It’s rare but not unheard of for top cable shows to best broadcast among total viewers during the slow summer months. Already this year, HBO’s “The Sopranos” and TNT’s “The Closer,” two older-skewing, sophisticated dramas, have managed to outdraw the Big Five networks in their timeslot.
But the latest show to do so is decidedly less sophisticated and skews much younger. Despite that more limited appeal, Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana” has become one of cable’s biggest hits.
Sunday’s 8:30 p.m. episode, the second of two airing that night, averaged a series-best 7.4 million total viewers, putting it behind only the record-breaking premiere of “Closer” for the week ended June 24 on basic cable.
It was the second-highest rating ever for an episode of a Disney original series, and it also scored a series best among tweens 9-14, where it drew 3.4 million.
It wasn’t a season opener, like “Closer,” or ender, like “Sopranos,” so why the big numbers for “Montana,” a second-year tween comedy about a mousy girl named Miley who moonlights as a pop star?
A combination of reasons, starting with the lack of strong competition on broadcast. During the 8 p.m. hour Sunday, just one original show aired on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and Univision, Fox’s sitcom flop “The Loop.”
That may have helped draw in new viewers looking for something original to watch, such as parents or siblings of usual “Hannah” viewers.
The reruns that did air on the competing networks didn’t do that well in the timeslot. CBS’s “Without a Trace” came closest to “Hannah,” averaging 6.52 million viewers, or nearly 1 million fewer than the Disney show. Nearly every network was down from the previous week.
Also, the show probably received a bump from promotions during Friday’s highly rated Disney lineup, which set a record for the most-watched day in network history.
The basic cable premiere of “Spy Kids 3D: Game Over,” drew 4.8 million total viewers, more than any other basic cable movie during second quarter. That boosted the network to an average 2.5 million viewers in total day, meaning a huge audience saw advertisements for Sunday’s original “Hannah” episodes.
The show also aired two days before the show’s season one DVD came out, and Disney put a major advertising push behind it.
Finally, there was some major drama in the episode itself making it a must see. It was the second of a two-parter in which movie star Jake Ryan returned hoping to rekindle his earlier romance with Miley.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended June 24:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, Spike, Discovery
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, TBS, Fox News, Lifetime
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Men in Black II” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.77 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “Nextel Cup/Michigan” (Sunday, 5 p.m.) 6.52 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: TNT’s “Nextel Cup/Michigan” (Sunday, 5 p.m.); USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday 9 p.m.); USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday 10 p.m.); Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” (Tuesday 9 p.m.)
Show on the rise: Lifetime’s “Army Wives,” Sunday 10 p.m. The fourth outing of the new drama averaged 3.9 million, once again building on its premiere. The show is now the highest-rated program in the network’s 23-year history.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending June 24 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1949
|
NICK
|
1634
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1852
|
TNT
|
1123
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1443
|
NAN *
|
1093
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
1332
|
ADSM*
|
1057
|
|
5
|
LIF
|
1283
|
TOON
|
928
|
|
6
|
TOON
|
1146
|
USA
|
892
|
|
7
|
ESPN
|
1057
|
TBSC
|
793
|
|
8
|
SPK
|
1051
|
LIF
|
773
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
992
|
FOXN
|
766
|
|
10
|
SCIF
|
978
|
DISC
|
599
|
|
11
|
AEN
|
972
|
AEN
|
585
|
|
12
|
NAN
|
955
|
SPK
|
552
|
|
13
|
HGTV
|
933
|
HALL
|
541
|
|
14
|
CORT
|
926
|
HIST
|
531
|
|
15
|
HALL
|
899
|
HGTV
|
525
|
|
16
|
HIST
|
864
|
CORT
|
521
|
|
17
|
ESP2
|
858
|
MTV
|
513
|
|
18
|
FX
|
846
|
FAM
|
507
|
|
19
|
FAM
|
779
|
FX
|
507
|
|
20
|
TLC
|
741
|
ESPN
|
505
|
|
21
|
CNN
|
739
|
TVLD
|
484
|
|
22
|
MTV
|
680
|
FOOD
|
461
|
|
23
|
AMC
|
675
|
CMDY
|
457
|
|
24
|
CMDY
|
667
|
SCIF
|
445
|
|
25
|
FOOD
|
639
|
CNN
|
419
|
|
* 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 June 24 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
6376
|
|
