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Fox's in a pickle
but don't count it out


It could still take the season over ABC

Nov 22, 2006

That Fox even considered running the aborted O.J. Simpson special, in which the former football player all but confessed to murdering his ex-wife, speaks to just how bad off the network is this fall. 

Bad as in way bad. Its new shows are all struggling, several returning ones have fallen off, and its adults 18-49 average is 9 percent behind where it was at this time last year.

But even so, Fox may yet bounce back for its third straight season win among adults 18-49. 

In what's become a common pattern, after a dismal fall, Fox last year made up a deficit that seemed also nearly insurmountable, winning by 0.1 over ABC.

And this year it has more upside potential. In January, it will air college football's high-rated Bowl Championship Series for the first time. Last year it aired on ABC, which will will retain the Rose Bowl.

In addition to not having the BCS, ABC will also not be airing the Super Bowl, which gave it a big boost last year.

Fox can also expect another strong showing from “American Idol,” TV’s No. 1 show. Every year media people predict the show will flag, but for the past four years it has grown or at least stayed even. And that also holds for “24,” which is coming off its best season ever among adults 18-49.

“We came out of baseball in a soft state, and we go right into November sweeps trying to rebuild our schedule,” says Preston Beckman, Fox’s scheduling guru. “I think we’ll come out of November only 0.1 behind where we were last November. We’re not happy about it, but we’re sort of accustomed to being in the position.”

Fox's current season-to-date average is 2.9, down from a 3.2 at this time last year. It has yanked or moved three of its new shows, “Vanished,” “Justice” and “Happy Hour,” after they all dipped below a 2.0 rating.

Onetime hit “The O.C.” has lost nearly half its 18-49 audience, and “Prison Break” is down from its first-year average, though to be fair, it has been anchoring a tough Monday 8 p.m. timeslot with virtually no lead-out support. Its Sunday comedy block, though competitive on a tough night, is also down 11 percent.

Fox’s one positive has been the impressive performance of the third-year drama “House,” up a full point from this time last year among 18-49s.

“We find ourselves here every year, for whatever reason,” Beckman says. “Hopefully, by the time ‘Idol’ and ‘24’ come on, and this year with the BCS bowl games to fortify the new year, hopefully we’ll find ourselves right back in the mix.”

Meanwhile, in English-language broadcast ratings for the week ended Nov. 19:

Among adults 18-49, ABC finished No. 1 with a 4.4 average rating and a 12 share, followed by CBS at 4.0/11, NBC at 3.7/10, Fox fourth at 2.7/7 and CW fifth at 1.5/4.

Among adults 18-34, ABC led at 3.5/11, followed by NBC at 3.1/9, Fox third at 2.7/8, CBS fourth at 2.6/8 and CW fifth at 1.6/5.

Among adults 25-54, ABC and CBS tied for first at 5.1/12, followed NBC third at 4.2/10, Fox fourth at 2.9/7 and CW fifth at 1.4/3.

Top five (18-49s): 1. ABC’s "Grey’s Anatomy" 8.7; 2. ABC’s "Desperate Housewives" 8.6; 3. CBS’s "CSI" 8.0; 4. ABC’s "Dancing with the Stars" 7.5; 5. ABC’s "Dancing with the Stars Results" 7.1.

Top five (total viewers): 1. ABC’s " Dancing with the Stars Results " 27.5 million; 2. ABC’s "Dancing with the Stars" 26.8 million; 3. CBS’s "CSI" 24.1 million; 4. ABC’s " Desperate Housewives " 21.6 million; 5. ABC’s "Grey’s Anatomy" 20.9 million

Bottom five (18-49s): 91. CW’s "All of Us" 1.3; 92. CW’s "Everybody Hates Chris" 1.2; 93. CW’s "Veronica Mars" 1.2; 94. CW’s "The Game" 1.1; 95. CW’s "America’s Next Top Model Encore” 0.8.

Bottom five (total viewers): 91. CW’s " All of Us " 3.10 million; 92. CW’s "Girlfriends" 2.99 million; 93. CW’s " Veronica Mars " 2.69 million; 94. CW’s "The Game" 2.43 million; 95. CW’s " America’s Next Top Model Encore " 1.83 million.

