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As the strike ends,
ratings take a slide


Big Five networks sink 22 percent in adults 18-49

Feb 13, 2008
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The long writers’ strike may be over, but its effects are really starting to be felt in primetime, where viewership for the Big Five networks has begun to plunge.

During the second week of February sweeps, all five networks were down compared to the same week last year. And though several new shows are set to premiere in the coming weeks, the slide could well continue until fresh scripted programming comes back in late March and early April.

The Big Five combined for an average 13.7 adults 18-49 rating last week, the week ended Feb. 10, off 22 percent from their combined 17.5 average the same week last year.

CBS, which had only two original scripted series last week, was off the most, slipping 38 percent, from a 4.5 to a 2.8, and the CW fell the second most, 31 percent, from a 1.3 to a 0.9, though 18-49 is not its target demographic.

ABC was off 26 percent, from a 3.8 to a 2.8, with NBC down 17 percent, from a 3.0 to a 2.5. Even Fox, which has won every week since “American Idol” returned last month, slipped 4 percent, from a 4.9 to a 4.7.

The steep declines would seem to contradict the networks’ long-held claim that they could get by with reality shows until the strike ended. While NBC’s “American Gladiators” and Fox’s “Moment of Truth” are hits, despite falling a bit in each outing, there have been other disappointments, even among returning shows.

CBS’s “Survivor” had its second-lowest-rated premiere ever, averaging a 4.8 rating against minimal competition in the Thursday 8 p.m. slot. And the network’s “The New Adventures of Old Christine” slipped 16 percent from last year’s average in its third-season premiere.

Meanwhile, new reality shows like ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” spinoff “Dance Wars: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann” simply haven’t caught on. That show averaged a mere 2.4 in its latest outing, barely half what a typical “Stars” episode pulls.

Viewers have been uninterested in new scripted programming, too. Two “Sex and the City” knockoffs, ABC’s “Cashmere Mafia” and NBC's “Lipstick Jungle,” pulled fewer total viewers than “Sex” in its heyday. CBS’s “Welcome to the Captain” averaged a 2.6 for its premiere last Monday, only managing to match its lead-in, a rerun of “How I Met Your Mother.”

The coming weeks have a few promising programs.

The CW premieres the new season of its top show, “America’s Next Top Model,” next week, while “Stars” returns next month on ABC. CBS will carry March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament that knocks out regular scripted programming for several weeks.

But there’s also the possibility that ratings will continue their decline. NBC’s “Gladiators” ends its run this weekend, to be replaced by new reality show “My Dad is Better Than Your Dad,” which critics have already dubbed a miss. Fox likely won’t return “24” at all this season, removing one of its top shows.

And ABC will run out of episodes of its top first quarter show, “Lost,” in just five weeks. 

Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended Feb. 10:
 
Among adults 18-49, Fox was first with a 4.7 rating and a 12 share, followed by ABC and CBS at 2.8/7, NBC at 2.5/6, Univision at 1.6/4, CW at 0.9/2, Telemundo at 0.5/1, TeleFutura and MyNetworkTV at 0.4/1 and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Among adults 18-34, Fox led with a 4.3 rating and a 12 share, followed by ABC at 2.2/6, CBS at 2.0/6, NBC at 1.9/5, Univision at 1.8/5, CW at 0.9/3, Telemundo at 0.5/2, Telefutura and MyNetworkTV at 0.4/1 and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Among adults 25-54, Fox was first with a 5.2 rating and a 13 share, followed by CBS at 3.5/8, ABC at 3.3/8, NBC at 2.9/7, Univision at 1.5/4, CW at 0.9/2, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.5/1, TeleFutura at 0.3/1 and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 11.2; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 10.5; 3. Fox’s “House” 9.0; 4. Fox’s “Moment of Truth” 7.1; Tie-5. ABC’s “Lost” and CBS’s “Grammy Awards” 6.5.
 
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 27.91 million; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 26.28 million; 3. Fox’s “House” 23.16 million; 4. CBS’s “Grammy Awards” 17.17 million; 5. Fox’s “Moment of Truth” 16.62 million.
 
Top five Live+7 English-language Big Five shows (Households, week ended Jan. 27): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 16.7; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 15.7; 3. Fox’s “Moment of Truth” 13.2; 4. CBS’s “60 Minutes” 9.6; 5. NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” 9.2.
 