2
|
Nextel Cup Racing/Sonoma
|
TNT
|
4431
|
|
3
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3907
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3856
|
|
5
|
Heartland
|
TNT
|
3166
|
|
6
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
2962
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2949
|
|
8
|
Futurama
|
ADSM
|
2918
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
2703
|
|
10
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2671
|
|
11
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2649
|
|
12
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2626
|
|
13
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2610
|
|
14
|
Fairly Odd Parents
|
NICK
|
2584
|
|
15
|
The Closer Special
|
TNT
|
2579
|
|
16
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2543
|
|
17
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2528
|
|
18
|
NASCAR Pre-Race Show
|
TNT
|
2492
|
|
19
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2430
|
|
19
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2408
|
|
21
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2406
|
|
22
|
Ned Declassified
|
NICK
|
2400
|
|
23
|
Drake & Josh
|
NICK
|
2397
|
|
24
|
Fairly Odd Parents
|
NICK
|
2396
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2382
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending June 24 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
581
|
ADSM*
|
461
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
533
|
NICK
|
336
|
|
3
|
SPK
|
395
|
TBSC
|
301
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
389
|
NAN *
|
297
|
|
5
|
MTV
|
388
|
TNT
|
269
|
|
6
|
DISC
|
368
|
MTV
|
249
|
|
7
|
CMDY
|
338
|
USA
|
247
|
|
8
|
FX
|
335
|
CMDY
|
229
|
|
9
|
TLC
|
302
|
DISC
|
218
|
|
10
|
AEN/SCI FI
|
280
|
SPK
|
207
|
|
* 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 June 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1584
|
|
2
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1526
|
|
3
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1465
|
|
4
|
Futurama
|
ADSM
|
1363
|
|
5
|
The Ultimate Fighter
|
SPK
|
1185
|
|
6
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
1163
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1114
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1103
|
|
9
|
RW/RR Challenge Inferno lll
|
MTV
|
1072
|
|
10
|
Nextel Cup Racing/Sonoma
|
TNT
|
1054
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending June 24 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1227
|
TNT
|
655
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
1079
|
ADSM*
|
583
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
1027
|
TBSC
|
561
|
|
4
|
SPK
|
792
|
USA
|
525
|
|
5
|
DISC
|
765
|
NICK
|
503
|
|
6
|
FX
|
680
|
NAN *
|
501
|
|
7
|
SCIF
|
678
|
DISC
|
424
|
|
8
|
LIF
|
663
|
LIF
|
412
|
|
9
|
AEN
|
571
|
SPK
|
396
|
|
10
|
ESPN
|
553
|
FX
|
371
|
|
* 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 June 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Nextel Cup Racing/Sonoma
|
TNT
|
3140
|
|
2
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2948
|
|
3
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2909
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2739
|
|
5
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2569
|
|
6
|
The Ultimate Fighter
|
SPK
|
1945
|
|
7
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
1903
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1902
|
|
9
|
House of Payne
|
TBSC
|
1795
|
|
10
|
Men In Black ll
|
TBSC
|
1766
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending June 24 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1219
|
TNT
|
710
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1203
|
USA
|
526
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1018
|
TBSC
|
497
|
|
4
|
DISC
|
765
|
NAN *
|
436
|
|
5
|
SPK
|
752
|
LIF
|
424
|
|
6
|
SCIF
|
748
|
NICK
|
400
|
|
7
|
LIF
|
708
|
DISC
|
390
|
|
8
|
FX
|
633
|
SPK
|
369
|
|
9
|
AEN
|
587
|
AEN
|
342
|
|
10
|
ESPN
|
564
|
FX
|
332
|
|
* 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 June 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
3799
|
|
2
|
Nextel Cup Racing/Sonoma
|
TNT
|
3547
|
|
3
|
Deadliest Catch
|
DISC
|
2597
|
|
4
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2582
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2404
|
|
6
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
2011
|
|
7
|
NASCAR Pre-Race Show
|
TNT
|
1935
|
|
8
|
House of Payne
|
TBSC
|
1875
|
|
9
|
Life On The Edge Tues
|
DISC
|
1757
|
|
10
|
The Last Castle
|
TNT
|
1751
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
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