Show on the rise: "Dancing with the Stars Results," ABC, Wednesday 8 p.m. More than 27.5 million people tuned in to see the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith defeat former “Saved by the Bell” star Mario Lopez in the results edition of ABC’s dance-fest. That was a 33 percent viewership gain versus the 20.7 million who tuned in to the previous week’s results show.

Show on the decline: "The Simpsons," Fox, Sunday 8 p.m. Ahh, the power of NFL football as a lead-in. The long-running animated show pulled a 4.3 rating among viewers 18-49 last week, off 17.3 percent from a 5.3 the previous week, when it had the benefit of Fox’s NFL postgame show as a lead-in.

PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 19

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

CBS

8.6

9540

14

4.7

13410

12

4.0

5220

11

ABC

8.4

9370

13

4.6

12960

12

4.4

5720

12

NBC

6.5

7220

10

3.6

10120

9

3.7

4850

10

FOX

4.1

4610

6

2.3

6630

6

2.7

3580

7

CW

2.4

2650

4

1.3

3660

3

1.5

1930

4

UNI

1.9

2110

3

1.2

3340

3

1.4

1870

4

TEL

0.5

580

1

0.3

820

1

0.4

500

1

PAX

0.5

550

1

0.3

730

1

0.2

230

0

TF

0.4

440

1

0.2

660

1

0.3

410

1

AZA

0.1

100

0

0.0

140

0

0.1

100

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 Nov. 19

Network

Households

People 2+

Adults 18-49

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

Rtg%

(000)

Shr

CBS

8.4

9330

13

4.6

13070

12

3.9

5150

11

ABC

7.7

8630

12

4.2

11950

11

4.2

5460

11

NBC

6.7

7430

11

3.6

10340

9

3.8

4930

10

FOX

5.3

5920

9

2.9

8230

7

2.9

3850

8

CW

2.3

2520

4

1.2

3500

3

1.5

1930

4

UNI

1.9

2100

3

1.2

3310

3

1.5

1910

4

TEL

0.5

600

1

0.3

850

1

0.4

500

1

PAX

0.4

500

1

0.2

640

1

0.1

190

0

TF

0.4

420

1

0.2

630

1

0.3

410

1

AZA

0.1

100

0

0.1

150

0

0.1

100

0

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

 

NETWORK TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 19

#

PROGRAMS

Net

HOUSEHOLDS

PERSONS 2+

Rtg%

Shr

(000)

#

Rtg%

(000)

1

DANCING W/STARS RESULTS

ABC

17.7

27

19679

1

9.7

27515

2

DANCING WITH THE STARS

ABC

17.1

25

18995

2

9.5

26803

3

CBS NFL NATL POST GUN

CBS

14.8

25

16443

4

8.4

23759

3

CSI

CBS

14.8

22

16530

3

8.5

24109

5

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

ABC

13.6

20

15104

5

7.6

21632

5

GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM

ABC

13.6

20

15129

6

7.4

20917

7

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

12.4

20

13771

8

6.6

18765

8

60 MINUTES

CBS

12.3

19

13654

7

6.8

19162

9

DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON

NBC

11.1

17

12312

9

6.4

18069

10

CRIMINAL MINDS

CBS

10.4

16

11584

10

5.8

16475

11

CSI: NY

CBS

10.3

17

11427

11

5.7

16181

12

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

10.1

15

11269

12

5.6

15830

13

NCIS

CBS

10.0

15

11122

12

5.6

15803

14

LAW AND ORDER:SVU

NBC

9.9

17

11005

19

5.2

14756

14

SHARK

CBS

9.9

16

11053

14

5.4

15240

16

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC

9.5

15

10598

17

5.3

14995

16

WITHOUT A TRACE

CBS

9.5

16

10550

21

5.1

14508

18

COLD CASE

CBS

9.3

14

10306

21

5.1

14528

19

HOUSE

FOX

9.0

13

9979

19

5.2

14600

19

SURVIVOR: COOK ISLANDS

CBS

9.0

14

10075

14

5.4

15347

21

UGLY BETTY

ABC

8.9

14

9918

23

4.6

12953

22

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED.