Top five Live+7 English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, week ended Jan. 27): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 12.4; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 11.5; 3. Fox’s “Moment of Truth” 10.5; 4. NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” 5.3; 5. ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” 5.2.
 
Show on the rise: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” ABC, Saturday 8:30 p.m. The Johnny Depp version of the classic story averaged a 2.4 rating among viewers 18-49, up 26 percent from the 1.9 “War of the Worlds” averaged in the slot the week before.
 
Show on the decline: “Eli Stone” ABC, Thursday 10 p.m. Up against the low-rated premiere of NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle,” ABC’s midseason drama fell 18 percent week-to-week among 18-49s, from a 4.0 to a 3.3.

PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

FOX

7.3

8240

12

4.3

12350

11

4.7

6180

12

CBS

6.2

6960

10

3.3

9580

8

2.8

3730

7

ABC

5.1

5800

8

2.9

8240

7

2.8

3650

7

NBC

4.8

5440

8

2.7

7610

7

2.5

3230

6

UNI

1.8

2060

3

1.3

3610

3

1.6

2090

4

CW

1.5

1700

2

0.8

2290

2

0.9

1140

2

MNT

0.8

870

1

0.4

1150

1

0.4

580

1

TEL

0.6

700

1

0.4

1110

1

0.5

630

1

TF

0.4

470

1

0.3

740

1

0.4

470

1

ION

0.4

390

1

0.2

500

0

0.1

140

0

AZA

0.1

90

0

0.0

140

0

0.1

90

0

* Each rating point is equivalent to 1. 114 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research 

 

SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

CBS

7.1

7970

11

3.9

11120

10

3.1

4110

8

FOX

6.5

7360

10

3.9

11090

10

4.2

5480

11

ABC

6.2

6980

10

3.3

9560

8

3.2

4140

8

NBC

5.5

6180

9

3.0

8680

8

3.2

4140

8

UNI

1.8

2030

3

1.2

3500

3

1.5

1970

4

CW

1.7

1920

3

0.9

2630

2

1.1

1380

3

MNT

0.7

840

1

0.4

1100

1

0.4

540

1

TEL

0.6

640

1

0.4

1040

1

0.4

570

1

ION

0.4

430

1

0.2

560

0

0.1

170

0

TF

0.4

400

1

0.2

680

1

0.3

430

1

AZA

0.1

90

0

0.1

150

0

0.1

100

0

* Each rating point is equivalent to 1. 114 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research 

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10

#

PROGRAMS

Net

HOUSEHOLDS

PERSONS 2+

Rtg%

Shr

(000)

#

Rtg%

(000)

1

AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY

FOX

15.7

23

17679

1

9.7

27914

2

AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY

FOX

14.6

23

16524

2

9.2

26278

3

HOUSE

FOX

13.5

20

15245

3

8.1

23156

4

GRAMMY AWARDS(S)

CBS

10.3

16

11566

4

6.0

17174

5

MOMENT OF TRUTH

FOX

9.5

15

10730

5

5.8

16623

6

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED.

ABC

8.9

13

10025

6

5.5

15770

7

LOST

ABC

8.8

14

9975

7

5.3

15292

8

60 MINUTES

CBS

8.6

14

9740

9

4.6

13057

9

20/20 SP EDITION-2/4(S)

ABC

8.5

14

9559

11

4.4

12663

10

SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA

CBS

8.1

13

9146

8

4.9

14019

11

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

7.9

12

8896

12

4.3

12310

12

CSI

CBS

7.8

12

8836

13

4.1

11842

13

DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON

NBC

7.7

12

8724

9

4.6

13157

14

LAW AND ORDER

NBC

6.9

11

7749

15

3.5

10056

14

WITHOUT A TRACE

CBS

6.9

12

7765

14

3.6

10200

16

CSI: NY

CBS

6.5

11

7315

15

3.5

10162

16

DANCE WAR:BRUNO/CARRIEANN

ABC

6.5

10

7289

17

3.4

9787

18

NCIS

CBS

6.3

10

7072

18

3.3

9473

19

CRIMINAL MINDS

CBS

6.2

10

7019

18

3.3

9478

19

OLD CHRISTINE

CBS

6.2

9

7037

18

3.3

9430

21

DEAL OR NO DEAL 2/7(S)

