The cable networks that have experienced the most growth over the past few years are specialists, such as the Food Network, G4 and HGTV.
Among them, perhaps none has a clearer niche than Speed Channel, the network targeted to people, men mostly, who like things that go fast. With an increased focus on young-skewing lifestyle and car enthusiast programming over the past 18 months, Speed recorded its best-ever year in 2006.
The network averaged 247,000 viewers in primetime, up 10 percent versus last year. In total day it rose 14 percent, to 128,000, according to Nielsen data. That’s still barely among the top 50 networks for basic cable, but it was the fourth straight year of growth for Speed, and that’s rare no matter what the network’s size. (It's currently available in 69.5 million households.)
Speed saw its strongest growth among the young men it increasingly targets. Ratings among men 18-34 rose 45 percent while men 18-49 were up 17 percent. Its median age fell from 48.6 two years ago to 46.5.
“We’ve had a lot of success scheduling our Tuesdays and Wednesday nights with automotive lifestyle programming that appeals to a younger audience,” says Paul Duong, Speed vice president of scheduling and research.
One of those shows is “Unique Whips,” which just ended its second season on those nights. The show follows Will Castro, a Long Island body shop customizer who retools the luxury cars of stars like Jennifer Lopez, Busta Rhymes, Carmelo Anthony and Eminem.
Speed has tried to lure a young-skewing audience by making the show available on iTunes and setting up a MySpace page for it.
“Whips” averaged a 0.51 in men 18-34, up 55 percent from the previous year.
Wednesday’s reality racing series “PINKS,” entering its third year and now the network’s most-watched show, and Tuesday’s motorcycle showcase “Superbikes,” which just finished its first season, also helped lower the network’s median age.
“PINKS” averaged a 0.7 rating in men 18-34, up 141 percent over the previous year, while “Superbikes” averaged a 0.2, up 67 percent over the show it replaced, “2 Wheel Tuesday.”
What’s perhaps most interesting, in a year when NASCAR ratings finally slipped, is that Speed’s NASCAR pre-race coverage “NASCAR Race Day” actually rose 29 percent in men 18-34 over its old prerace show, indicating better awareness of the show among racing fans.
Meanwhile, in other cable ratings for the week ended Jan. 7, 2007:
Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): USA, TBS, FX, TNT, A&E
Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): USA, TNT, TBSC, Lifetime, A&E
Top movie (18-49s): FX’s “Spiderman 2” (Tuesday, 7 p.m.) 1.61 million
Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN’s “Tennessee/Penn State” (Monday, 10:59 a.m.) 5.70 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.); ESPN’s “Tennessee/Penn State” (Monday, 10:59 a.m.); FX’s “Dirt” (Tuesday, 10 p.m.)
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Ranked on Household Rating
Week ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
Primetime |
Total Day |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1914 |
NICK |
1666 |
|
2 |
TNT |
1523 |
NAN* |
1119 |
|
3 |
LIF |
1377 |
USA |
1085 |
|
4 |
TBSC |
1332 |
TNT |
1019 |
|
5 |
AEN |
1253 |
LIF |
879 |
|
6 |
NAN |
1211 |
TOON |
871 |
|
7 |
FX |
1187 |
ADSM* |
862 |
|
8 |
FOXN |
1055 |
TBSC |
852 |
|
9 |
TOON |
990 |
AEN |
843 |
|
10 |
HGTV |
986 |
ESPN |
729 |
|
11 |
SPK |
979 |
FOXN |
668 |
|
12 |
CORT |
969 |
FX |
649 |
|
13 |
TVLD |
969 |
VH1 |
648 |
|
14 |
HALL |
959 |
TVLD |
642 |
|
15 |
AMC |
946 |
MTV |
617 |
|
16 |
DISC |
916 |
HALL |
609 |
|
17 |
SCIF |
888 |
HGTV |
598 |
|
18 |
VH1 |
878 |
DISC |
583 |
|
19 |
MTV |
837 |
HIST |
548 |
|
20 |
FAM |
828 |
SPK |
531 |
|
21 |
HIST |
825 |
CORT |
525 |
|
22 |
ESPN |
820 |
SCIF |
516 |
|
23 |
TLC |
738 |
FAM |
512 |
|
24 |
CMDY |
661 |
AMC |
500 |
|
25 |
CNN |
619 |
CNN |
472 |
|
* 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 ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
Tennessee/Penn State |
