Just a few weeks ago, broadcast was suffering through another hum-drum summer, with year-to-year ratings declines and few breakout hits. But with the huge success of the Beijing Olympics, suddenly the networks are on pace for a big jump.
This has clearly been the summer of NBC. The network will pass three-time defending champ Fox for No. 1 this summer, and by a large margin, with its ratings up 63 percent over last year.
The Big Four networks combined will also finish the summer with gains. Together, they’ve averaged an 8.5 rating in 18-49s from May 26 to Aug. 24, according to Nielsen, up 10 percent over a 7.7 last year.
NBC is up the most, from a 1.9 to a 3.1, but third-place ABC has also seen increases, rising 6 percent from a 1.6 to a 1.7 even while airing the summer’s biggest bomb, “High School Musical: Get in the Picture.”
Fox will finish second, down 9 percent from last summer from a 2.3 to a 2.1. CBS will finish fourth, off 16 percent from a 1.9 to a 1.6, though certainly a small portion of the two networks’ losses are due to strong competition from the Games.
The Big Four will actually finish ahead of last year across virtually every major demographic compared to last year, most notably in total viewers, where they are up 17 percent, from 23.8 million to 27 million, led by NBC’s 73 percent increase.
While the Olympics were certainly the key to the summer, several other trends also emerged. NBC continued to fare well with its returning variety show “America’s Got Talent,” on pace to finish as the No. 1 summer entertainment program for the third straight year.
In fact, returning shows continued to rule broadcast. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” eroded a bit from last summer but remained strong among adults 18-49, while CBS’s “Big Brother” has been picking up over recent weeks.
The only new breakout hit was ABC’s “Wipeout,” which fit the mold of the offbeat reality competitions that have come to dominate the past three summers. It was the network’s No. 1 show this summer and ranks in the top five among 18-49s.
***
Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended Aug. 24:
Among adults 18-49, NBC was first with a 7.4 rating and a 21 share, followed by CBS at 1.6/5, Fox at 1.2/4, ABC at 1.2/3, and CW and MyNetworkTV at 0.5/2.
Among adults 18-34, NBC was first with a 7.4 average rating and a 21 share, followed by CBS at 1.6/5, ABC and Fox at 1.2/4 and CW and MyNetworkTV at 0.5/2.
Among adults 25-54, NBC was first with a 8.7 average rating and a 23 share, followed by CBS at 2.1/5, ABC at 1.4/4, Fox at 1.3/4, MyNetworkTV at 0.6/2 and CW at 0.5/1.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. NBC’s “Olympics – Tuesday Prime” 9.1; 2. NBC’s “Olympics – Monday Prime” 8.9; 3. “Olympics – Wednesday Prime” 8.4; 4. NBC’s “Olympics Closing Ceremony” 8.2; 5. NBC’s “Olympics – Thursday Prime” 7.3.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC’s “Olympics Closing Ceremony” 27.83 million; 2. NBC’s “Olympics – Tuesday Prime” 26.63 million; 3. “Olympics – Monday Prime” 26.37 million; 4. NBC’s “Olympics – Wednesday Prime” 24.76 million; 5. NBC’s “Olympics – Thursday Prime” 22.44 million.
Top five Live+7 English-language Big Five shows (households, week ended Aug. 10): 1. NBC’s “Olympics Opening Ceremony” 19.2; 2. NBC’s “Olympics – Sunday Prime” 18.3; 3. NBC’s “Olympics – Saturday Prime” 14.1; 4. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” 8.1; 5. CBS’s “Two and a Half Men” 6.7.
Top five Live+7 English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, week ended Aug. 10): 1. NBC’s “Olympics – Sunday Prime” 11.3; 2. NBC’s “Olympics Opening Ceremony” 10.7; 3. NBC’s “Olympics – Saturday Prime” 8.2; 4. NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” 3.8; 5. Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance - Thursday” 3.6.
Show on the rise: “Flashpoint,” CBS, Thursday 10 p.m. The cop drama posted a 1.9 among viewers 18-49, up 19 percent from a 1.6 the previous week.
Show on the decline: “Big Brother,” CBS, Tuesday 9 p.m. The Tuesday night edition posted a 2.1 among 18-49s, down 13 percent from the previous week’s 2.4.
|
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending August 24 |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
NBC
|
13.9
|
15710
|
23
|
8.1
|
23270
|
22
|
7.4
|
9740
|
21
|
|
CBS
|
3.8
|
4240
|
6
|
2.0
|
5640
|
5
|
1.6
|
2110
|
5
|
|
ABC
|
2.5
|
2770
|
4
|
1.3
|
3610
|
3
|
1.2
|
1530
|
3
|
|
FOX
|
2.4
|
2680
|
4
|
1.2
|
3510
|
3
|
1.2
|
1580
|
4
|
|
UNI
|
1.8
|
2030
|
3
|
1.2
|
3360
|
3
|
1.4
|
1850
|
4
|
|
CW
|
0.9
|
1070
|
2
|
0.5
|
1410
|
1
|
0.5
|
680
|
2
|
|
MNT
|
0.9
|
1070
|
2
|
0.5
|
1500
|
1
|
0.5
|
720
|
2
|
|
TEL
|
0.6
|
710
|
1
|
0.4
|
1130
|
1
|
0.5
|
720
|
2
|
|
TF
|
0.3
|
330
|
0
|
0.2
|
540
|
1
|
0.3
|
350
|
1
|
|
ION
|
0.2
|
230
|
0
|
0.1
|
300
|
0
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
60
|
0
|
0.0
|
100
|
0
|
0.0
|
60
|
0
|
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to
1. 128
million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending August 17** |
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS
|
6.1
|
6880
|
10
|
3.3
|
9480
|
9
|
2.6
|
3440
|
7
|
|
FOX
|
5.9
|
6620
|
10
|
3.4
|
9840
|
9
|
3.7
|
4860
|
10
|
|
ABC
|
5.3
|
5970
|
9
|
2.9
|
8180
|
8
|
2.7
|
3520
|
7
|
|
NBC
|
5.2
|
5890
|
9
|
2.9
|
8250
|
8
|
2.8
|
3650
|
8
|
|
UNI
|
1.8
|
2030
|
3
|
1.2
|
3510
|
3
|
1.5
|
1960
|
4
|
|
CW
|
1.5
|
1720
|
2
|
0.8
|
2360
|
2
|
0.9
|
1240
|
3
|
|
MNT
|
0.7
|
840
|
1
|
0.4
|
1090
|
1
|
0.4
|
530
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.6
|
650
|
1
|
0.4
|
1040
|
1
|
0.4
|
570
|
1
|
|
TF
|
0.3
|
380
|
1
|
0.2
|
640
|
1
|
0.3
|
400
|
1
|
|
ION
|
0.3
|
380
|
1
|
0.2
|
490
|
0
|
0.1
|
