So where'd the
'Leno' exiles go anyhow?
If you guessed ABC or CBS you'd be wrong
By Tom Conroy
Dec 16, 2009
Where have all NBC’s 10 p.m. viewers gone?
One might think to ABC and CBS.
Early on, when NBC first announced it was creating a weeknight “Jay Leno Show,” the thinking was that NBC drama fans would turn to the other two broadcast networks.
But new data suggests that the prized 18-49-year-old viewers have instead fled to basic cable, helping create such fall hits as FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” and TNT’s “Men of a Certain Age.”
According to Nielsen numbers crunched by Turner Broadcasting, this season so far (through the week ending Dec. 6) the three broadcast networks are down 14 percent from last year among 18-49s in the 10 p.m. hour on weeknights.
Nearly all that loss is attributable to the whopping 45 percent hit that NBC has taken by airing “The Jay Leno Show” in place of the dramas that filled the hour last year.
But neither ABC nor CBS have gained from NBC’s loss. ABC is up only one tenth of a rating point in the demo at 10 p.m.; CBS is flat. (Neither Fox nor The CW program the 10 p.m. hour.) Three networks’ combined 18-49 rating has dropped by 1.3 points in the hour.
Meanwhile, ad-supported cable is up 1.6 points in the demo during the 10 p.m. hour.
While some of that rise is no doubt attributable to a shift away from broadcast TV that has been continuing steadily ever since basic cable was invented, it seems likely that many of those 18-49s are disaffected NBC drama fans.
This fall, the 10 p.m. weeknight hour has become the hottest time slot in cable, home to such hits as TNT's “Men of a Certain Age,” FX's “Sons of Anarchy,” Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Top Chef,” Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” MTV’s “Teen Mom” and TBS's “House of Payne.”
Last week, 13 of the top 20 shows among 18-49s shown on ad-supported cable during weeknight primetime aired during the 10 p.m. hour. In the corresponding week last year, only eight of the top 20 aired during that hour.
Other recent reports have said that NBC’s lost viewers may have been using their DVRs at 10 p.m. on weeknights. At least some of them would have been watching broadcast programming that aired earlier — not an ideal change for the networks, but one they can live with.
If instead broadcast’s most sought-after demographic is turning to cable at 10, that’s serious bad news. If ABC and CBS can’t benefit from NBC’s decision to drop expensive scripted programming at 10, they might find themselves forced to emulate it.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Dec. 13:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, USA, TBS, ABC Family, TNT.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): ESPN, USA, ABC Family, TNT, Hallmark Channel.
Top movie (18-49s): ABC Family’s “Santa Baby 2” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.61 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Ravens/Packers” (Monday, 8:30 p.m.) 13.48 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Ravens/Packers” (Monday, 8:30 p.m.); E!’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” (Sunday, 10 p.m.); Bravo’s “Top Chef” (Wednesday, 10 p.m.).
Show on the rise: E!’s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” Sunday 10 p.m. The fourth-season premiere averaged 4.1 million total viewers, up more than 140 percent versus the 1.7 million who tuned into the season three premiere.
Show on the decline: A&E’s “Hoarders,” Monday 10 p.m. The reality series fell 23 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from 1.95 million viewers to 1.51 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending December 13 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
2419
|
NICK
|
1683
|
|
2
|
USA
|
2070
|
NAN
*
|
1212
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
1624
|
USA
|
1187
|
|
4
|
HALL
|
1623
|
TNT
|
1101
|
|
5
|
FOXN
|
1590
|
ESPN
|
1019
|
|
6
|
FAM
|
1441
|
FOXN
|
944
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
1351
|
ADSM*
|
919
|
|
8
|
NAN
|
1317
|
HALL
|
867
|
|
9
|
TBSC
|
1249
|
TOON
|
790
|
|
10
|
FX
|
1157
|
AEN
|
736
|
|
11
|
LIF
|
984
|
FAM
|
713
|
|
12
|
TOON
|
977
|
TBSC
|
713
|
|
13
|
DISC
|
936
|
LIF
|
656
|
|
14
|
HGTV
|
917
|
FX
|
631
|
|
15
|
SYFY
|
917
|
FOOD
|
579
|
|
16
|
AMC
|
910
|
TRU
|
573
|
|
17
|
FOOD
|
845
|
DISC
|
561
|
|
18
|
TRU
|
836
|
HIST
|
561
|
|
19
|
HIST
|
830
|
HGTV
|
539
|
|
20
|
SPK
|
750
|
SPK
|
535
|
|
21
|
TLC
|
725
|
AMC
|
500
|
|
22
|
CMDY
|
717
|
TVLD
|
460
|
|
23
|
BRAV
|
691
|
SYFY
|
443
|
|
24
|
LMN
|
671
|
MTV
|
437
|
|
25
|
MTV
|
657
|
LMN
|
432
|
|
* 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 December 13 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Ravens/Packers
|
ESPN
|
9571
|
|
2
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
4562
|
|
3
|
Men Of A Certain Age
|
TNT
|
4113
|
|
4
|
Heisman Trophy Present
