Five years after the sex tape scandal that nearly derailed her TV career, Paris Hilton is still hot. The only difference is she’s on cable rather than broadcast.
The absurdist new MTV reality show “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF” saw its ratings climb in its third outing last week, connecting with the same young demos that made “The Simple Life” a hit for Fox half a decade ago.
“BFF” averaged a 1.6 rating among viewers 12-34 in its Tuesday 10 p.m. slot, topping all other cable shows in the hour. That was up 23 percent over the previous week.
The third episode of the reality show also averaged 1.6 million total viewers, up 22 percent from the previous week and hitting a series best.
The show’s biggest strength is in women 18-24, where it was the No. 2 program of the day on any network, cable or broadcast, behind only Fox’s “House.”
The concept behind Hilton’s show is self-explanatory. The tabloid staple searches for her new BFF (best friend forever), someone who can party hard, watch Hilton’s back and look hot, but not so hot that she’ll steal Hilton’s BF (boyfriend).
The seed for the show came from Hilton’s original foray into television, “The Simple Life,” in which she and former BFF Nicole Richie lived with different families and experienced life without cell phones, servants or credit cards.
During the show’s five-season run, Hilton and Richie famously fell out, refusing to appear together on camera during filming of the fourth season. By the time they’d made up, Richie had become more interested in domesticity than partying; she and boyfriend Joel Madden had a baby earlier this year.
Hence Hilton’s need for a new wingwoman or man – there is one bisexual guy competing for the title. “BFF” follows the competitors engaging in ridiculous challenges, such as trying to look glamorous while riding amusement park rides and partying 24 hours straight.
Whether “BFF” turns into a franchise like “Simple,” which started on Fox and later moved to E!, remains to be seen. Undoubtedly if ratings keep rising, Hilton will decide once the show is over that she made the wrong choice and will start searching for a new BFF all over again, much like bisexual babe Tila Tequila did for the MTV hit “Shot at Love.”
***
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Oct. 19:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TBS, ESPN, USA, CNN, Fox News Channel.
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): TBS, Fox News Channel, ESPN, USA, CNN.
Top movie (18-49s): No movie made the top 50 among 18-49s.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s TBS’s “Major League Baseball: Red Sox/Rays Game 7” (Sunday, 8 p.m.) 13.36 million.
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: ESPN’s “Monday Night Football: Giants/Browns” (Monday, 8:30 p.m.); Bravo’s “Project Runway” (Wednesday, 9 p.m.); CNN’s “Presidential Debate” (Wednesday, 9:02 p.m.); CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” (Wednesday, 10:31 p.m.); TBS’s “Major League Baseball: Red Sox/Rays Game 7” (Sunday, 8 p.m.); TBS’s “Major League Baseball: Red Sox/Rays Game 6” (Saturday, 8:28 p.m.); TBS’s “Major League Baseball: Red Sox/Rays Game 5” (Thursday, 8 p.m.); USA’s WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 10 p.m.)
Show on the rise: Bravo’s “Project Runway,” Wednesday 9 p.m. The season finale averaged 4.79 million total viewers and 3.17 million 18-49s, Bravo’s most-watched 9 p.m. telecast ever.
Show on the decline: MTV’s “Making the Band 4,” Tuesday 9 p.m. The reality series dipped almost 16 percent week-to-week among viewers 18-34, from 1.2 million to 1.01 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
3613
|
NICK
|
1644
|
|
2
|
FOXN
|
2479
|
NAN
*
|
1340
|
|
3
|
ESPN
|
2163
|
TBSC
|
1287
|
|
4
|
USA
|
2047
|
FOXN
|
1220
|
|
5
|
CNN
|
1674
|
ESPN
|
971
|
|
6
|
NAN
|
1513
|
USA
|
971
|
|
7
|
MSNB
|
1167
|
TOON
|
916
|
|
8
|
LIF
|
1159
|
TNT
|
914
|
|
9
|
TNT
|
1146
|
ADSM*
|
840
|
|
10
|
TOON
|
1142
|
CNN
|
840
|
|
11
|
AEN
|
1023
|
LIF
|
729
|
|
12
|
SCIF
|
956
|
HIST
|
577
|
|
13
|
HALL
|
929
|
AEN
|
556
|
|
14
|
FX
|
890
|
MSNB
|
556
|
|
15
|
TLC
|
876
|
HALL
|
531
|
|
16
|
CMDY
|
849
|
FX
|
517
|
|
17
|
HIST
|
844
|
DISC
|
495
|
|
18
|
AMC
|
830
|
TRU
|
495
|
|
19
|
