Cable's big
holiday attraction: Movies
Four Christmas-themed flicks make the week's top 30 shows
By Toni Fitzgerald
Dec 7, 2011
 |
| 'Good Luck': Disney Channel movie is second for the week among total viewers |
On broadcast, it's the half-hour kids' holiday specials that have been putting up strong ratings the past two weeks.
On cable, it's not those short specials but rather the much longer holiday movies that are drawing the biggest audiences, and not everyone who's watching is a kid.
Four holiday movies made basic cable's top 30 among total viewers last week, the week ended Dec. 4, and they drew strong audiences among both adults and children.
Disney Channel's "Good Luck Charlie: It's Christmas" finished second for the week among total viewers, averaging 6.9 million Friday at 8 p.m., according to Nielsen.
It became the No. 1 live-action movie on cable this year, and it ranks No. 2 overall behind only August's animated "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension."
In fact, a second airing of "Charlie" at 8:30 p.m. Sunday also made the weekly top 30, finishing 12th with 4.8 million viewers.
Disney sister network ABC Family also had a movie in the top 30, the live-action version of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," which drew 3.85 million viewers Friday at 8 p.m. and placed 22nd for the week.
The biggest non-kids Christmas movie of the week was Hallmark's original "A Princess for Christmas," which drew 3.6 million viewers Saturday at 8 p.m. Of note, it actually outdrew the television debut of the wildly popular film "The Hangover" on TBS that same night.
Cable has become the place for holiday movies over the years.
While the broadcast networks happily clear their schedules for annual Christmas specials like "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," movies simply don't do as well as broadcast as they once did and the networks are increasingly reluctant to air them.
And no wonder. The religious-themed original movie "Have a Little Faith," which premiered on ABC a week and a half ago, drew a mere 1.1 adults 18-49 rating, No. 63 for the week on broadcast.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Dec. 4:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, TBS, ABC Family, USA, FX.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): ESPN, USA, Disney Channel, ABC Family, TBS.
Top five cable news networks in primetime (25-54): Fox News Channel, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, CNBC.
Top five cable news programs (total viewers): 1 Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Wednesday, 8 p.m.); 2. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Monday, 8 p.m.); 3. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Thursday, 8 p.m.); 4. Fox News Channel's "Hannity" (Wednesday, 9 p.m.); 5. Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" (Friday, 8 p.m.)
Top movie (18-49s): TBS's "The Hangover" (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.97 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN's "Monday Night Football: Giants/Saints" (Monday, 8:30 p.m.) 14.43 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: ESPN's "Monday Night Football: Giants/Saints" (Monday, 7:30 p.m.); FX's "Sons of Anarchy" (Tuesday, 10 p.m.); A&E's "Storage Wars" (Tuesday, 10:30 p.m.)
Show on the rise: FX's "American Horror Story" Wednesday, 10 p.m. The drama averaged 1.40 million viewers 18-34, No. 8 for the week in the demo and up 15 percent from 1.22 million the previous week.
Show on the decline: NFL Network's "NFL Football," Thursday, 8:30 p.m. A game between the Eagles and Seahawks averaged 5.95 million total viewers, down 44 percent from the 10.68 million the previous week's Thanksgiving night matchup between the Ravens and 49ers averaged.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
ESPN |
NICK |
1348 |
|
2 |
USA |
USA |
DSNY |
1255 |
|
3 |
DSNY |
DSNY |
USA |
1111 |
|
4 |
TBSC |
TBSC |
ADSM* |
1041 |
|
5 |
FOXN |
FOXN |
ESPN |
993 |
|
6 |
FAM |
FAM |
NAN * |
923 |
|
7 |
HALL |
HALL |
FOXN |
921 |
|
8 |
TNT |
TNT |
TNT |
855 |
|
9 |
FX |
FX |
TBSC |
743 |
|
10 |
HIST |
HIST |
TOON |
733 |
|
11 |
AEN |
AEN |
FAM |
722 |
|
12 |
SYFY |
SYFY |
HALL |
695 |
|
13 |
ADSM |
ADSM |
HIST |
683 |
|
14 |
LIF |
LIF |
AEN |
670 |
|
15 |