ABC

8.8

13

9846

14

5.4

15311

22

HEROES

NBC

8.8

13

9838

17

5.3

15085

24

BARBARA WALTERS SP-11/16(S)

ABC

8.7

14

9729

23

4.6

12910

24

BROTHERS & SISTERS

ABC

8.7

14

9716

23

4.6

13037

Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Nov. 19

Rank

Program

Net

Rtg%

(000)

1

GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM

ABC

8.7

11386

2

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

ABC

8.6

11216

3

CSI

CBS

8.0

10488

4

CBS NFL NATL POST GUN

CBS

7.9

10263

5

DANCING WITH THE STARS

ABC

7.5

9839

6

DANCING W/STARS RESULTS

ABC

7.1

9235

7

HEROES

NBC

6.5

8548

8

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

6.3

8236

9

HOUSE

FOX

6.2

8135

10

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC

5.7

7501

11

DEAL OR NO DEAL-MON

NBC

5.5

7211

11

E.R.

NBC

5.5

7192

13

BROTHERS & SISTERS

ABC

5.4

7037

13

EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED.

ABC

5.4

7096

15

LAW AND ORDER:SVU

NBC

5.3

6973

15

SURVIVOR: COOK ISLANDS

CBS

5.3

6969

17

CSI: NY

CBS

5.2

6789

18

CRIMINAL MINDS

CBS

4.9

6378

18

TWO AND A HALF MEN

CBS

4.9

6406

20

BARBARA WALTERS SP-11/16(S)

ABC

4.8

6260

21

FAMILY GUY

FOX

4.6

6019

22

60 MINUTES

CBS

4.5

5941

23

SHARK

CBS

4.4

5695

24

SIMPSONS

FOX

4.3

5666

25

OFFICE

NBC

4.2

5508

Source: Nielsen Media Research

  

SYNDICATION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 5

#

 PROGRAMS

Syndicator

Households

US Rtg%

(000)

1

WHEEL OF FORTUNE

KIN

8.8

9842

2

ESPN NFL REGULAR SEASON

ESP

8.4

9359

3

OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT)

KIN

7.7

8550

4

JEOPARDY

KIN

6.9

7673

5

EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT)

KIN

5.5

6085

6

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT)

C/P

5.4

5972

7

DR. PHIL SHOW (AT)

KIN

5.3

5909

8

JUDGE JUDY (AT)

C/P

4.8

5310

9

CSI MIAMI-SYN (AT)

KIN

4.7

5215

10

SEINFELD (AT)

SPT

4.4

4918

11

SEINFELD-WKND (AT)

SPT

3.7

4126

12

BUENA VISTA VI

BV

3.6

3982

12

FRIENDS (AT)

WB

3.6

3976

14

LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY

BV

3.5

3925

15

INSIDE EDITION

KIN

3.4

3831

15

MILLIONAIRE (AT)

BV

3.4

3794

17

KING OF QUEENS-SYN (AT)

SPT

3.3

3631

18

EVBDY LVS RAYMOND-WKD-SYN

KIN

3.1

3478

18

THAT 70S SHOW-MF-SYN (AT)

2/T

3.1

3473

18

WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND

KIN

3.1

3416

21

KING OF QUEENS-WKND (AT)

SPT

3

3395

21

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT WKD

C/P

3

3294

23

AMERICAN IDOL REWIND (AT)

TEC

2.9

3266

24

JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT)

C/P

2.8

3155

25

WITHOUT A TRACE (AT)

WB

2.7

3053

Source: Nielsen Media Research

 

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION (WEEKLY COLLAPSED)
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 19

#

PROGRAMS

Net

NHTI

P2+ (000)

