With shows like ABC’s “Lost,” NBC’s “Heroes” and the CW’s “Supernatural,” the broadcast networks are experiencing a sci-fi renaissance. The same can’t be said for syndication.
While sci shows are among the most popular in primetime, ratings for the genre in syndication have seen major dips year to year, and the reason could be in part that casual sci-fi fans are getting their fill from broadcast.
Household ratings for the Superman-as-a-teenager drama “Smallville,” for example, are down 17 percent season to date through last month compared with last year, from a 1.8 to a 1.5 rating, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Katz TV. “Stargate: SG-1,” a Sci Fi Channel drama, has slipped 25 percent, from a 1.6 to a 1.2, while spinoff “Stargate: Atlantis” has fallen 14 percent, from a 1.4 to a 1.2.
And “Farscape,” about an astronaut who joins up with aliens after getting stuck in their galaxy, slid 30 percent, from a 1.0 to a 0.7. Even classic “Star Trek” episodes are averaging a 1.3 rating a season after “Star Trek: Enterprise” drew a 1.4.
There are any number of explanations for the slides, including the fact that "Smallville" and "SG-1" are aging shows that have been around for a while, while "Farscape" and "Atlantis" may have simply experienced strong first years; both are now in their second syndie seasons.
Plus, ratings for a number of syndicated shows are down year to year, including many talk and game shows.
But another reason for the slides may be that while hardcore sci-fi fans continue to watch the syndicated shows, casual sci-fi fans are increasingly getting their fix through primetime dramas rather than old repeats.
Indeed, ratings declines for the shows were steeper among women 18-49 and 25-54 than among men 18-34 and 18-49, sci-fi’s core audience.
Also behind the decline is a dropoff in the number of stations choosing to air syndicated sci fi series, perhaps in response to the increase in such shows on broadcast.
“SG-1’s” coverage slipped from 97 percent in 2005-’06 to 92 percent this season, while “Atlantis” and “Smallville” were down by one percentage point apiece.
Finally, another factor in the shows’ declines could be timeslot placement. When shows are shifted to later or earlier spots, that often hurts their ratings, and stations reshuffle their schedules each fall.
Meanwhile, in other dayparts for the week ended July 8, ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” was first among Sunday morning shows in total viewers, with 2.36 million tuning in, and tied for second among viewers 25-54 with a 0.6 rating. CBS’s “Face the Nation” was second in viewers with 2.2 million and tied for second among 25-54s with a 0.6, with NBC’s “Meet the Press” third in viewers with 1.91 million and first among 25-54s with a 0.7 (the show’s usual start time was changed due to NBC’s Wimbledon coverage, and ratings won’t be counted against its season average). Fox “News Sunday” was in fourth place with 1.17 million viewers and a 0.4 among 25-54s.
In late night, with all of the shows airing encores, “The Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS was first for the week, averaging 3.7 million total viewers and a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49. NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” had 3.5 million viewers and a 1.1 rating in the demo, with ABC’s “Nightline” bringing in 3.3 million viewers and a 0.9 18-49 rating. In late late night, NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” had 1.8 million total viewers and a 0.7 in 18-49s, with CBS’s “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” averaging 1.6 million viewers and a 0.5, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 1.5 million viewers and a 0.5, and NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” bringing in 1.2 million viewers and a 0.5 among 18-49s.
In morning shows, NBC’s “Today” was first with 4.7 million total viewers and a 3.7 household rating and 14 share, followed by ABC’s “Good Morning America” with 4.1 million viewers and a 3.2/11. CBS’s “Early Show” was third with 2.3 million total viewers and a 1.9/7.
In daytime, CBS had the largest audience for daytime dramas and full daytime, averaging 3.53 million and 3.89 million viewers, respectively, but it was second among women 18-49 for dramas and tied for first for full daytime, averaging a 1.3 rating for each. ABC had the second-largest audience with 3.02 million watching its dramas and 2.91 million for full daytime, and was first among women 18-49 with a 1.4 rating for its dramas and a 1.3 for full daytime. NBC had an audience of 1.88 million for both dramas and full daytime, and was third among women 18-49 for both, posting a 0.9 rating for each.
