Over the past year, Bravo’s “Project Runway” has built from mild success to top-five cable hit, defying logic by hitting its highest ratings in its third season, just when most reality shows are starting to decline.
What’s driving this growth seems to be an internet subculture that has blossomed around "Runway," something Bravo has encouraged with extensive new media support of the show, from blogs to text message updates from contestants to web-exclusive video.
The result has been that “Runway” has become not just a TV show but a pop culture phenomenon, its deep internet roots working to build the momentum that's now driving viewership to record levels.
For the third straight week, “Runway” scored its best-ever ratings among adults 25-54, averaging 2.47 million viewers and placing fourth on basic cable for the week ended Sept. 10 in the demographic.
It also became the most-watched show among households in Bravo history, averaging 2.88 million and ranking No. 7 on basic cable, according to Nielsen ratings analyzed by Disney Networks. “Runway” airs at 10 p.m. Wednesdays.
The show has been rising ever since its July premiere and has now surpassed other Bravo hits like “Top Chef” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” as the network’s No. 1 show.
Why is it doing so well? Unusually passionate fans seem to be the main reason. On the internet there are dozens of fan forums devoted to the show, with different niches among them: Canadian fans, fans who participate in designing challenges, and fans fiercely devoted to each contestant.
Bravo says that it has served more than 29 million page views and recorded more than 2 million unique visitors for “Runway” areas on BravoTV.com since July. Fashionista Tim Gunn writes a blog that’s especially popular, and fans often dissect it right alongside the latest outfits on the show.
Certainly too some of the show’s build is also timing. Fashion Week takes place in New York this week, and some “Project” contestants and former contestants are participating. Messageboards are flooded with speculation on and sightings of these "Project" alumni in a rare merging of real and TV life.
Too, “Project” may have benefited from the relatively light broadcast competition this summer. It airs in the same timeslot where ABC’s ill-fated “The One” was supposed to run, and it skews older than its toughest cable competition, MTV’s “Laguna Beach.”
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Sept. 10:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): TNT, ESPN, USA, FX, TBS
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers):TNT, ESPN, USA, Lifetime, Cartoon Network
Top movie (18-49s): No movie made the top 20 for basic cable.
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN's "College Football" (Monday, 8 p.m.) 9.12 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA's "WWE Entertainment" (Monday, 9 p.m.); USA's "WWE Entertainment" (Monday, 10 p.m.); ESPN's "College Football" (Monday, 8 p.m.); Bravo's "Project Runway" (Wednesday, 10 p.m.); FX's "Nip/Tuck" (Tuesday, 10 p.m.); ESPN's "Sports Center" (Monday, 11:30 p.m.)
Show on the rise: VH1's "Flavor of Love 2," Sunday 10 p.m. Flavor Flav's search for a mate was up 14 percent week to week among 18-34s, from 1.287 to 1.473.
Show on the decline: MTV's "Real World/Road Rules: Fresh Meat," Monday 10 p.m. The reality show dipped 9 percent among 18-49s week to week, from 1.884 million to 1.708 million.
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TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Total Viewers
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
3318 |
NICK |
2004 |
|
2 |
ESPN |
2435 |
TNT |
1602 |
|
3 |
USA |
2384 |
NAN |
1179 |
|
4 |
LIF |
1749 |
TOON |
1146 |
|
5 |
TOON |
1512 |
USA |
1144 |
|
6 |
AEN |
1424 |
ADSM |
1078 |
|
7 |
TBSC |
1413 |
ESPN |
1000 |
|
8 |
FOXNC |
1340 |
LIF |
990 |
|
9 |
DISC |
1333 |
FOXNC |
832 |
|
10 |
FX |
1317 |
TBSC |
824 |
|
11 |
HALL |
1141 |
HALL |
688 |
|
12 |
HGTV |
1272 |
AEN |
796 |
|
13 |
NAN |
1245 |
DISC |
766 |
|
14 |
SCIFI |
1227 |
TVL |
658 |
|
15 |
AMC |
1147 |
SPIKE |
640 |
|
16 |
SPIKE |
1140 |
FX |
626 |
|
17 |
TLC |
990 |
HGTV |
615 |
|
18 |
HIST |
981 |
MTV |
607 |
|
19 |
COURT |
971 |
HIST |
582 |
|
20 |
MTV |
958 |
FAM |
581 |
|
21 |
