For the first time ever during third quarter, basic cable accounted for 50 percent of viewership for adults 18-49 in primetime, posting a 50 share to the seven major broadcast networks’ 29 during the summer months.
That was up 0.2 points over last year and an impressive 10 points over just five years ago, according to Nielsen numbers crunched by Turner Networks. The remaining share went to pay cable networks, premium channels and public television.
For sure, much of cable's growth was driven by big hits on the major networks, like TNT’s “The Closer,” USA’s “Psych” and MTV’s “The Hills.”
But some of that growth is also now coming from non-top-tier networks, ones that rank well out of the top 10, such as Biography, HGTV, Oxygen, Bravo and BBC America, all of which saw primetime ratings increases of 25 percent or better among 18-49s this summer.
Cable has been beating broadcast over the summer for the past six years, but it was not until these networks began surging that it was able to get a 50 share. That also helped cable to its best full year ever in 18-49s, drawing a 44 share to broadcast’s 37.3.
Biography saw the most improvement, jumping 109 percent over last year’s average. Discovery International was second, up 64 percent, followed by Bravo at 39 percent, Oxygen at 31 percent and BBC America at 29 percent.
HGTV, A&E and Travel Channel all grew at least 20 percent, as did ESPN Classic, all of them niche channels with narrow appeal.
But those small networks had some of the summer’s most successful shows. A&E’s “Family Jewels,” for example, the reality show about KISS’s Gene Simmons and his family, was the sixth-ranked new cable show among 18-49s, averaging 1.095 million viewers and bettering last year’s Monday 10 p.m. timeslot average by 116 percent.
HGTV’s “Design Star,” the network’s top-rated show ever airing Sundays at 9 p.m., averaged 874,000 viewers 18-49 and bettered its 2005 timeslot by 110 percent.
And Bravo’s “Project Runway,” the No. 3 show overall among 18-49s this summer with an average 2.23 million viewers, bettered its Wednesday 10 p.m. timeslot by 87 percent.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Sept. 24:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, USA, FX, TNT, A&E
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): ESPN, USA, TNT, Cartoon Network, FX
Top movie (18-49s): USA’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” (Saturday, 8 p.m.) 2.44 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Steelers/Jaguars” (Monday 8:30 p.m.) 13.32 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: A&E’s “Dog: The Family Speaks” (Tuesday, 10 p.m.); USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday 10 p.m.); FX’s “Nip Tuck” (Tuesday 10 p.m.); ESPN’s “Sportscenter” (Monday 11:40 p.m.); VH1’s “Flavor of Love 2” (Sunday 10 p.m.); TNT’s “Nextel Racing/Dover 400” (Sunday 12:55 p.m); ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” (Monday 7 p.m.)
Show on the rise: A&E’s “Dog: The Family Speaks” Tuesday 10 p.m. A&E took advantage of the bounty hunter’s arrest and the surrounding controversy to with a special that placed seventh in households, pulling in 3.01 million. It also set records for 18-34s and 18-49s.
Show on the decline: FX’s “Nip/Tuck,” Tuesday 10 p.m. More broadcast competition meant lower ratings for the cable hit, which was down nearly 400,000 total viewers from the week before.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
2295 |
NICK |
1423 |
|
2 |
USA |
1839 |
TNT |
1028 |
|
3 |
TNT |
1419 |
NAN* |
1001 |
|
4 |
TOON |
1202 |
USA |
970 |
|
5 |
NAN |
1104 |
ESPN |
905 |
|
6 |
FOXN |
1068 |
TOON |
894 |
|
7 |
LIF |
1057 |
ADSM* |
875 |
|
8 |
FX |
1048 |
LIF |
768 |
|
9 |
AEN |
968 |
FOXN |
715 |
|
10 |
TBSC |
857 |
AEN |
616 |
|
11 |
SCIF |
834 |
TBSC |
561 |
|
12 |
HALL |
805 |
TVLD |
545 |
|
13 |
HGTV |
805 |
FX |
538 |
|
14 |
MTV |
771 |
HALL |
527 |
|
15 |
TVLD |
759 |
MTV |
520 |
|
16 |
SPK |
738 |
HGTV |
504 |
|
17 |
CMDY |
721 |
DISC |
488 |
|
18 |
DISC |
713 |
FOOD |
463 |
|
19 |
HIST |
688 |
CNN |
449 |
|
20 |
TLC |
666 |
AMC |
438 |
|
21 |
AMC |
663 |
FAM |
431 |
|
22 |
CNN |
634 |
CMDY |
431 |
|
23 |
CORT |
621 |
HIST |
415 |
|
24 |
FOOD |
573 |
SCIF |
412 |
|
25 |
FAM |
561 |
SPK |
392 |
|
* 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 Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