NBC

6.1

10

6918

18

3.3

9314

22

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

6.0

10

6757

25

3.1

8780

23

BROTHERS & SISTERS

ABC

5.8

9

6546

28

3.0

8632

23

SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER

FOX

5.8

9

6579

18

3.3

9514

25

APPRENTICE 7

NBC

5.7

9

6426

28

3.0

8712

25

ELI STONE

ABC

5.7

10

6374

25

3.1

8831

Source: Nielsen Media Research

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending February 10

Rank

Program

Net

Rtg%

(000)

1

AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY

FOX

11.2

14651

2

AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY

FOX

10.5

13746

3

HOUSE

FOX

9.0

11769

4

MOMENT OF TRUTH

FOX

7.1

9255

5

GRAMMY AWARDS(S)

CBS

6.5

8521

5

LOST

ABC

6.5

8542

7

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED.

ABC

5.5

7172

8

SURVIVOR: MICRONESIA

CBS

4.8

6337

9

DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON

NBC

4.4

5828

10

20/20 SP EDITION-2/4(S)

ABC

4.3

5595

11

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

3.8

5043

12

AMERICAN GLADIATORS

NBC

3.7

4870

13

FAMILY GUY SP-2/10 9:30P(S)

FOX

3.5

4620

13

TERMINATOR: SRH CNR CHRON

FOX

3.5

4546

15

APPRENTICE 7

NBC

3.3

4282

15

ELI STONE

ABC

3.3

4343

17

OLD CHRISTINE

CBS

3.2

4171

18

BROTHERS & SISTERS

ABC

3.1

4104

18

CSI

CBS

3.1

4045

18

DON'T FORGET THE LYRICS

FOX

3.1

4099

18

FAMILY GUY

FOX

3.1

4115

22

BIGGEST LOSER 5

NBC

3.0

3940

22

BUDWEISER SHOOT-OUT(S)

FOX

3.0

3964

22

SIMPSONS

FOX

3.0

3967

22

SUPERNANNY

ABC

3.0

3883

Source: Nielsen Media Research

  

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED)
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10

#

PROGRAMS

Net

NHTI

P2+ (000)

1

MEXICO VS USA ETRS RV 2/6(S)-02/06/2008

UNI

21.2

4985

2

AL DIABLO CON GUAPOS M-F

UNI

21.0

4673

3

CRISTINA MON

UNI

19.0

3928

4

PASION M-F

UNI

17.7

3632

5

FAMILIA P. LUCHE FRI

UNI

16.3

3439

6

RETRO P. LUCHE FRI

UNI

15.5

3293

7

YO AMO JUAN QUERENDON M-F

UNI

14.9

3106

8

AMAS CASA DESESPERADS THU

UNI

14.4

2823

9

SABADO GIGANTE SAT

UNI

13.0

2549

10

5 MAGNIFICOS SUN

UNI

12.6

2741

11

HORA PICO SUN

UNI

10.3

2084

12

CHAVO ANIMADO SUN

UNI

10.1

2395

12

GRAN NOCHE GUAPOS 2/10(S)-02/10/2008

UNI

10.1

2284

14

DESTINO 2008 SUPER MAR2/5(S)-02/05/2008

UNI

9.9

1949

15

VICTORIA M-F

TEL

8.0

1541

16

CELEBRANDO 20 PNSTRO2 2/9(S)-02/09/2008

UNI

7.9

1464

17

CINE MILLONARIO

TEL

5.9

1330

18

CINE NUESTRO 2/10(S)-02/10/2008

TEL

5.6

1198

19

FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT

TF

5.3

1103

20

PECADOS AJENOS M-F

TEL

4.7

796

21

12 CORAZONES M-F

TEL

4.5

807

21

CINE DE LAS ESTRELLAS M-THU

TF

4.5

831

23

VIDEOS ASOMBROSOS MDO THR

TF

4.4

827

23

TRAICION M-F

TEL

4.4

718

25

CINE DE IMPACTO

TEL

4.2

1099

* Nielsen Hispanic Television Index; ratings based on 11.63 million Hispanic TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10

#

PROGRAMS

Net

NHTI

P2+(000)

1

AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY

FOX

6.6

1411

1

GRAMMY AWARDS(S)-02/10/2008

CBS

6.6

1289

3

AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY

FOX

6.5

1285

4

MOMENT OF TRUTH

FOX

5.3

1028

5

HOUSE

FOX

4.7

896

6

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED.