TVL |
928 |
AMC |
563 |
|
22 |
ESPN2 |
914 |
FOOD |
559 |
|
23 |
CNN |
912 |
SCIFI |
545 |
|
24 |
VH1 |
841 |
CNN |
536 |
|
25 |
APL |
829 |
TLC |
510 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 20 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS
Ranked on Total Viewers
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
COLL FTBALL-MON PRIME L |
ESPN |
9,120 |
|
2 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
7,599 |
|
3 |
NEXTEL CUP RACNG/RICHMOND |
TNT |
5,288 |
|
4 |
NIP TUCK |
FX |
4,856 |
|
5 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
4,911 |
|
6 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
4,505 |
|
7 |
PROJECT RUNWAY |
BRVO |
3,912 |
|
8 |
SAVED |
TNT |
3,937 |
|
9 |
CLOSER LABOR DAY SPECIAL(S)-09/04/2006 |
TNT |
3,922 |
|
10 |
FOP MOVIE CHANNEL CHASERS |
NICK |
3,736 |
|
11 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3,622 |
|
12 |
CLOSER LABOR DAY SPECIAL(S)-09/04/2006 |
TNT |
3,597 |
|
13 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
3,501 |
|
14 |
S J NEUTRON WINLSE KABOOM |
NICK |
3,499 |
|
15 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3,449 |
|
16 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3,403 |
|
17 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
TNT |
3,399 |
|
18 |
FLAVOR OF LOVE 2 |
VH1 |
3,267 |
|
19 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
TNT |
3,302 |
|
20 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
3,277 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
618 |
ADSM |
398 |
|
2 |
TNT |
479 |
NICK |
323 |
|
3 |
FX |
411 |
ESPN |
319 |
|
4 |
TBSC |
400 |
NAN |
308 |
|
5 |
MTV |
396 |
TNT |
298 |
|
6 |
USA |
361 |
TBSC |
258 |
|
7 |
VH1 |
359 |
MTV |
257 |
|
8 |
SPIKE |
319 |
FX |
209 |
|
9 |
DISC |
313 |
DISC |
200 |
|
10 |
AEN |
280 |
USA |
190 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
COLL FTBALL-MON PRIME L |
ESPN |
2,435 |
|
2 |
NIP TUCK |
FX |
1,832 |
|
3 |
PROJECT RUNWAY |
BRVO |
1,400 |
|
4 |
FLAVOR OF LOVE 2 |
VH1 |
1,473 |
|
5 |
RW/RR FRESH MEAT |
MTV |
1,331 |
|
6 |
SPORTSCENTER LATE L |
ESPN |
1,230 |
|
7 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
1,044 |
|
8 |
FAMILY GUY |
ADSM |
1,028 |
|
9 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
958 |
|
10 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
946 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
1311 |
TNT |
720 |
|
2 |
ESPN |
1261 |
ESPN |
578 |
|
3 |
USA |
966 |
ADSM |
532 |
|
4 |
FX |
774 |
NICK |
508 |
|
5 |
TBSC |
771 |
NAN |
505 |
|
6 |
DISC |
710 |
USA |
473 |
|
7 |
AEN |
669 |
TBSC |
467 |
|
8 |
LIF |
664 |
LIF |
453 |
|
9 |
SPIKE |
640 |
DISC |
421 |
|
10 |
SCIFI |
572 |
AEN |
390 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
COLL FTBALL-MON PRIME L |
ESPN |
4,916 |
|
2 |
NIP TUCK |
FX |
3,426 |
|
3 |
PROJECT RUNWAY |
BRVO |
2,525 |
|
4 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
2,708 |
|
5 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
2,370 |
|
6 |
NEXTEL CUP RACNG/RICHMOND |
TNT |
2,345 |
|
7 |
SPORTSCENTER LATE L |
ESPN |
2,112 |
|
8 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
2,068 |
|
9 |
FLAVOR OF LOVE 2 |
VH1 |
2,031 |
|
10 |
RW/RR FRESH MEAT |
MTV |
1,708 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending September 10 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TNT |
1511 |
TNT |
780 |
|
2 |
ESPN |
1234 |
ESPN |
536 |
|
3 |
USA |
1022 |
USA |
502 |
|
4 |
LIF |
756 |
LIF |
474 |
|
5 |
DISC |
736 |
DISC |
416 |
|
6 |
AEN |
712 |
AEN |
410 |
|
7 |
FX |
698 |
TBSC |
404 |
|
8 |
TBSC |
695 |
NAN |
401 |
|
9 |
SCIFI |
641 |
NICK |
392 |
|
10 |
SPIKE |
641 |
SPIKE |
367 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending September 10 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
COLL FTBALL-MON PRIME L |
ESPN |
4,762 |
|
2 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
3,445 |
|
3 |
NIP TUCK |
FX |
2,985 |
|
4 |
PROJECT RUNWAY |
BRVO |
2,466 |
|
5 |
NEXTEL CUP RACNG/RICHMOND |
TNT |
2,649 |
|
6 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
2,270 |
|
7 |
SAVED |
TNT |
2,045 |
|
8 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT |
USA |
1,981 |
|
9 |
HGTV DESIGN STAR |
HGTV |
1,731 |
|
10 |
SPORTSCENTER LATE L |
ESPN |
1,667 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
