In a month where primetime viewership for big networks like ESPN, MTV, TNT and FX all fell, it was the tiny niche networks that showed the greatest year-to-year gains.
History International was up 141 percent. Military Channel rose 69 percent. ESPN Classic jumped 106 percent. And Golf Channel shot up 59 percent.
They all have minuscule audiences, averaging fewer than 150,000 households; by comparison, top-ranked USA averaged 1.99 million. But these narrowly focused niche channels are seeing gains their bigger counterparts aren’t as their distribution grows and viewers seek out more specialized programming.
History International’s primetime household average jumped from 37,000 to 89,000, while Military Channel went from 49,000 to 83,000. ESPN Classic went from 53,000 to 109,000, and Golf Channel also passed the 100,000 mark, up from 93,000 to 148,000.
There are many reasons for the growth of these niche networks, and not the least is increased distribution. In the past year, for example, ESPN Classic and History International have both added more than 7 million households apiece.
Thus greater availability obviously leads to bigger ratings. It also makes them that much more attractive to advertisers.
Another reason for the growth is that these niche cable networks’ programming is improving and becoming increasingly relevant.
A few years ago, Golf Channel carried mostly analysis and previews of upcoming events. Now it is adding opening-day coverage of a number of actual PGA Tour events, which also has increased demand for the channel among cable carriers. These early rounds used to be shown on big networks like USA, TNT or EPSN. Now Golf Channel's primetime viewership is up 62 percent to 181,000.
And Golf Channel’s not the only one beefing up its offerings. Discovery's Military Channel, which used to air mostly retreads from other sister networks, has a feature called “My War Diaries” that allows soldiers to upload their own films online for a chance to air on television.
The network is also helping with a nationwide campaign to recognize the service of military men and women that has brought the channel greater exposure.
Finally, it’s no coincidence that some big networks are parents to these smaller ones. History International is part of The History Channel brand group of A&E Television Networks, for example, and that sort of crossover opportunity between them can prove invaluable.
ESPN, for another example, does a great job of meshing the content from its main network with its smaller ones so that on Super Bowl weekend, there are analysis shows on ESPN, breaking stories on ESPNNews, and moments from Super Bowls past on ESPN Classic. That sort of integration leads to greater awareness of the niche channels as well.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Feb. 25:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, TNT, FX, A&E
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, TBS, Fox News, A&E
Top movie (18-49s): TBS’s “The Chronicles of Riddick” (Saturday, 8 p.m.) 1.77 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): USA’s “WWE” (Monday, 9 p.m.) 5.21 million
Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: USA’s “WWE Entertainment” (Monday, 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.)
Show on the rise: E!’s “Live From the Red Carpet,” Sunday 6 p.m. Ah, the magic of Ryan Seacrest. The “American Idol” host brought some of his show’s ratings potency to E! as the annual pre-Oscar show rose in double-digit percentages.
Movie on the rise: Lifetime’s “Carolina Moon,” Monday 9 p.m. The original was up 500,000 households over the previous week’s Monday movie to 2.8 million.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week Ending Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
2087 |
NICK |
1769 |
|
2 |
TNT |
1386 |
USA |
1113 |
|
3 |
FOXN |
1299 |
NAN * |
1007 |
|
4 |
TBSC |
1279 |
TNT |
987 |
|
5 |
LIF |
1137 |
ADSM* |
929 |
|
6 |
AEN |
1103 |
TOON |
906 |
|
7 |
TOON |
1082 |
FOXN |
788 |
|
8 |
CORT |
929 |
TBSC |
786 |
|
9 |
FX |
916 |
LIF |
777 |
|
10 |
ESPN |
914 |
AEN |
698 |
|
11 |
MTV |
881 |
CORT |
688 |
|
12 |
NAN |
848 |
MTV |
573 |
|
13 |
DISC |
838 |
DISC |
565 |
|
14 |
HALL |
828 |
FX |
551 |
|
15 |
TVLD |
819 |
HALL |
550 |
|
16 |
HIST |
811 |
HIST |
539 |
|
17 |
HGTV |
798 |
TVLD |
525 |
|
18 |
CMDY |
775 |
ESPN |
502 |
|
19 |
AMC |
771 |
CMDY |
500 |
|
20 |
SCIF |
750 |
HGTV |
493 |
|
21 |
SPK |
736 |
FAM |
490 |
|
22 |
FAM |
722 |
AMC |
459 |
|
23 |
CNN |
657 |
FOOD |
445 |
|
24 |
VH1 |
647 |
SPK |
445 |
|
25 |
TLC |
633 |