DISC |
DISC |
FX |
643 |
|
16 |
NAN |
NAN |
LIF |
573 |
|
17 |
HGTV |
HGTV |
HGTV |
559 |
|
18 |
FOOD |
FOOD |
AMC |
536 |
|
19 |
AMC |
AMC |
FOOD |
520 |
|
20 |
BRAV |
BRAV |
SYFY |
496 |
|
21 |
TLC |
TLC |
TVLD |
491 |
|
22 |
SPK |
SPK |
DISC |
489 |
|
23 |
TRU |
TRU |
TRU |
467 |
|
24 |
NFLN |
NFLN |
SPK |
420 |
|
25 |
TVLD |
TVLD |
ID |
415 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1 |
Giants/Saints |
ESPN |
10624 |
|
2 |
Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas! |
DSNY |
4406 |
|
3 |
Philadelphia vs. Seattle |
NFLN |
4180 |
|
4 |
The Closer |
TNT |
4140 |
|
5 |
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
4053 |
|
6 |
Storage Wars |
AEN |
3960 |
|
7 |
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
3948 |
|
8 |
Storage Wars |
AEN |
3767 |
|
9 |
Rizzoli & Isles |
TNT |
3669 |
|
10 |
Austin & Ally |
DSNY |
3663 |
|
11 |
American Pickers |
HIST |
3630 |
|
12 |
Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas! |
DSNY |
3332 |
|
13 |
WWE Raw |
USA |
3313 |
|
14 |
Gold Rush |
DISC |
3280 |
|
15 |
NCIS |
USA |
3256 |
|
16 |
WWE Raw |
USA |
3047 |
|
17 |
Victorious |
NICK |
2978 |
|
18 |
NCIS |
USA |
2973 |
|
19 |
Sons Of Anarchy |
FX |
2926 |
|
20 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2891 |
|
21 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
2874 |
|
22 |
Phineas And Ferb |
DSNY |
2816 |
|
23 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2745 |
|
24 |
A Princess For Christmas |
HALL |
2740 |
|
25 |
So Random |
DSNY |
2700 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN |
853 |
ADSM* |
524 |
|
2
|
TBSC |
701 |
ESPN |
383 |
|
3
|
FAM |
665 |
NAN * |
372 |
|
4
|
FX |
604 |
TBSC |
325 |
|
5
|
USA |
504 |
NICK |
324 |
|
6
|
ADSM |
465 |
FAM |
315 |
|
7
|
MTV |
370 |
FX |
291 |
|
8
|
SPK |
353 |
DSNY |
244 |
|
9
|
AEN |
341 |
USA |
239 |
|
10
|
DISC |
322 |
MTV |
232 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Giants/Saints |
ESPN |
3309 |
|
2
|
Sons Of Anarchy |
FX |
1566 |
|
3
|
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1542 |
|
4
|
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1520 |
|
5
|
Love And Hip Hop 2 |
VH1 |
1459 |
|
6
|
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
1412 |
|
7
|
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1404 |
|
8
|
American Horror Story |
FX |
1399 |
|
9
|
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1391 |
|
10
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
1372 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN |
1698 |
ADSM* |
704 |
|
2
|
TBSC |
1266 |
ESPN |
702 |
|
3
|
FAM |
1100 |
TBSC |
562 |
|
4
|
USA |
1097 |
NAN * |
534 |
|
5
|
FX |
1024 |
USA |
518 |
|
6
|
AEN |
775 |
FAM |
505 |
|
7
|
HIST |
697 |
NICK |
488 |
|
8
|
SYFY |
675 |
FX |
481 |
|
9
|
DISC |
667 |
AEN |
406 |
|
10
|
ADSM |
644 |
TNT |
379 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Giants/Saints |
ESPN |
7117 |
|
2
|
Philadelphia vs. Seattle |
NFLN |
3049 |
|
3
|
Sons Of Anarchy |
FX |
2914 |
|
4
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2798 |
|
5
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
2684 |
|
6
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
2645 |
|
7
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2608 |
|
8
|
Gold Rush |
DISC |
2418 |
|
9
|
WWE Raw |
USA |
2255 |
|
10
|
Kourtney & Kim Take New York |
EN |
2190 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN |
1705 |
ESPN |
641 |
|
2
|
TBSC |
1155 |
USA |
535 |
|
3
|
USA |
1153 |
TBSC |
490 |
|
4
|
FAM |
924 |
ADSM* |
462 |
|
5
|
FX |
868 |
TNT |
448 |
|
6
|
HIST |
806 |
FAM |
419 |
|
7
|
AEN |
787 |
HIST |
412 |
|
8
|
SYFY |
759 |
AEN |
406 |
|
9
|
DISC |
681 |
FX |
402 |
|
10
|
TNT |
634 |
NICK |
377 |
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Dec. 4 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Giants/Saints |
ESPN |
7426 |
|
2
|
Philadelphia vs. Seattle |
NFLN |
3232 |
|
3
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
2906 |
|
4
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2891 |
|
5
|
Pawn Stars |
HIST |
2760 |
|
6
|
Sons Of Anarchy |
FX |
2707 |
|
7
|
Storage Wars |
AEN |
2682 |
|
8
|
Gold Rush |
DISC |
2592 |
|
9
|
American Pickers |
HIST |
2479 |
|
10
|
WWE Raw |
USA |
2227 |
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data |
|
|
|
