CBS regains
top spot among viewers
Network wins for the sixth time in seven seasons
By Toni Fitzgerald
May 26, 2009
If it weren’t for last year’s writers’ strike, CBS likely would be celebrating seven straight full-season victories among total viewers. Instead, the network is celebrating winning six of the past seven seasons.
For the 2008-‘09 season, CBS finished first among total viewers by a large margin, nearly 2 million ahead of second-place Fox with 11.76 million to the latter’s 9.8 million.
CBS, which finished second behind Fox during last year’s strike-ravaged season, was the only Big Four network to see year-to-year gains. It was up 11 percent over last year’s 10.56 million, according to Nielsen.
Fox, which had the Super Bowl last year, was down 13 percent from 11.26 million.
ABC finished third with an average 8.95 million viewers, down 3 percent from 9.28 million last year. NBC, which carried this year’s Super Bowl, was also off 3 percent, from 8.11 million to 7.84 million.
CBS was also the only Big Four network to see year-to-year gains among adults 18-49, the demographic that advertisers chase.
CBS was up 3 percent, from a 3.0 rating and 8 share to a 3.1/8, finishing second for the season behind Fox. Fox averaged a 3.6/10, down 16 percent from last year’s 4.3/10 but still well ahead of the competition.
ABC placed third with a 2.9/8, off 3 percent from last year’s 3.0/8, while NBC was fourth at 2.8/7, even to last year’s 2.8/8.
Among adults 25-54, CBS and Fox tied for first place for the season at 4.1/10. CBS was up 8 percent from a 3.8/9 last season, while Fox was off 13 percent from a 4.7/11.
ABC was second at 3.4/8, off 6 percent from last year’s 3.6/9, while NBC was fourth at 3.2/8, down 3 percent from a 3.3/8 last year.
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