Since UPN merged with the WB and Fox dumped “The Bernie Mac Show,” broadcast has lacked for programming headlined by black actors.
So viewers are finding it on cable. TBS wisely locked up writer-director-actor Tyler Perry’s “House of Payne” for a presyndication run two years ago, and now the network is airing his latest sitcom, “Meet the Browns,” a “Payne” spinoff that has quickly become the top comedy on cable.
“Browns” is averaging 3.63 million total viewers and 1.84 million adults 18-49 this season, according to Nielsen ratings provided by Turner Networks. In fact, it has pulled ahead of “Payne” for the season in total viewers, prompting TBS to order an additional 70 episodes last week after the initial 10-episode run.
"Payne," meanwhile, is averaging 3.5 million viewers and 2.02 million adults 18-49. Both shows are among the most-watched on television, broadcast or cable, among African Americans.
Though the shows have gotten just middling reviews, there’s no doubt they’re filling a big gap in television these days. There are just two black-headlined sitcoms left on broadcast, the CW’s “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Game,” which have been relegated to low-rated Friday night.
And while there are a number of prominent black cast members on network dramas, including Chandra Wilson on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Anthony Anderson on “Law & Order,” none of them carry the show.
In fact, one of the reasons reality shows are so popular with black audiences is that they often have African-American contestants, hosts or judges who get more screen time than those on scripted series.
Still, not just any scripted show with black leads will draw an audience. That’s a tribute to Perry, who is credited with proving there’s a large untapped audience of black middle-class Americans looking for entertainment.
“Browns” is just the latest success for Perry, whose growing entertainment empire includes a run of movies that have opened at No. 1 at the box office, “Payne’s” cable and syndication success, and a number of hit plays.
That led Perry last year to open Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, the first black-owned production company in the country. It’s also led him to projects outside his own writing. Perry has a cameo in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming “Star Trek” film, the first time he’s appeared in something he didn't write.
***
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Feb. 8:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TNT, TBS, A&E, FX.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, Fox News Channel, TBS, A&E.
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “Wedding Crashers” (Saturday, 7 p.m.) 1.56 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): TNT’s “NBA Basketball: Lakers/Celtics” (Thursday, 8:16 p.m.) 4.31 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Raw” (Monday, 10 p.m.); Bravo’s “Top Chef” (Wednesday, 10 p.m.).
Show on the rise: Adult Swim’s “Robot Chicken,” Sunday 11:30 p.m. “Chicken” grew 29 percent week-to-week among viewers 18-34, from 1.05 million to 1.35 million.
Show on the decline: TNT’s “The Closer,” Monday 9 p.m. The drama was still in the top 10 among viewers 25-54 but slipped 21 percent week-to-week in the demo from 2.7 million viewers to 2.14 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2460
|
NICK
|
1684
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1889
|
NAN
*
|
1253
|
|
3
|
FOXN
|
1862
|
USA
|
1219
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
1315
|
FOXN
|
1074
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
1311
|
TNT
|
1014
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
1219
|
ADSM*
|
894
|
|
7
|
TOON
|
1108
|
TOON
|
816
|
|
8
|
HALL
|
1092
|
TBSC
|
799
|
|
9
|
FX
|
970
|
LIF
|
691
|
|
10
|
CNN
|
962
|
AEN
|
678
|
|
11
|
HIST
|
962
|
HIST
|
673
|
|
12
|
HGTV
|
951
|
SPK
|
632
|
|
13
|
ESPN
|
944
|
CNN
|
612
|
|
14
|
LIF
|
933
|
ESPN
|
593
|
|
15
|
DISC
|
916
|
DISC
|
591
|
|
16
|
SPK
|
884
|
TRU
|
586
|
|
17
|
AMC
|
863
|
FX
|
569
|
|
18
|
FAM
|
837
|
HALL
|
569
|
|
19
|
SCIF
|
824
|
HGTV
|
550
|
|
20
|
FOOD
|
766
|
FOOD
|
531
|
|
21
|
TRU
|
759
|
AMC
|
509
|
|
22
|
TLC
|
739
|
TVLD
|
487
|
|
23
|
CMDY
|
736
|
FAM
|
477
|
|
24
|
MTV
|
731
|
CMDY
|
446
|
|
25
|
TVLD
|
708
|
MTV
|
419
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data.
