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in 'The Dead Zone'
Signature series debut body-slams WWE on TNN
By Kevin Downey
It’s taken nearly two years, but USA Network may finally be healing from the loss of the World Wrestling Federation to TNN, now that it has a highly rated signature series in “The Dead Zone.”
The one-hour drama, based on a novel by Stephen King, pulled in the highest rating ever for an original series premiere on basic cable last Sunday with a 4.7 among households and an audience of nearly 4.1 million homes.
The show was the highest-rated cable program last week and coincidentally beat out the newly named World Wrestling Entertainment, its nearest competitor, by 9 percent.
“The Dead Zone” also ranked No. 1 among adults 18-49 and 25-54 in audience delivery and was the fourth most-watched program among adults 18-34.
USA Network’s household rating was up 43 percent from a week earlier, due in part to the new series and the Adam Sandler movies, “Big Daddy,” “Billy Madison” and “The Waterboy,” all of which ranked among the week’s most-watched shows in key demographics.
USA ranked No. 2, overall, with a 2 household rating that left it trailing only Lifetime.
If “The Dead Zone” continues to be a hit for USA Network, it will join a growing list of signature shows on basic cable, like MTV’s “The Osbournes,” FX’s “The Shield,” and Nickelodeon’s “Spongebob Squarepants,” that serve to distinguish a network from a slew of similar looking competitors.
While signature shows aren’t a new concept on cable networks-- MTV’s “The Real World” was among the first more than a decade ago-- their importance has been growing right along with the proliferation of cable networks.
Signature shows help cable networks in a number of ways, not the least of which is to pump up ratings.
But ratings are almost a secondary concern because the shows, like Lifetime’s “Strong Medicine” and “The Division,” give the networks a chance to create a loyal following, who can then be bombarded with promotions for the rest of a network’s schedule.
Although not quantifiable, the shows also probably help a network get onto a viewer’s mental list of networks to check out when scanning channels.
In other words, a viewer who rarely watched MTV before “The Osbournes” might now pay the network a visit more often to see if the show is on, but if not, might stick around to watch something else.
TNT also has a signature show on its hands with “Witchblade.”
Although it failed to rank among the week’s most-watched shows, the second- season premiere improved on its first season premiere in key demographics.
It bettered its audience delivery among adults 18-49 by 11 percent, compared to last year, to 1.79 million viewers, and by 11 percent among adults 25-54, to 2 million.
At the same time, Cartoon Network’s new “Hamtaro” anime series from Japan continues to do well among the younger set.
The show boosted the network last week to its highest audience ever among tweens 9-14 and helped the network hold onto a competitive second place behind Nickelodeon in total day ratings.
Meanwhile, Lifetime ranked No. 1 in primetime with a 2.3 household rating, due in part to “Too Young to be a Dad.”
Two episodes of “WWE Entertainment” on TNN ranked among the top 10 in all major demographics.