ESPN |
4029 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3568 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
3560 |
|
4 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3354 |
|
5 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
3021 |
|
6 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2792 |
|
7 |
Dirt |
FX |
2781 |
|
8 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2564 |
|
9 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2553 |
|
10 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2392 |
|
11 |
Monk |
USA |
2368 |
|
12 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2350 |
|
13 |
Monk |
USA |
2321 |
|
14 |
Monk |
USA |
2319 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2317 |
|
16 |
Jimmy Neutron |
NICK |
2308 |
|
17 |
Monk |
USA |
2293 |
|
18 |
Ned Declassified |
NICK |
2281 |
|
19 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2278 |
|
20 |
Monk |
USA |
2270 |
|
21 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2267 |
|
22 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2262 |
|
23 |
Legally Blonde |
TNT |
2261 |
|
24 |
Drake & Josh |
NICK |
2260 |
|
25 |
Troubled Waters |
LIF |
2255 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-34
Week ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
TBSC |
541 |
ADSM* |
356 |
|
2 |
USA |
515 |
TBSC |
332 |
|
3 |
FX |
513 |
VH1 |
331 |
|
4 |
MTV |
473 |
NICK |
316 |
|
5 |
TNT |
457 |
MTV |
314 |
|
6 |
VH1 |
450 |
TNT |
304 |
|
7 |
AEN |
388 |
NAN* |
299 |
|
8 |
DISC |
320 |
USA |
283 |
|
9 |
CMDY |
311 |
FX |
263 |
|
10 |
LIF |
297 |
ESPN |
247 |
|
* 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 ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1594 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
1446 |
|
3 |
RW/RR The Duel |
MTV |
1403 |
|
4 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1359 |
|
5 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1240 |
|
6 |
Dirt |
FX |
1228 |
|
7 |
RW/RR The Duel |
MTV |
1179 |
|
8 |
Tennessee/Penn State |
ESPN |
1065 |
|
9 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
948 |
|
10 |
Family Guy |
ADSM |
943 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 18-49
Week ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1138 |
TBSC |
634 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1087 |
TNT |
627 |
|
3 |
FX |
989 |
USA |
623 |
|
4 |
TNT |
912 |
NICK |
548 |
|
5 |
AEN |
834 |
NAN* |
545 |
|
6 |
LIF |
744 |
AEN |
527 |
|
7 |
DISC |
691 |
FX |
500 |
|
8 |
SPK |
671 |
LIF |
500 |
|
9 |
VH1 |
662 |
ESPN |
471 |
|
10 |
AMC |
604 |
VH1 |
460 |
|
* 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 ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2782 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2662 |
|
3 |
Tennessee/Penn State |
ESPN |
2576 |
|
4 |
Dirt |
FX |
2362 |
|
5 |
RW/RR The Duel |
MTV |
1837 |
|
6 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1700 |
|
7 |
Top Chef |
BRAV |
1622 |
|
8 |
Real World XVIII |
MTV |
1610 |
|
9 |
Spiderman 2 |
FX |
1610 |
|
10 |
NFL Countdown |
ESPN |
1587 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS
Adults 25-54
Week ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1168 |
USA |
645 |
|
2 |
TBSC |
1012 |
TNT |
627 |
|
3 |
TNT |
921 |
TBSC |
573 |
|
4 |
FX |
888 |
AEN |
527 |
|
5 |
AEN |
830 |
LIF |
523 |
|
6 |
LIF |
787 |
ESPN |
450 |
|
7 |
DISC |
690 |
NAN* |
445 |
|
8 |
AMC |
682 |
FX |
441 |
|
9 |
SPK |
666 |
NICK |
441 |
|
10 |
SCIF |
633 |
DISC |
398 |
|
* 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 ended Jan. 7, 2007 |
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Tennessee/Penn State |
ESPN |
2724 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2516 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
USA |
2449 |
|
4 |
Dirt |
FX |
2131 |
|
5 |
NFL Countdown |
ESPN |
1665 |
|
6 |
Top Chef |
BRAV |
1643 |
|
7 |
Monk |
USA |
1639 |
|
8 |
Monk |
USA |
1602 |
|
9 |
Monk |
USA |
1597 |
|
10 |
House |
USA |
1540 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
