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restorative powers
Great ratings pepper-upper for ABC and Fox
By Toni Fitzgerald
Football has been the savior this season for the Big Four’s two lowest-rated networks, ABC and Fox.
While both networks have struggled to establish new dramas (ABC canceled all four of its, and Fox had the most-maligned new stinker in “girls club”) and are competing with CBS in the season-to-date race for second in 18-49s, their football fortunes have risen throughout the year.
With bowl season and the NFL playoffs converging last week, the two networks got a strong start to the new year.
Most of the games were even exciting.
Of course, the two networks had better enjoy it while it lasts. Come February, there’s no more football. And after a week like this, that’s very bad news for ABC and Fox.
Sunday’s down-to-the-final-play NFC wild card game between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers on Fox edged ABC’s college football championship game between Ohio State and Miami for the top spot among adults 18-49 last week with a 12.0 rating.
That’s the best 18-49 showing for a Fox program all season, even bettering the 11.1 registered by Game Seven of the World Series in October.
Almost as good, the wildly competitive game bled into primetime by more than an hour after a 4:45 p.m. start. A highly rated postgame show helped boost ratings for the network’s other Sunday programs.
“The Simpsons” (7.1) earned its third-highest rating of the season among 18-49s, and “King of the Hill” (5.7) had its fourth-best.
Fox has had more success with football this year than with any of its other shows. The network recorded its best viewership season since 1995, averaging 16.2 million viewers per week for its Sunday afternoon slates.
That’s a 5 percent jump versus last season, including a 13 percent bump among men 18-34 and a 7 percent improvement in men 18-49.
Over 17 weeks, Fox averaged a 10.3 household rating. For comparison’s sake, that’s 40 percent better than the season-to-date primetime household averages of CBS, NBC and ABC (Fox’s lags way behind).
ABC, too, has been enjoying the benefits of increased football interest. The network aired two NFL playoff games Saturday, with the Atlanta Falcons’ surprising NFC wild card victory over the Green Bay Packers netting a 10.4, third-place rating among 18-49s.
Football has been a part of ABC’s continued improvement this season. “Monday Night Football,” which wrapped up last week, showed a 7 percent improvement among 18-49s this year versus last, and a 13 percent jump with 18-34s.
But college football helped ABC to the weekly 18-49 victory last week, its first of the season.
The overtime national title game gave ABC its highest-rated Friday night in 10 years. The contest was the most-watch national championship game in the six years since CBS and ABC began sharing broadcasting rights to the Bowl Championship Series.
The 10.7 18-49 average far outdrew last year’s BCS title game, a Miami blowout of Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. That game averaged a 5.4 18-49 rating on ABC. This year’s game averaged a 12.2 rating among men 18-49.
The four BCS games, which averaged a 7.05 18-49 rating, helped boost ABC to the best weekly 18-49 average for any network this season, a 5.8. While the Alphabet was clearly thrilled to have a platform to advertise its midseason launches (commercials for dramas “Dragnet,” “Miracles” and “Veritas: The Quest” were more common than beer ads), it didn’t have much competition.
There were almost no new shows on any network last week. And ABC only had one non-football show in the 18-49 top 30, No. 30 “Alias.”
CBS notched the most-watched non-football program among 18-49s, Thursday’s “CSI.”
PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK |
|||||||||
|
Network |
Households* |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
||||||
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
|
ABC |
9.5 |
10100 |
16 |
5.7 |
15590 |
15 |
5.8 |
7400 |
16 |
|
CBS |
7.1 |
7580 |
12 |
3.9 |
10700 |
10 |
3.1 |
3960 |
8 |
|
NBC |
6.1 |
6500 |
10 |
3.4 |
9190 |
9 |
3.4 |
4320 |
9 |
|
FOX |
5.6 |
5990 |
9 |
3.5 |
9460 |
9 |
3.9 |
5080 |
11 |
|
WB |
2.1 |
2210 |
3 |
1.2 |
3300 |
3 |
1.4 |
1810 |
4 |
|
UPN |
2.0 |
2140 |
3 |
1.2 |
3210 |
3 |
1.4 |
1750 |
4 |
|
PAX |
0.8 |
870 |
1 |
0.4 |
1190 |
1 |
0.3 |
430 |
1 |
|
* Each rating point is equivalent to 1.067 million homes |
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|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK |
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|
Network |
Households* |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
||||||
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
|
CBS |
8.2 |
8780 |
14 |
4.6 |
12520 |
12 |
3.9 |
4960 |
10 |
|
NBC |
7.8 |
8270 |
13 |
4.3 |
11720 |
11 |
4.5 |
5800 |
12 |
|
ABC |
6.5 |
6950 |
11 |
3.8 |
10220 |
10 |
3.9 |
5000 |
11 |
|
FOX |
5.7 |
6030 |
9 |
3.3 |
9080 |
9 |
3.6 |
4670 |
10 |
|
WB |
2.7 |
2870 |
4 |
1.6 |
4330 |
4 |
1.8 |
2370 |
5 |
|
UPN |
2.4 |
2530 |
4 |
1.4 |
3790 |
4 |
1.6 |
2070 |
4 |
|
PAX |
0.9 |
940 |
1 |
0.5 |
1250 |
1 |
0.3 |
400 |
1 |
|
* Each rating point is equivalent to 1.067 million homes |
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|
NETWORK TV |
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|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
||||
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
RANK |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
FIESTA BOWL(S) |
ABC |
17.2 |
29 |
18385 |
1 |
10.7 |
29104 |
|
2 |
AFC/NFC PLAYOFF GM2(S) |
ABC |
16.0 |
27 |
17099 |
2 |
9.7 |
26319 |
|
3 |
CSI |
CBS |
14.0 |
21 |
14968 |
4 |
8.2 |
22397 |
|
4 |
AFC/NFC SHOWCASE 2(S) |
ABC |
13.6 |
25 |
14483 |
5 |
8.0 |
21774 |
|
5 |
FOX NFC WILDCARD POST GME(S) |
FOX |
13.5 |
21 |
14372 |
3 |
8.4 |
22811 |
|
6 |
FIESTA BOWL-PRE(S) |
ABC |
11.9 |
21 |
12672 |
6 |
7.3 |
19732 |
|
7 |
CSI-SPCL(S) |
CBS |
11.4 |
18 |
12157 |
8 |
6.6 |
18035 |
|
8 |
ROSE BOWL(S) |
ABC |
11.3 |
20 |
12032 |
7 |
6.7 |
18298 |
|
9 |
FRIENDS |
NBC |
10.0 |
16 |
10641 |
9 |
5.7 |
15472 |
|
10 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
9.9 |
17 |
10586 |
16 |
5.4 |
14675 |
|
11 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
9.7 |
14 |
10343 |
13 |
5.5 |
15006 |
|
11 |
ORANGE BOWL(S) |
ABC |
9.7 |
16 |
10388 |
11 |
5.6 |
15235 |
|
13 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
9.6 |
15 |
10265 |
9 |
5.7 |
15380 |
|
14 |
ROSE BOWL-POST(S) |
ABC |
9.3 |
15 |
9881 |
13 |
5.5 |
14997 |
|
15 |
SUGAR BOWL(S) |
ABC |
9.2 |
15 |
9852 |
11 |
5.6 |
15107 |
|
16 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
8.9 |
15 |
9482 |
17 |
5.0 |
13635 |
|
17 |
NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
ABC |
8.7 |
15 |
9280 |
19 |
4.8 |
13095 |
|
18 |
SIMPSONS |
FOX |
8.5 |
13 |
9017 |
13 |
5.5 |
14995 |
|
19 |
SCRUBS |
NBC |
8.3 |
13 |
8883 |
20 |
4.7 |
12812 |
|
19 |
STILL STANDING |
CBS |
8.3 |
13 |
8822 |
18 |
4.9 |
13261 |
|
21 |
LAW AND ORDER-SL(S) |
NBC |
8.2 |
14 |
8777 |
21 |
4.5 |
12224 |
|
22 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
8.0 |
13 |
8576 |
24 |
4.3 |
11584 |
|
22 |
WILL & GRACE |
NBC |
8.0 |
12 |
8551 |
24 |
4.3 |
11733 |
|
24 |
60 MINUTES II |
