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2420
|
|
6
|
Broncos/49ers
|
ESPN
|
2290
|
|
7
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2114
|
|
8
|
Dolphins/Kansas City
|
ESPN
|
1983
|
|
9
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
1925
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1895
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Aug. 19 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1290
|
USA
|
565
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
945
|
TNT
|
564
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
921
|
NAN *
|
484
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
888
|
TBSC
|
452
|
|
5
|
FX
|
675
|
ESPN
|
418
|
|
6
|
DISC
|
656
|
NICK
|
410
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
649
|
LIF
|
385
|
|
8
|
HIST
|
647
|
AEN
|
368
|
|
9
|
SPK
|
628
|
DISC
|
368
|
|
10
|
LIF
|
621
|
FX
|
343
|
|
* 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 Aug. 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Ice Road Truckers
|
HIST
|
3069
|
|
2
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2718
|
|
3
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2266
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2206
|
|
5
|
Broncos/49ers
|
ESPN
|
2168
|
|
6
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2119
|
|
7
|
Dolphins/Kansas City
|
ESPN
|
1977
|
|
8
|
Psych
|
USA
|
1897
|
|
9
|
Monk
|
USA
|
1887
|
|
10
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
1883
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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