1

FEA MAS BELLA M-F

UNI

21.3

4675

2

HERIDAS DE AMOR M-F

UNI

16.3

3281

3

DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA-WE

UNI

15.8

3239

4

MUNDO DE FIERAS M-F

UNI

15.6

3164

5

AQUI Y AHORA-THU

UNI

13.6

2587

6

HORA PICO-SUN

UNI

13.0

2385

7

REYES DE LA CANCION SUN

UNI

12.9

2467

8

CRISTINA-MON

UNI

12.8

2207

9

25 ANOS N UNIVISION 11/17(S)-11/17/2006

UNI

11.6

2137

10

SABADO GIGANTE-SAT

UNI

11.5

2157

11

VER PARA CREER-TUE

UNI

11.0

1888

12

CASOS FAMILIA ED ESP SAT

UNI

9.6

1718

13

VIUDA DE BLANCO M-F

TEL

7.9

1439

14

MARINA M-F

TEL

7.3

1374

15

CINE LAS ESTREL2 SUN

TF

6.7

1520

16

CINEMUNDO PREMIER

TEL

6.0

1229

17

AMOR MIO M-F

TEL

5.6

1148

17

FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT

TF

5.6

1087

19

DECISIONES M-F

TEL

5.4

924

20

AMORES M-F

TEL

5.2

990

21

CINEMUNDO DEL SABADO

TEL

5.0

930

22

CINEMUNDO DEL SABADO11/18(S)-11/18/2006

TEL

4.6

961

23

FLM WED 1

AZA

4.3

810

24

CINE LAS ESTREL1 M-THU

TF

4.2

830

25

CINE LAS ESTREL1 SUN

TF

4.1

939

* 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 Nov. 19

#

PROGRAMS

Net

NHTI

P2+(000)

1

DANCING W/STARS RESULTS

ABC

10.0

1904

2

DANCING WITH THE STARS

ABC

9.5

1818

3

GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM

ABC

6.8

1084

4

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES

ABC

6.2

1175

5

PRISON BREAK

FOX

5.8

1115

6

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

CW

5.3

1109

6

HEROES

NBC

5.3

811

8

UGLY BETTY

ABC

5.1

882

9

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC

4.8

795

10

DAY BREAK

ABC

4.7

837

* 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 Nov. 19

#

PROGRAMS

Net

Rtg

P2+(000)

1

DANCING W/STARS RESULTS

ABC

18.0

3097

2

DANCING WITH THE STARS

ABC

17.5

3104

2

CBS NFL NATL POST GUN

CBS

17.5

3188

4

DAY BREAK

ABC

14.2

2746

5

CSI: MIAMI

CBS

14.1

2552

6

60 MINUTES

CBS

12.7

2170

7

CSI

CBS

11.9

2009

8

GIRLFRIENDS

CW

11.8

2365

9

ALL OF US

CW

11.7

2434

10

GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM

ABC

11.2

1925

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

NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Nov. 12

#

PROGRAMS

Net

Episode

Households

Persons 2+

US Rtg%

Shr

(000)

(000)

1

FOX NFL SUNDAY-NATIONAL

FOX

VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES

13.6

25

15123

21846

2

NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

NBC

CHICAGO AT NY GIANTS

12.4

19

13810

19385

3

CBS NFL SINGLE

CBS

VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES

11.5

24

12784

18156

4

FOX NFL SUNDAY-REGIONAL

FOX

VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES

6.5

14

7286

9859

5

PHOENIX 500(S)-11/12/2006

NBC

NASCAR: NEXTEL CUP

4.7

9

5209

7302

6

ABC COLLEGE FTBL GM-LATE

ABC

VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES

4.1

9

4600

6072

7

HOME DEPOT CLLG FOOTBALL2

CBS

SOUTH CAROLINA AT FLORIDA

3.9

9

4342

5771

8

SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL

ABC

WAKE FRST AT FL ST/TX AT KS ST

3.7

7

4096

5765

9

FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN

CW

 

2.7

5

2960

4332

10

MERRILL LYNCH SHOOT-SU(S)-11/12/2006

CBS

 

2.5

5

2754

3400

11

PHOENIX 200(S)-11/11/2006

NBC

NASCAR: BUSCH SERIES

1.9

4

2082

2785

12

MERRILL LYNCH SHOOT-SA(S)-11/11/2006

CBS

 

0.9

2

992

1167

13

MLS CUP 2006(S)-11/12/2006

ABC

NEW ENGLAND AT HOUSTON

0.8

2

946

1245

14

NBC SPORTS SPECIAL 11/11(S)-11/11/2006

NBC

JEEP ADVENTURE SERIES

0.6

2

701

889

15

FUTBOL LIGA MEXICANA SUN

UNI

UNAM VS UNL TIGRES

0.6

1

674

988

16

FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT

TF

GUADALAJARA VS CHIAPAS

0.5

1

568

901

17

FUTBOL LIGA MEXICAN SUN

TF

AMERICA VS MORELIA

0.5

1

558

988

18

SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER

TF

MTAGWA-HONORIO/ESCBEDO-GUEVARA

0.4

1

397

596

19

FLM SAT 1

AZA

QUERETARO VS ATLAS

0.2

0

207

259

20

FLM SAT 2

AZA

CRUZ AZUL VS SANTOS

0.2

0

255

357

21

WWE - RAW 11/11(S)-11/11/2006

TEL