|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
NETWORKS |
||||||||
|
Primetime |
Total Day |
|||||||
|
# |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
1 |
LIF |
2.3 |
1989 |
4.0 |
NICK |
1.7 |
1451 |
5.0 |
|
2 |
USA |
2.0 |
1746 |
3.5 |
TOON |
1.4 |
1101 |
4.1 |
|
3 |
TNT |
1.9 |
1603 |
3.2 |
LIF |
1.2 |
1033 |
3.2 |
|
4 |
NICK |
1.8 |
1536 |
3.1 |
USA |
1.0 |
820 |
2.8 |
|
5 |
TOON |
1.9 |
1526 |
3.2 |
TBS |
0.9 |
782 |
2.7 |
|
6 |
TBS |
1.6 |
1415 |
2.9 |
TNT |
0.9 |
761 |
2.6 |
|
7 |
ESPN |
1.3 |
1089 |
2.2 |
ESPN |
0.8 |
707 |
2.5 |
|
8 |
TNN |
1.1 |
947 |
1.9 |
AEN |
0.6 |
547 |
1.8 |
|
9 |
DISC |
1.0 |
883 |
1.8 |
FOXN |
0.6 |
493 |
1.8 |
|
10 |
FOXN |
1.0 |
838 |
1.9 |
FX |
0.6 |
479 |
1.6 |
|
11 |
TLC |
1.0 |
825 |
1.7 |
TLC |
0.6 |
479 |
1.6 |
|
12 |
AEN |
0.9 |
786 |
1.6 |
MTV |
0.6 |
468 |
1.7 |
|
13 |
MTV |
0.9 |
757 |
1.6 |
DISC |
0.5 |
451 |
1.4 |
|
14 |
FX |
1.0 |
755 |
1.7 |
CNN |
0.5 |
405 |
1.4 |
|
15 |
FAM |
0.9 |
735 |
1.5 |
TNN |
0.5 |
396 |
1.2 |
|
16 |
SCIF |
0.9 |
728 |
1.6 |
HIST |
0.4 |
362 |
1.2 |
|
16 |
CNN |
0.8 |
728 |
1.5 |
TVLD |
0.5 |
351 |
1.4 |
|
18 |
AMC |
0.9 |
716 |
1.5 |
AMC |
0.4 |
341 |
1.2 |
|
19 |
HIST |
0.8 |
640 |
1.4 |
HGTV |
0.4 |
313 |
1.1 |
|
20 |
TVLD |
0.7 |
560 |
1.3 |
CORT |
0.4 |
312 |
1.2 |
|
21 |
CORT |
0.8 |
548 |
1.3 |
BET |
0.4 |
305 |
1.2 |
|
22 |
HGTV |
0.7 |
525 |
1.2 |
SCIF |
0.4 |
300 |
1.1 |
|
23 |
ESP2 |
0.6 |
488 |
1.0 |
FAM |
0.3 |
288 |
1.0 |
|
24 |
CMDY |
0.6 |
456 |
1.0 |
CMDY |
0.3 |
279 |
1.0 |
|
25 |
FOOD |
0.6 |
428 |
1.0 |
ESP2 |
0.3 |
248 |
0.9 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data from Nielsen Media Research. |
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|
TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
PROGRAMS |
|||||
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
|
1 |
Dead Zone, The |
USA |
4.7 |
7.9 |
4093 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
4.3 |
7.0 |
3719 |
|
3 |
Too Young To Be A Dad |
LIF |
4.1 |
6.4 |
3511 |
|
4 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
3.9 |
6.1 |
3380 |
|
5 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.4 |
10.5 |
2906 |
|
6 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.3 |
8.4 |
2844 |
|
7 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.3 |
8.9 |
2827 |
|
8 |
Real World XI |
MTV |
3.3 |
5.3 |
2755 |
|
9 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.2 |
9.4 |
2746 |
|
10 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.2 |
9.5 |
2713 |
|
11 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.1 |
8.9 |
2699 |
|
12 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.0 |
9.0 |
2621 |
|
12 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
3.0 |
9.6 |
2621 |
|
14 |
Big Daddy |
USA |
3.0 |
5.1 |
2608 |
|
15 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
3.0 |
9.3 |
2576 |
|
16 |
Yankees/Mets |
ESPN |
2.9 |
5.2 |
2548 |
|
17 |
Fifteen And Pregnant |
LIF |
2.9 |
4.8 |
2515 |
|
18 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2.9 |
7.2 |
2489 |
|
19 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2.9 |
5.1 |
2473 |
|
20 |
Hey Arnold |
NICK |
2.9 |
8.6 |
2472 |
|
21 |
Too Young To Be A Dad |
LIF |
2.8 |
5.8 |
2408 |
|
22 |
Spongebob |
NICK |
2.8 |
6.8 |
2396 |
|
23 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
2.8 |
5.7 |
2382 |
|
24 |
Fairly Odd Parents |
NICK |
2.8 |
8.7 |
2371 |
|
25 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
2.7 |
5.1 |
2365 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment
Research based on data |
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TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
