At some point, viewers simply had to tire of reality shows, and the networks would respond by returning to scripted fare. That’s long been the thinking among media people.
We may be starting to reach that point, based on how the summer went for the cable and broadcast networks.
The broadcast networks rolled out the typical number of new reality shows, and they all bombed. It was only the returning reality series that did decently.
On cable, seven of the top 10 new shows this summer were scripted series, in total viewers, based on Nielsen data as crunched by Turner for the period between June 1 and Aug. 23.
Last summer, by contrast, seven of the top 10 new cable shows were reality series.
The highest-rated new show this summer was USA’s breakout medical comedy "Royal Pains," which led in both total viewers and 18-49s.
Among the other top 10 scripted shows in viewers were an “X-Files” knockoff, Syfy's “Warehouse 13;" a hospital drama, TNT's “Hawthorne;” a cop series, TNT's “Dark Blue;” a teen drama about gymnasts, ABC Family's “Make It or Break It;" a traditional sitcom, TBS's “Meet the Browns;” and a body-switching comedy, Lifetime's “Drop Dead Diva."
The three reality series to make the top 10 were Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey” at No. 6, as well as TLC's "Cake Boss" and History Channel's "Pawn Star$."
Also worth noting: “Royal Pains” dwarfs "Housewives" in total viewers, at 7.15 million to 2.77 million, and even among more reality-friendly 18-to-49s, 2.97 million to 1.97 million.
Among 18-49s, four reality series made the top 10: "Housewives" and "Cake" as well as E!'s "Khourtney and Khloe take Miami" and "Kendra."
At least for cable the trend is clear. It's about programming that works, and what works is dramas and comedies based on themes of shows that performed so well decades ago on broadcast.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Aug. 30:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, ESPN, A&E.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, Fox News Channel, ESPN, Nick at Nite.
Top movie (18-49s): USA’s “Sweet Home Alabama” (Thursday, 8 p.m.) 1.47 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Jets/Ravens” (Monday, 9 p.m.) 4.95 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Raw” (Monday, 9 and 10 p.m.).
Show on the rise: TV Land’s “How’d You Get So Rich?,” Wednesday 10 p.m. The premiere of the Joan Rivers show averaged 771,000 total viewers, up 117 percent versus the network’s previous four-week average in the timeslot.
Show on the decline: Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” Thursday 10 p.m. While still a top-20 program among 18-34s, the second episode of the season slipped 27 percent week-to-week in the demo from 1.42 million viewers to 1.03 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending August 30 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
2695
|
NICK
|
1611
|
|
2
|
FOXN
|
1709
|
NAN
*
|
1229
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
1704
|
USA
|
1174
|
|
4
|
ESPN
|
1446
|
FOXN
|
1045
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
1380
|
TNT
|
1022
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
1274
|
ADSM*
|
909
|
|
7
|
TBSC
|
1242
|
TOON
|
788
|
|
8
|
HGTV
|
1151
|
TBSC
|
733
|
|
9
|
CNN
|
1109
|
ESPN
|
698
|
|
10
|
LIF
|
1092
|
AEN
|
669
|
|
11
|
SYFY
|
998
|
CNN
|
657
|
|
12
|
FOOD
|
930
|
LIF
|
631
|
|
13
|
HIST
|
888
|
FOOD
|
589
|
|
14
|
FX
|
871
|
HGTV
|
585
|
|
15
|
DISC
|
849
|
TRU
|
566
|
|
16
|
FAM
|
845
|
HIST
|
559
|
|
17
|
TOON
|
837
|
FX
|
550
|
|
18
|
TRU
|
772
|
DISC
|
523
|
|
19
|
TLC
|
761
|
SPK
|
482
|
|
20
|
AMC
|
741
|
TVLD
|
462
|
|
21
|
SPK
|
734
|
FAM
|
456
|
|
22
|
HALL
|
728
|
HALL
|
449
|
|
23
|
MSNB
|
707
|
SYFY
|
444
|
|
24
|
CMDY
|
703
|
AMC
|
430
|
|
25
|
BRAV
|
702
|
CMDY
|
424
|
|
* 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 August 30 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
5456
|
|
2
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
4368
|
|
3
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
4037
|
|
4
|
Jets/Ravens
|
ESPN
|
3910
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3892
|
|
6
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3872
|
|
7
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3780
|
|
8
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3677