In evening network news for the week ended July 15, ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson” was No. 1 among total viewers for the 12th week in a row with an average of 7.67 million and was also first among 25-54s with a 1.9 average rating. NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams” was second in viewers and among 25-54s, averaging 7.34 million viewers and a 1.8 in the demo, while CBS’s “Evening News with Katie Couric” was third for the week with 5.85 million total viewers and a 1.5 25-54 rating.
|
SUNDAY MORNING SHOW RATINGS
Week ending July 8, 2007
Sunday averages |
|
Program |
Network |
Households |
|
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
Adults 25-54 |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
This Week With George Stephanopoulos |
ABC |
1.9 |
6 |
0.6 |
2.355 |
|
Face the Nation |
CBS |
1.7 |
5 |
0.6 |
2.199 |
|
Meet the Press* |
NBC |
1.5 |
7 |
0.7 |
1.914 |
|
News Sunday |
Fox |
0.9 |
3 |
0.4 |
1.170 |
|
*Moved its start time due to
Wimbledon coverage, won’t be counted against its season average
Source: NTI
|
|
LATE-NIGHT RATINGS
Week Ending July 8, 2007
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
|
Total viewers (millions) |
Rtg% |
|
Late Show with David Letterman* |
CBS |
3.7 |
1.2 |
|
Tonight Show with Jay Leno* |
NBC |
3.5 |
1.1 |
|
Nightline* |
ABC |
3.3 |
0.9 |
|
Late Night with Conan O’Brien* |
NBC |
1.8 |
0.7 |
|
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson* |
CBS |
1.6 |
0.5 |
|
Jimmy Kimmel Live* |
ABC |
1.5 |
0.5 |
|
Last Call with
Carson Daly* |
NBC |
1.2 |
0.5 |
|
*Encore telecasts
Source: NTI
|
|
MORNING SHOW RATINGS
Week Ending July 8, 2007
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
Today |
NBC |
3.7 |
14 |
4.7 |
|
Good Morning
America |
ABC |
3.2 |
12 |
4.1 |
|
Early Show |
CBS |
1.9 |
7 |
2.3 |
|
Source: NTI |
|
DAYTIME RATINGS
Week Ending July 8, 2007
Five-day averages |
|
Daytime dramas |
Total viewers (millions) |
Women 18-49 |
|
Network |
(millions) |
Rtg% |
|
CBS |
3.531 |
1.3 |
|
ABC |
3.018 |
1.4 |
|
NBC |
1.884 |
0.9 |
|
Full daytime |
Total viewers (millions) |
Women 18-49 |
|
Network |
(millions) |
Rtg% |
|
CBS |
3.885 |
1.3 |
|
ABC |
2.905 |
1.3 |
|
NBC |
1.884 |
0.9 |
|
Source: NTI |
|
EVENING NETWORK NEWS RATINGS
Week Ending July 15, 2007
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
25-54s |
People 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
ABC World News with Charles Gibson |
ABC |
1.9 |
7.670 |
|
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams |
NBC |
1.8 |
7.340 |
|
CBS Evening News with Katie Couric |
CBS |
1.5 |
5.850 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SYNDICATION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 8, 2007
|
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
|
US
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
|
KIN
|
6.0
|
6700
|
|
2
|
JEOPARDY
|
KIN
|
4.9
|
5435
|
|
3
|
JUDGE JUDY (AT)
|
C/P
|
4.3
|
4818
|
|
4
|
CSI MIAMI-SYN (AT)
|
KIN
|
4.1
|
4522
|
|
5
|
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT)
|
C/P
|
4.0
|
4413
|
|
6
|
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT)
|
KIN
|
3.9
|
4377
|
|
7
|
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT)
|
KIN
|
3.8
|
4276
|
|
8
|
SEINFELD (AT)
|
SPT
|
3.6
|
3967
|
|
9
|
SEINFELD-WKND (AT)
|
SPT
|
3.3
|
3641
|
|
10
|
FRIENDS (AT)
|
WB
|
3.1
|
3462
|
|
11
|
WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND
|
KIN
|
3.0
|
3388
|
|
11
|
DR. PHIL SHOW (AT)
|
KIN
|
3.0
|
3343
|
|
13
|
LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY
|
BV
|
2.8
|
3079
|
|
14
|
KING OF QUEENS-SYN (AT)
|
SPT
|
2.7
|
3048
|
|
14
|
INSIDE EDITION
|
KIN
|
2.7
|
3016
|
|
14
|
JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT)
|
C/P
|
2.7
|
2996
|
|
17
|
MILLIONAIRE (AT)
|
BV
|
2.6
|
2914
|
|
17
|
KING OF QUEENS-WKND (AT)
|
SPT
|
2.6
|
2905
|
|
19
|
PEOPLE'S COURT (AT)
|
WB
|
2.4
|
2658
|
|
19
|
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT WKD
|
C/P
|
2.4
|
2638
|
|
19
|
THAT 70S SHOW-MF-SYN (AT)
|
2/T
|
2.4
|
2635
|
|
22
|
KING OF THE HILL-SYN(AT)
|
2/T
|
2.3
|
2520
|
|
23
|
EVBDY LVS RAYMOND-WKD-SYN
|
KIN
|
2.2
|
2503
|
|
23
|
JUDGE MATHIS (AT)
|
WB
|
2.2
|
2485
|
|
23
|
WITHOUT A TRACE (AT)
|
WB
|
2.2
|
2431
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