ABC

4.6

889

6

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

CW

4.6

915

8

20/20 SP EDITION-2/4(S)-02/04/2008

ABC

4.5

787

9

LOST

ABC

4.0

759

9

TERMINATOR: SRH CNR CHRON

FOX

4.0

771

* Nielsen Hispanic Television Index; ratings based on 11.63 million Hispanic TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 3

#

PROGRAMS

Net

Rtg

P2+(000)

1

FOX SUPER BOWL XLII

FOX

41.4

10496

2

FOX SUPER BOWL POST GAME

FOX

33.3

7863

3

AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY

FOX

19.1

4157

4

HOUSE SP-2/3

FOX

17.9

3774

5

AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY

FOX

17.8

3851

6

HOUSE

FOX

13.2

2638

7

MOMENT OF TRUTH

FOX

13.0

2722

8

WITHOUT A TRACE

CBS

8.3

1443

9

DANCE WAR:BRUNO/CARRIEANN

ABC

8.1

1498

9

CSI

CBS

8.1

1533

* Ratings based on 13.45 million African American TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

TOP 30 NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending January 27

#

PROGRAMS

Net

Episode

Households

Persons 2+

US Rtg%

Shr

(000)

(000)

1

BUICK INV PGA GOLF-SUN(S)-01/27/2008

CBS

 

4.2

9

4755

6193

2

US FIG SKTG CHMP-SAT PRIM(S)-01/26/2008

NBC

WOMEN'S SKATING

3.3

6

3716

5184

3

US FIG SKTG CHMP-SUN PRIM(S)-01/27/2008

NBC

MEN'S SKATING

3.1

5

3544

4788

4

NBA ON ABC-SUN 2

ABC

CLEVELAND AT LA LAKERS

2.8

6

3146

4051

5

BUICK INV PGA GOLF-SAT(S)-01/26/2008

CBS

 

2.7

6

3095

3761

6

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

CW

 

2.7

5

3067

4880

7

NBA ON ABC-SUN 1

ABC

BOSTON AT ORLANDO

1.8

4

2057

2577

8

NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 1/26(S)-01/26/2008

NBC

SKATING

1.7

4

1930

2516

9

WINTER X GAMES 12(S)-01/26/2008

ABC

 

1.3

3

1424

1790

10

NCAA BASKETBALL-SAT-1

CBS

UCONN AT INDIANA

1.2

3

1360

1601

11

NCAA BASKETBALL-SUN-1

CBS

MICHIGAN AT MICH STATE

1.2

3

1300

1640

12

GMC NBA COUNTDOWN-SUN

ABC

 

1.0

2

1102

1446

13

NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 1/27B(S)-01/27/2008

NBC

WORLD ADVENTURE

1.0

2

1172

1613

14

ROLEX 24 HRS OF DAYTONA(S)-01/26/2008

FOX

 

0.9

2

1062

1272

15

CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR-SU

CBS

AMA SUPERCROSS - SF

0.8

2

949

1184

16

POKER AFTER DARK MO-SAT

NBC

 

0.7

4

750

801

17

NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 1/27A(S)-01/27/2008

NBC

FREESTYLE - USSA

0.7

2

807

1111

18

REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA SUN

UNI

 

0.5

1

561

705

19

FUTBOL LIGA MEXICANA SUN

UNI

UNAM VS ATLANTE

0.5

1

588

875

20

FLM SAT 1

AZA

JAGUARES VS AMERICA

0.3

1

305

458

21

FLM SUN 1

AZA

SANTOS VS TOLUCA

0.3

1

311

488

22

NFL NETWORK TOTAL ACCESS

MNT

 

0.3

1

377

462

23

SOLO BOXEO TECATE FRI

TF

HUGO CAZARES V KERMIN GUARDIA

0.3

1

351

530

24

FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT

TF

TIGRES VS CRUZ AZUL

0.3

0

299

439

25

FLM FRI 1

AZA

U.A. DE G.VS GUADALAJARA

0.2

0

258

420

26

FLM SAT 2

AZA

MONARCAS VS PACHUCA

0.2

0

236

372

27

SABADO DE FUTBOL

TEL

BARCELONA VS VILLARREAL

0.2

0

186

254

28

TITULARES TELEMUNDO   U

TEL

 

0.2

1

237

311

29

TITULARES TELEMUNDO   U2

TEL

 

0.2

0

185

315

30

CONTACTO DEPORTIVO

TF

 

0.2

0

192

309

Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

***
 
 
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Toni Fitzgerald is a staff writer for Media Life.




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