|
|
9
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3504
|
|
10
|
Monk
|
USA
|
3496
|
|
11
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
3427
|
|
12
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3400
|
|
13
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3197
|
|
14
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3145
|
|
15
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3102
|
|
16
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2959
|
|
17
|
Psych
|
USA
|
2952
|
|
18
|
Ted Kennedy Remembered
|
CNN
|
2938
|
|
19
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2890
|
|
20
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2874
|
|
21
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2860
|
|
22
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2854
|
|
23
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2785
|
|
24
|
Project Runway
|
LIF
|
2752
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2749
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending August 30 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
584
|
ADSM*
|
463
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
577
|
NAN
*
|
365
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
377
|
NICK
|
353
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
368
|
TBSC
|
319
|
|
5
|
CMDY
|
365
|
TNT
|
263
|
|
6
|
MTV
|
355
|
ESPN
|
255
|
|
7
|
FX
|
337
|
USA
|
239
|
|
8
|
NAN
|
327
|
CMDY
|
220
|
|
9
|
VH1
|
327
|
MTV
|
217
|
|
10
|
FOOD
|
308
|
FX
|
214
|
|
* 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 August 30 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1468
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1431
|
|
3
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1344
|
|
4
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1322
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
1294
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1233
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
TBSC
|
1181
|
|
8
|
Kourtney & Khloe Take
Miami
|
EN
|
1157
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1156
|
|
10
|
Real World XXII
|
MTV
|
1125
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending August 30 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1373
|
NAN
*
|
630
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
1005
|
ADSM*
|
619
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
882
|
TNT
|
594
|
|
4
|
ESPN
|
834
|
USA
|
568
|
|
5
|
AEN
|
754
|
TBSC
|
563
|
|
6
|
FX
|
671
|
NICK
|
552
|
|
7
|
FOOD
|
667
|
ESPN
|
464
|
|
8
|
NAN
|
626
|
FX
|
416
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
621
|
AEN
|
393
|
|
10
|
LIF
|
619
|
LIF
|
382
|
|
* 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 August 30 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2811
|
|
2
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2574
|
|
3
|
Jets/Ravens
|
ESPN
|
2420
|
|
4
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
2262
|
|
5
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2241
|
|
6
|
Project Runway
|
LIF
|
2051
|
|
7
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1932
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1894
|
|
9
|
The Real Housewives Of
Atlanta
|
BRAV
|
1816
|
|
10
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1791
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending August 30 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
USA
|
1602
|
USA
|
652
|
|
2
|
TNT
|
982
|
TNT
|
610
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
877
|
NAN
*
|
546
|
|
4
|
TBSC
|
831
|
TBSC
|
477
|
|
5
|
AEN
|
815
|
NICK
|
449
|
|
6
|
SYFY
|
718
|
ESPN
|
419
|
|
7
|
FOOD
|
692
|
AEN
|
415
|
|
8
|
FX
|
655
|
ADSM*
|
392
|
|
9
|
LIF
|
652
|
LIF
|
375
|
|
10
|
HIST
|
635
|
FX
|
373
|
|
* 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 August 30 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2966
|
|
2
|
Royal Pains
|
USA
|
2864
|
|
3
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2842
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2724
|
|
5
|
Jets/Ravens
|
ESPN
|
2534
|
|
6
|
Monk
|
USA
|
2122
|
|
7
|
Project Runway
|
LIF
|
2028
|
|
8
|
Army Wives
|
LIF
|
2005
|
|
9
|
Psych
|
USA
|
1977
|
|
10
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1892
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