NETWORKS |
||||
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|||
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
639 |
USA |
270 |
|
2 |
MTV |
460 |
ESPN |
268 |
|
3 |
TNN |
442 |
NICK |
268 |
|
4 |
TNT |
428 |
LIF |
244 |
|
5 |
LIF |
403 |
MTV |
240 |
|
6 |
TBS |
326 |
TBS |
229 |
|
7 |
ESPN |
303 |
TOON |
198 |
|
8 |
NICK |
282 |
TNT |
197 |
|
9 |
TOON |
278 |
FX |
187 |
|
10 |
TLC |
273 |
TLC |
173 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment
Research based on data |
||||
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
SHOWS |
|||
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
2400 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
2119 |
|
3 |
Real World XI |
MTV |
1920 |
|
4 |
Dead Zone, The |
USA |
1882 |
|
5 |
Making The Video |
MTV |
1449 |
|
6 |
Big Daddy |
USA |
1401 |
|
7 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
1273 |
|
8 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
1235 |
|
9 |
Independence Day |
FX |
1112 |
|
10 |
Billy Madison |
USA |
1094 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data |
|||
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
NETWORKS |
||||
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|||
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1308 |
LIF |
570 |
|
2 |
TNT |
1046 |
USA |
561 |
|
3 |
LIF |
998 |
TNT |
501 |
|
4 |
TNN |
822 |
NICK |
490 |
|
5 |
TBS |
778 |
TBS |
487 |
|
6 |
ESPN |
662 |
ESPN |
483 |
|
7 |
FX |
631 |
FX |
390 |
|
8 |
TLC |
595 |
TLC |
336 |
|
9 |
NICK |
585 |
TOON |
310 |
|
10 |
MTV |
571 |
TNN |
310 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment
Research based on data |
||||
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
SHOWS |
|||
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Dead Zone, The |
USA |
4033 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
3599 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
3286 |
|
4 |
Big Daddy |
USA |
2485 |
|
5 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
2349 |
|
6 |
Independence Day |
FX |
2304 |
|
7 |
Real World XI |
MTV |
2267 |
|
8 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
2199 |
|
9 |
Dead Zone, The |
USA |
1860 |
|
10 |
Too Young To Be A Dad |
LIF |
1792 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment
Research based on data |
|||
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
NETWORKS |
||||
|
PRIME TIME |
TOTAL DAY |
|||
|
Rank |
Net |
(000) |
Net |
(000) |
|
1 |
USA |
1281 |
LIF |
621 |
|
2 |
LIF |
1145 |
USA |
541 |
|
3 |
TNT |
1142 |
TNT |
529 |
|
4 |
TBS |
833 |
TBS |
483 |
|
5 |
TNN |
789 |
ESPN |
455 |
|
6 |
ESPN |
721 |
NICK |
447 |
|
7 |
FX |
652 |
FX |
379 |
|
8 |
SCIF |
646 |
TLC |
325 |
|
9 |
TLC |
606 |
DISC |
305 |
|
10 |
DISC |
592 |
TNN |
301 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data |
||||
|
TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE
SHOWS |
|||
|
Rank |
PROGRAM |
NET |
(000) |
|
1 |
Dead Zone, The |
USA |
4097 |
|
2 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
2969 |
|
3 |
WWE Entertainment |
TNN |
2708 |
|
4 |
Independence Day |
FX |
2173 |
|
5 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
2103 |
|
6 |
Big Daddy |
USA |
2037 |
|
7 |
Witchblade The Series |
TNT |
2009 |
|
8 |
Too Young To Be A Dad |
LIF |
1935 |
|
9 |
Waterboy, The |
USA |
1856 |
|
10 |
Yankees/Mets |
ESPN |
1817 |
|
Source: Turner Entertainment Research based on data |
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June 20, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
-Kevin Downey is a staff writer for Media Life.
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