CNN |
444 |
|
* 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 Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3715 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3704 |
|
3 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3546 |
|
4 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3409 |
|
5 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3338 |
|
6 |
Monk |
USA |
3303 |
|
7 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
3120 |
|
8 |
Carolina Moon |
LIF |
2804 |
|
9 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2769 |
|
10 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2740 |
|
11 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2737 |
|
12 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2732 |
|
13 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2730 |
|
14 |
LRC: 2007 Academy Awards |
EN |
2714 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2711 |
|
16 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2693 |
|
17 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2662 |
|
18 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2650 |
|
19 |
Naked Brothers Band |
NICK |
2639 |
|
20 |
Ned Declassified |
NICK |
2638 |
|
20 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
2638 |
|
22 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2624 |
|
23 |
Law & Order |
TNT |
2611 |
|
24 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2588 |
|
25 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2587 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week Ending Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
545 |
ADSM* |
462 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
543 |
NICK |
361 |
|
3 |
MTV |
513 |
TBSC |
340 |
|
4 |
CMDY |
386 |
MTV |
318 |
|
5 |
FX |
375 |
USA |
316 |
|
6 |
TNT |
356 |
NAN * |
312 |
|
7 |
VH1 |
356 |
TNT |
264 |
|
8 |
DISC |
338 |
CMDY |
258 |
|
9 |
AEN |
291 |
DISC |
234 |
|
10 |
ESPN |
281 |
FX |
220 |
|
* 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 Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1586 |
|
2 |
The Hills |
MTV |
1585 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1578 |
|
4 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1470 |
|
5 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
1464 |
|
6 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1197 |
|
7 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1175 |
|
8 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
1161 |
|
9 |
White Rapper Show |
VH1 |
1093 |
|
10 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
1090 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1164 |
USA |
645 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1045 |
TBSC |
616 |
|
3 |
TNT |
779 |
TNT |
588 |
|
4 |
FX |
689 |
ADSM* |
575 |
|
5 |
AEN |
671 |
NICK |
561 |
|
6 |
MTV |
655 |
NAN * |
488 |
|
7 |
DISC |
646 |
DISC |
425 |
|
8 |
CMDY |
617 |
LIF |
418 |
|
9 |
LIF |
577 |
AEN |
410 |
|
10 |
SPK |
517 |
FX |
405 |
|
* 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 Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2653 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2646 |
|
3 |
LRC: 2007 Academy Awards |
EN |
2204 |
|
4 |
I Love New York |
VH1 |
2099 |
|
5 |
The Hills |
MTV |
1802 |
|
6 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1786 |
|
7 |
The Chronicles of Riddick |
TBSC |
1769 |
|
8 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1724 |
|
9 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1602 |
|
10 |
Monk |
USA |
1570 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week Ending Feb. 25 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1158 |
USA |
635 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
938 |
TNT |
605 |
|
3 |
TNT |
820 |
TBSC |
531 |
|
4 |
AEN |
695 |
NICK |
456 |
|
5 |
DISC |
613 |
LIF |
440 |
|
6 |
LIF |
595 |
AEN |
420 |
|
7 |
FX |
578 |
NAN * |
404 |
|
8 |
SCIF |
544 |
DISC |
379 |
|
9 |
CORT |
532 |
CORT |
353 |
|
10 |
SPK |
516 |
FX |
348 |
|
* 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 Feb. 25 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2324 |
|
2 |
LRC: 2007 Academy Awards |
EN |
2285 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2237 |
|
4 |
Monk |
USA |
1981 |
|
5 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1765 |
|
6 |
Psych |
USA |
1629 |
|
7 |
House |
USA |
1580 |
|
8 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1559 |
|
9 |
Law & Order: SVU |
USA |
1530 |
|
10 |
The Chronicles of Riddick |
TBSC |
1506 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