|
ESPN
|
4045
|
|
5
|
2009 - Steelers vs. Browns
|
NFLN
|
3270
|
|
6
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3250
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3154
|
|
8
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3104
|
|
9
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3030
|
|
10
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2999
|
|
11
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
2911
|
|
12
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2908
|
|
13
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2847
|
|
14
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2845
|
|
15
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2831
|
|
16
|
Sportscenter
|
ESPN
|
2818
|
|
17
|
iCarly Movie: I Quit iCarly
|
NICK
|
2809
|
|
18
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2808
|
|
19
|
Christmas In
Canaan
|
HALL
|
2783
|
|
20
|
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
|
NICK
|
2735
|
|
21
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2731
|
|
22
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2718
|
|
23
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
2706
|
|
24
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2700
|
|
25
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2678
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending December 13 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
801
|
ADSM*
|
463
|
|
2
|
USA
|
625
|
ESPN
|
391
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
621
|
NICK
|
341
|
|
4
|
FX
|
478
|
TBSC
|
326
|
|
5
|
FAM
|
414
|
USA
|
317
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
412
|
NAN
*
|
316
|
|
7
|
MTV
|
404
|
FX
|
252
|
|
8
|
TNT
|
362
|
MTV
|
244
|
|
9
|
CMDY
|
318
|
TNT
|
241
|
|
10
|
EN
|
318
|
FAM
|
222
|
|
* 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 December 13 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Ravens/Packers
|
ESPN
|
3303
|
|
2
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
2206
|
|
3
|
Teen Mom
|
MTV
|
1324
|
|
4
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1315
|
|
5
|
It's Always Sunny In
Philadelphia
|
FX
|
1310
|
|
6
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1259
|
|
7
|
Real World/Road Rules: The Ruins
|
MTV
|
1245
|
|
8
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1232
|
|
9
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1217
|
|
10
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1215
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending December 13 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1632
|
ESPN
|
711
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1276
|
USA
|
665
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
1067
|
ADSM*
|
650
|
|
4
|
FAM
|
976
|
TNT
|
623
|
|
5
|
TNT
|
919
|
NICK
|
567
|
|
6
|
FX
|
907
|
TBSC
|
567
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
863
|
NAN
*
|
552
|
|
8
|
DISC
|
672
|
FX
|
480
|
|
9
|
SYFY
|
619
|
FAM
|
465
|
|
10
|
FOOD
|
581
|
AEN
|
424
|
|
* 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 December 13 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Ravens/Packers
|
ESPN
|
6932
|
|
2
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
3135
|
|
3
|
2009 - Steelers vs. Browns
|
NFLN
|
2475
|
|
4
|
Heisman Trophy Present
|
ESPN
|
2468
|
|
5
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2383
|
|
6
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
2326
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2189
|
|
8
|
Men Of A Certain Age
|
TNT
|
2074
|
|
9
|
Sportscenter
|
ESPN
|
2044
|
|
10
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
1875
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending December 13 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1631
|
USA
|
666
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1251
|
TNT
|
665
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
984
|
ESPN
|
637
|
|
4
|
FAM
|
938
|
TBSC
|
487
|
|
5
|
TBSC
|
903
|
NAN
*
|
475
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
895
|
NICK
|
461
|
|
7
|
FX
|
819
|
AEN
|
456
|
|
8
|
SYFY
|
667
|
ADSM*
|
434
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
664
|
FAM
|
434
|
|
10
|
FOOD
|
606
|
FX
|
432
|
|
* 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 December 13 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Ravens/Packers
|
ESPN
|
6967
|
|
2
|
Heisman Trophy Present
|
ESPN
|
2640
|
|
3
|
Men Of A Certain Age
|
TNT
|
2630
|
|
4
|
2009 - Steelers vs. Browns
|
NFLN
|
2618
|
|
5
|
The Closer
|
TNT
|
2431
|
|
6
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
2375
|
|
7
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2346
|
|
8
|
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
|
EN
|
2327
|
|
9
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2196
|
|
10
|
Sportscenter
|
ESPN
|
1848
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
|
|