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
4086
|
|
2
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
3815
|
|
3
|
Monk
|
USA
|
3753
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3567
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3497
|
|
6
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3480
|
|
7
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3351
|
|
8
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3130
|
|
9
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3123
|
|
10
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3107
|
|
11
|
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
|
TNT
|
3095
|
|
12
|
Lakers/Celtics
|
TNT
|
3063
|
|
13
|
Psych
|
USA
|
3005
|
|
14
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2981
|
|
15
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2891
|
|
16
|
True Jackson, VP
|
NICK
|
2873
|
|
17
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2844
|
|
18
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2828
|
|
18
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2828
|
|
20
|
Barnyard
|
NICK
|
2805
|
|
21
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2792
|
|
22
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2790
|
|
23
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2788
|
|
24
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2759
|
|
25
|
Obama Stimulus Plan
|
FOXN
|
2720
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
647
|
ADSM*
|
480
|
|
2
|
USA
|
609
|
NAN
*
|
393
|
|
3
|
MTV
|
473
|
NICK
|
372
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
438
|
TBSC
|
359
|
|
5
|
FX
|
404
|
USA
|
272
|
|
6
|
VH1
|
382
|
MTV
|
249
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
345
|
TNT
|
249
|
|
8
|
CMDY
|
345
|
ESPN
|
237
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
336
|
FX
|
232
|
|
10
|
FAM
|
332
|
CMDY
|
213
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1451
|
|
2
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1378
|
|
3
|
Robot Chicken
|
ADSM
|
1346
|
|
4
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1335
|
|
5
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1301
|
|
6
|
Nip Tuck
|
FX
|
1272
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1249
|
|
8
|
Real World XXI
|
MTV
|
1226
|
|
9
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1222
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1210
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1440
|
NAN
*
|
673
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1111
|
USA
|
661
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1109
|
ADSM*
|
639
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
790
|
TBSC
|
632
|
|
5
|
FX
|
752
|
TNT
|
610
|
|
6
|
SPK
|
651
|
NICK
|
586
|
|
7
|
DISC
|
649
|
AEN
|
429
|
|
8
|
HIST
|
598
|
FX
|
428
|
|
9
|
MTV
|
593
|
SPK
|
423
|
|
10
|
ESPN
|
586
|
ESPN
|
418
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2659
|
|
2
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2408
|
|
3
|
Lakers/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2384
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2351
|
|
5
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
2323
|
|
6
|
Nip Tuck
|
FX
|
2024
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1805
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1794
|
|
9
|
Psych
|
USA
|
1776
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
TBSC
|
1756
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 8 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1547
|
USA
|
722
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
1256
|
TNT
|
673
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
936
|
NAN
*
|
550
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
803
|
TBSC
|
533
|
|
5
|
FX
|
659
|
NICK
|
495
|
|
6
|
SPK
|
643
|
AEN
|
439
|
|
7
|
DISC
|
619
|
HIST
|
418
|
|
8
|
HIST
|
618
|
SPK
|
402
|
|
9
|
SCIF
|
585
|
TRU
|
397
|
|
10
|
ESPN
|
571
|
LIF
|
389
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending February 8 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Burn Notice
|
USA
|
2713
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2467
|
|
3
|
Lakers/Celtics
|
TNT
|
2348
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2312
|
|
5
|
Monk
|
USA
|
2281
|
|
6
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
2239
|
|
7
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2143
|
|
8
|
Psych
|
USA
|
2079
|
|
9
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
1923
|
|
10
|
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
|
TNT
|
1848
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data.
|
