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What's hot these days: Home and hearth
By Tom Conroy
Sep 11, 2009 - 1:35:14 AM
In hard times, history tells us, folks get back to the basics of
life, home, hearth and family, cutting out spending on luxuries, such
as dinners out and vacations in Europe.
They cocoon, as the pop-psych phrase puts it, curl up and think of how to make the most of what they have.
These being such times, Americans are cocooning in great numbers, and
the evidence of that is in the ratings for cable networks focused on
the home, the Food Network and HGTV. Both have seen a rise in
viewership over the summer.
According to Nielsen, primetime total viewership at the Food Network
went up 34 percent this summer, rising from an average of 938,000 in
the summer of 2008 to an average of 1.26 million this year. And
prime-time viewership at HGTV rose 9 percent, from an average of 1.18
million viewers to an average of 1.29 million.
This same trend is showing up in magazines as well. Even though
magazines are suffering terribly in this ad recession, the traditional
women’s monthlies—Redbook, Family Circle and the like—have generally
held up better, both in ad pages and circulation.
What's less clear is how many cocooning Americans are acting on what they're learning watching these home-based shows.
Sales are down at both Home Depot and Lowe's, for example, which
suggests that while it may be a great time to fix up the house you
already own, not all that many people are doing it.
For many it may be a case of aspirational viewing: watching shows about
things they would like to do if they had the money, such as give the
basement a facelift or cook a fancy meal for family and friends. Note:
Also up this summer are the Travel Channel and the Golf Channel--Travel
by 20 percent in primetime and Golf by 37 percent.
It may be that a good part of cocooning is dreaming about getting back
to a better life--and out of the house--once times get better.
***
In cable ratings for the week ended Sept. 6:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, USA, TBS, TNT, A&E.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): ESPN, USA, Fox News Channel, TNT, Nick at Nite.
Top movie (18-49s): TNT’s “Disturbia” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 1.49 million.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Vikings/Texans” (Monday, 8 p.m.) 7.92 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s:
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Vikings/Texans” (Monday, 8 p.m.); ESPN’s
“College Football-Thursday Night” (Thursday, 10:13 p.m.); ESPN’s
“College Gameday Scoreboard” (Thursday, 10:04 p.m.); Bravo’s “Real
Housewives of Atlanta” (Thursday, 10 p.m.).
Show on the rise:
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Vikings/Texans,” Monday 8 p.m. Brett
Favre’s will-he-or-won’t-he antics may annoy many sports fans, but he’s
definitely good for TV ratings. A preseason game between Favre’s
Minnesota Vikings and the Houston Texans averaged 7.92 million total
viewers, making it the most-watched preseason game in the network’s
history.
Show on the decline:
USA’s “WWE Raw,” Monday 10 p.m. Likely taking a hit from ESPN’s “MNF,”
the 10 p.m. hour of “Raw” averaged 1.09 million viewers 18-34, off 24
percent from 1.43 million the previous week.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending September 6 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
2782
|
NICK
|
1467
|
|
2
|
USA
|
2125
|
NAN
*
|
1403
|
|
3
|
FOXN
|
1597
|
ESPN
|
1130
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
1584
|
USA
|
1121
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
1495
|
FOXN
|
1008
|
|
6
|
AEN
|
1268
|
ADSM*
|
966
|
|
7
|
HGTV
|
1212
|
TNT
|
958
|
|
8
|
TBSC
|
1197
|
TOON
|
741
|
|
9
|
ESP2
|
1037
|
TBSC
|
683
|
|
10
|
TOON
|
928
|
AEN
|
676
|
|
11
|
SYFY
|
910
|
HIST
|
590
|
|
12
|
FAM
|
893
|
HGTV
|
575
|
|
13
|
FX
|
879
|
TRU
|
560
|
|
14
|
HIST
|
869
|
FOOD
|
541
|
|
15
|
LIF
|
844
|
FX
|
520
|
|
16
|
DISC
|
838
|
DISC
|
517
|
|
17
|
FOOD
|
806
|
LIF
|
512
|
|
18
|
HALL
|
795
|
CNN
|
487
|
|
19
|
TRU
|
781
|
SPK
|
477
|
|
20
|
BRAV
|
762
|
HALL
|
458
|
|
21
|
TLC
|
759
|
ESP2
|
454
|
|
22
|
CNN
|
741
|
CMDY
|
441
|
|
23
|
SPK
|
737
|
FAM
|
438
|
|
24
|
CMDY
|
715
|
SYFY
|
429
|
|
25
|
AMC
|
635
|
TVLD
|
429
|
|
* 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 September 6 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Vikings/Texans
|
ESPN
|
5943
|
|
2
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup
|
ESPN
|
4056
|
|
3