SPK
|
830
|
HGTV
|
478
|
|
20
|
DISC
|
816
|
SPK
|
476
|
|
21
|
HGTV
|
806
|
SCIF
|
464
|
|
22
|
BRAV
|
735
|
CMDY
|
460
|
|
23
|
FAM
|
688
|
FAM
|
455
|
|
24
|
MTV
|
687
|
FOOD
|
455
|
|
25
|
TRU
|
682
|
AMC
|
451
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank
|
Program |
Net
|
(000) |
|
1
|
Red Sox-Rays 7
|
TBSC
|
9096
|
|
2
|
Giants/Browns
|
ESPN
|
8196
|
|
3
|
Presidential Debate
|
FOXN
|
6255
|
|
4
|
SR/Pres Debate 3 2008
|
CNN
|
6239
|
|
5
|
Red Sox-Rays 6
|
TBSC
|
6164
|
|
6
|
Anderson
Cooper 360
|
CNN
|
5457
|
|
7
|
Rays-Red Sox 5
|
TBSC
|
5400
|
|
8
|
On The Record W/Greta
|
FOXN
|
5232
|
|
9
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
4915
|
|
10
|
Rays-Red Sox 4
|
TBSC
|
4346
|
|
11
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3825
|
|
12
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
3685
|
|
13
|
Pres Debate/Analysis
|
FOXN
|
3536
|
|
13
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
3536
|
|
15
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3519
|
|
16
|
Rays-Red Sox 3
|
TBSC
|
3465
|
|
17
|
Anderson
Cooper 360
|
CNN
|
3454
|
|
18
|
College Football
|
ESPN
|
3235
|
|
19
|
iCarly
|
NICK
|
3114
|
|
20
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
3086
|
|
21
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
3067
|
|
22
|
College Football Tonight Scoreboard
|
ESPN
|
3035
|
|
23
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2986
|
|
24
|
Spongebob
|
NICK
|
2977
|
|
25
|
The O'Reilly Factor
|
FOXN
|
2941
|
|
1
|
Red Sox-Rays 7
|
TBSC
|
9096
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
1078
|
TBSC
|
441
|
|
2
|
ESPN
|
665
|
ADSM*
|
413
|
|
3
|
USA
|
639
|
NAN
*
|
407
|
|
4
|
CMDY
|
460
|
NICK
|
372
|
|
5
|
MTV
|
425
|
ESPN
|
360
|
|
6
|
FX
|
363
|
USA
|
255
|
|
7
|
TLC
|
341
|
CMDY
|
243
|
|
8
|
NAN
|
339
|
TNT
|
238
|
|
9
|
SPK
|
334
|
MTV
|
233
|
|
10
|
CNN
|
317
|
FX
|
215
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Giants/Browns
|
ESPN
|
3046
|
|
2
|
Red Sox-Rays 7
|
TBSC
|
2780
|
|
3
|
The Hills
|
MTV
|
2040
|
|
4
|
SR/Pres Debate 3 2008
|
CNN
|
1831
|
|
5
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
1787
|
|
6
|
Red Sox-Rays 6
|
TBSC
|
1651
|
|
7
|
South
Park
|
CMDY
|
1514
|
|
8
|
Anderson
Cooper 360
|
CNN
|
1477
|
|
9
|
Rays-Red Sox 5
|
TBSC
|
1470
|
|
10
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
1310
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
2345
|
TBSC
|
877
|
|
2
|
ESPN
|
1440
|
ESPN
|
683
|
|
3
|
USA
|
1371
|
NAN
*
|
683
|
|
4
|
CNN
|
807
|
USA
|
581
|
|
5
|
FOXN
|
680
|
NICK
|
575
|
|
6
|
CMDY
|
671
|
TNT
|
538
|
|
7
|
TNT
|
663
|
ADSM*
|
519
|
|
8
|
FX
|
659
|
LIF
|
430
|
|
9
|
NAN
|
645
|
FX
|
384
|
|
10
|
AEN
|
634
|
CMDY
|
359
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Giants/Browns
|
ESPN
|
6267
|
|
2
|
Red Sox-Rays 7
|
TBSC
|
6210
|
|
3
|
SR/Pres Debate 3 2008
|
CNN
|
4085
|
|
4
|
Red Sox-Rays 6
|
TBSC
|
4051
|
|
5
|
Anderson
Cooper 360
|
CNN
|
3529
|
|
6
|
Rays-Red Sox 5
|
TBSC
|
3220
|
|
7
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
3171
|
|
8
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2590
|
|
9
|
Rays-Red Sox 4
|
TBSC
|
2488
|
|
10
|
Presidential Debate
|
FOXN
|
2445
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending October 19 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1
|
TBSC
|
2423
|
TBSC
|
832
|
|
2
|
ESPN
|
1429
|
ESPN
|
626
|
|
3
|
USA
|
1295
|
USA
|
583
|
|
4
|
FOXN
|
873
|
TNT
|
564
|
|
5
|
CNN
|
872
|
NAN
*
|
555
|
|
6
|
SCIF
|
713
|
NICK
|
471
|
|
7
|
AEN
|
689
|
LIF
|
426
|
|
8
|
TNT
|
679
|
FOXN
|
403
|
|
9
|
LIF
|
629
|
CNN
|
385
|
|
10
|
MSNB
|
610
|
HIST
|
369
|
|
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day.
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending October 19 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1
|
Red Sox-Rays 7
|
TBSC
|
6560
|
|
2
|
Giants/Browns
|
ESPN
|
6020
|
|
3
|
Red Sox-Rays 6
|
TBSC
|
4322
|
|
4
|
SR/Pres Debate 3 2008
|
CNN
|
4303
|
|
5
|
Anderson
Cooper 360
|
CNN
|
3697
|
|
6
|
Rays-Red Sox 5
|
TBSC
|
3380
|
|
7
|
Presidential Debate
|
FOXN
|
2961
|
|
8
|
Project Runway
|
BRAV
|
2928
|
|
9
|
WWE Entertainment
|
USA
|
2611
|
|
10
|
Rays-Red Sox 4
|
TBSC
|
2605
|
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research.
|