Steelers/Jaguars |
ESPN |
9809 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3558 |
|
3 |
Nextel Racing/Dover 400 |
TNT |
3406 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3313 |
|
5 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
3151 |
|
6 |
Pirates Of The Caribbean |
USA |
3098 |
|
7 |
Dog: The Family Speaks |
AEN |
3007 |
|
8 |
College Football-Sat Afternoon |
ESPN |
2730 |
|
9 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
2699 |
|
10 |
Zoey 101 |
NICK |
2698 |
|
11 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2681 |
|
12 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2576 |
|
13 |
Jimmy Neutron |
NICK |
2440 |
|
14 |
Ned Declassified |
NICK |
2434 |
|
15 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2428 |
|
16 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2414 |
|
17 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2410 |
|
18 |
Avatar |
NICK |
2406 |
|
19 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2393 |
|
20 |
Mr. Meaty |
NICK |
2351 |
|
21 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2349 |
|
22 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2310 |
|
23 |
Avatar |
NICK |
2287 |
|
24 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2262 |
|
25 |
Avatar |
NICK |
2254 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
691 |
ADSM* |
385 |
|
2 |
USA |
573 |
ESPN |
318 |
|
3 |
FX |
462 |
NICK |
316 |
|
4 |
TNT |
344 |
NAN* |
302 |
|
5 |
MTV |
339 |
USA |
271 |
|
6 |
AEN |
319 |
TNT |
266 |
|
7 |
CMDY |
309 |
FX |
249 |
|
8 |
TBSC |
298 |
MTV |
247 |
|
9 |
VH1 |
288 |
TBSC |
224 |
|
10 |
DISC |
257 |
CMDY |
189 |
|
* 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 Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Steelers/Jaguars |
ESPN |
3452 |
|
2 |
Dog: The Family Speaks |
AEN |
1516 |
|
3 |
Flavor Of Love 2 |
VH1 |
1425 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1327 |
|
5 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
1314 |
|
6 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1259 |
|
7 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
1243 |
|
8 |
Pirates Of The Caribbean |
USA |
997 |
|
9 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
926 |
|
10 |
NFL Countdown |
ESPN |
907 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
1482 |
TNT |
615 |
|
2 |
USA |
1241 |
ESPN |
611 |
|
3 |
FX |
865 |
USA |
577 |
|
4 |
TNT |
818 |
NAN* |
491 |
|
5 |
AEN |
672 |
ADSM* |
487 |
|
6 |
TBSC |
618 |
NICK |
472 |
|
7 |
DISC |
537 |
FX |
435 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
535 |
LIF |
405 |
|
9 |
SCIF |
529 |
TBSC |
401 |
|
10 |
SPK |
520 |
AEN |
383 |
|
* 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 Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Steelers/Jaguars |
ESPN |
7111 |
|
2 |
Dog: The Family Speaks |
AEN |
2922 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2687 |
|
4 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
2530 |
|
5 |
Pirates Of The Caribbean |
USA |
2435 |
|
6 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
2355 |
|
7 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2354 |
|
8 |
Nextel Racing/Dover 400 |
TNT |
2178 |
|
9 |
Flavor Of Love 2 |
VH1 |
1958 |
|
10 |
College Football-Sat Afternoon |
ESPN |
1600 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Sept. 24 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
ESPN |
1519 |
TNT |
661 |
|
2 |
USA |
1197 |
ESPN |
593 |
|
3 |
TNT |
916 |
USA |
560 |
|
4 |
FX |
769 |
LIF |
442 |
|
5 |
AEN |
673 |
AEN |
385 |
|
6 |
TBSC |
586 |
NAN* |
377 |
|
7 |
SCIF |
575 |
FX |
376 |
|
8 |
LIF |
546 |
TBSC |
359 |
|
9 |
DISC |
533 |
NICK |
351 |
|
10 |
SPK |
528 |
DISC |
326 |
|
* 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 Sept. 24 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Steelers/Jaguars |
ESPN |
7196 |
|
2 |
Dog: The Family Speaks |
AEN |
2616 |
|
3 |
Pirates Of The Caribbean |
USA |
2520 |
|
4 |
Nextel Racing/Dover 400 |
TNT |
2449 |
|
5 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2385 |
|
6 |
Sportscenter |
ESPN |
2344 |
|
7 |
Nip Tuck |
FX |
2100 |
|
8 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2081 |
|
9 |
Monday Night Countdown |
ESPN |
1707 |
|
10 |
College Football-Sat Afternoon |
ESPN |
1679 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