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3630
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
3585
|
|
5
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3433
|
|
6
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3248
|
|
7
|
College Football-Saturday Prime
|
ESPN
|
3221
|
|
8
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3162
|
|
9
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
3149
|
|
10
|
College Football-Saturday Afternoon
|
ESPN
|
2956
|
|
11
|
College Gameday Scoreboard
|
ESPN
|
2895
|
|
12
|
College Football-Thursday Night
|
ESPN
|
2892
|
|
13
|
The Penguins Of
Madagascar
|
NICK
|
2874
|
|
14
|
NCIS
|
USA
|
2808
|
|
15
|
Back At The Barnyard
|
NICK
|
2746
|
|
16
|
Design Star IV
|
HGTV
|
2700
|
|
17
|
Leverage
|
TNT
|
2684
|
|
18
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
2683
|
|
19
|
Project Runway
|
LIF
|
2626
|
|
20
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup Countdown
|
ESPN
|
2619
|
|
21
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2592
|
|
22
|
Law & Order: SVU
|
USA
|
2582
|
|
23
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
2547
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2531
|
|
25
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2501
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending September 6 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
818
|
ADSM*
|
503
|
|
2
|
TBSC
|
538
|
NAN
*
|
427
|
|
3
|
USA
|
442
|
ESPN
|
410
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
347
|
NICK
|
316
|
|
5
|
NAN
|
346
|
TBSC
|
293
|
|
6
|
CMDY
|
333
|
USA
|
244
|
|
7
|
FX
|
329
|
CMDY
|
224
|
|
8
|
MTV
|
326
|
TNT
|
223
|
|
9
|
VH1
|
323
|
MTV
|
203
|
|
10
|
BRAV
|
318
|
FX
|
196
|
|
* 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 September 6 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Vikings/Texans
|
ESPN
|
1985
|
|
2
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1294
|
|
3
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1293
|
|
4
|
The Real Housewives Of
Atlanta
|
BRAV
|
1287
|
|
5
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1274
|
|
6
|
College Football-Thursday Night
|
ESPN
|
1251
|
|
7
|
Family Guy
|
ADSM
|
1243
|
|
8
|
Real World XXII
|
MTV
|
1232
|
|
9
|
The Secret Life Of the American Teenager
|
FAM
|
1189
|
|
10
|
College Gameday Scoreboard
|
ESPN
|
1132
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending September 6 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1800
|
ESPN
|
794
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1073
|
NAN
*
|
705
|
|
3
|
TBSC
|
946
|
ADSM*
|
672
|
|
4
|
TNT
|
848
|
USA
|
577
|
|
5
|
AEN
|
746
|
TNT
|
528
|
|
6
|
FX
|
678
|
TBSC
|
521
|
|
7
|
NAN
|
643
|
NICK
|
492
|
|
8
|
BRAV
|
620
|
AEN
|
384
|
|
9
|
DISC
|
602
|
FX
|
383
|
|
10
|
SYFY
|
571
|
DISC
|
345
|
|
* 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 September 6 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Vikings/Texans
|
ESPN
|
4000
|
|
2
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup
|
ESPN
|
2596
|
|
3
|
College Football-Thursday Night
|
ESPN
|
2346
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2323
|
|
5
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2225
|
|
6
|
The Real Housewives Of
Atlanta
|
BRAV
|
2222
|
|
7
|
College Gameday Scoreboard
|
ESPN
|
2211
|
|
8
|
College Football-Saturday Prime
|
ESPN
|
2064
|
|
9
|
College Football-Saturday Afternoon
|
ESPN
|
2001
|
|
10
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1968
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending September 6 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
ESPN
|
1870
|
ESPN
|
743
|
|
2
|
USA
|
1195
|
USA
|
624
|
|
3
|
TNT
|
909
|
NAN
*
|
570
|
|
4
|
AEN
|
794
|
TNT
|
551
|
|
5
|
TBSC
|
772
|
TBSC
|
441
|
|
6
|
SYFY
|
660
|
ADSM*
|
432
|
|
7
|
HGTV
|
626
|
AEN
|
402
|
|
8
|
FX
|
624
|
NICK
|
395
|
|
9
|
BRAV
|
600
|
HIST
|
364
|
|
10
|
DISC
|
576
|
FX
|
347
|
|
* 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 September 6 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Vikings/Texans
|
ESPN
|
4031
|
|
2
|
NASCAR Sprint Cup
|
ESPN
|
3184
|
|
3
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2490
|
|
4
|
WWE Raw
|
USA
|
2426
|
|
5
|
College Gameday Scoreboard
|
ESPN
|
2170
|
|
6
|
College Football-Thursday Night
|
ESPN
|
2159
|
|
7
|
The Real Housewives Of
Atlanta
|
BRAV
|
2003
|
|
8
|
College Football-Saturday Prime
|
ESPN
|
1993
|
|
9
|
Top Chef
|
BRAV
|
1920
|
|
10
|
Ghost Hunters
|
SYFY
|
1911
|
|
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data
|
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