CBS |
7.9 |
12 |
8427 |
24 |
4.3 |
11756 |
|
25 |
60 MINUTES |
CBS |
7.8 |
12 |
8310 |
28 |
4.2 |
11530 |
|
25 |
DATELINE FRI |
NBC |
7.8 |
13 |
8271 |
29 |
4.1 |
11089 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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|
TOP 30 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST & CABLE TV |
||||
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
In Millions |
|
1 |
FOX NFC WILDCARD GAME(S)-01/05 |
FOX |
12.0 |
15.47 |
|
2 |
FIESTA BOWL(S)-01/03 |
ABC |
10.7 |
13.80 |
|
3 |
AFC/NFC PLAYOFF GM2(S)-01/04 |
ABC |
10.4 |
13.32 |
|
4 |
FOX NFC WILDCARD POST GME(S)-01/05 |
FOX |
10.0 |
12.92 |
|
5 |
AFC/NFC SHOWCASE 2(S)-01/04 |
ABC |
8.1 |
10.46 |
|
6 |
AFC/NFC PLAYOFF GM1(S)-01/04 |
ABC |
7.8 |
10.02 |
|
7 |
CSI |
CBS |
7.6 |
9.81 |
|
8 |
AFC/NFC POST GUN GM 1(S)-01/04 |
ABC |
7.4 |
9.53 |
|
9 |
FRIENDS |
NBC |
7.2 |
9.29 |
|
10 |
SIMPSONS |
FOX |
7.1 |
9.18 |
|
11 |
AFC/NFC MID POST GAME(S)-01/04 |
ABC |
7.0 |
9.03 |
|
12 |
ROSE BOWL(S)-01/01 |
ABC |
6.4 |
8.23 |
|
13 |
FIESTA BOWL-PRE(S)-01/03 |
ABC |
6.3 |
8.15 |
|
14 |
SCRUBS |
NBC |
6.2 |
7.98 |
|
15 |
SUGAR BOWL(S)-01/01 |
ABC |
5.8 |
7.50 |
|
16 |
WILL & GRACE |
NBC |
5.8 |
7.48 |
|
17 |
KING OF THE HILL |
FOX |
5.7 |
7.26 |
|
18 |
CSI-SPCL(S)-01/02 |
CBS |
5.6 |
7.18 |
|
19 |
ROSE BOWL-POST(S)-01/01 |
ABC |
5.5 |
7.10 |
|
20 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
5.4 |
6.96 |
|
21 |
ORANGE BOWL(S)-01/02 |
ABC |
5.3 |
6.87 |
|
22 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
5.1 |
6.56 |
|
23 |
GOOD MORNING MIAMI |
NBC |
4.9 |
6.34 |
|
24 |
NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
ABC |
4.9 |
6.33 |
|
25 |
MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE |
FOX |
4.9 |
6.30 |
|
26 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
4.8 |
6.21 |
|
27 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
4.8 |
6.18 |
|
28 |
STILL STANDING |
CBS |
4.8 |
6.14 |
|
29 |
E.R. |
NBC |
4.6 |
5.89 |
|
30 |
ALIAS |
ABC |
4.3 |
5.56 |
|
Source: MTV Networks, based on data from Nielsen Media Research |
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CABLE TV |
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|
BASIC CABLE |
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|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
|
(000) |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
NFL REGULAR SEASON L (BUCCANEERS/BEARS) |
ESPN |
5816 |
5.5 |
8328 |
|
2 |
ALAMO BOWL L (COLORADO/WISCONSIN) |
ESPN |
3829 |
3.6 |
5758 |
|
3 |
HOLIDAY BOWL L (KANSAS ST/ARIZONA ST) |
ESPN |
3657 |
3.4 |
5133 |
|
4 |
NFL PRIME TIME L |
ESPN |
3323 |
3.1 |
4784 |
|
5 |
INDEPENDENCE BOWL L (NEBRASKA/MISSISSIPPI) |
ESPN |
3129 |
2.9 |
4193 |
|
6 |
INSIGHT .COM BOWL L (PITTSBURGH/OREGON STATE) |
ESPN |
2983 |
2.8 |
4265 |
|
7 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW ZONE) |
TNN |
2980 |
2.8 |
4879 |
|
8 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2865 |
2.7 |
4188 |
|
9 |
SUNDAY MOVIE III (THE TROPHY WIFES SECRET) |
LIF |
2848 |
2.7 |
3641 |
|
10 |
RUGRATS |
NICK |
2826 |
2.6 |
4029 |
|
11 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2619 |
2.5 |
4243 |
|
12 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2597 |
2.4 |
3712 |
|
13 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW) |
TNN |
2569 |
2.4 |
4353 |
|
14 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2555 |
2.4 |
4178 |
|
15 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
2546 |
2.4 |
3768 |
|
PAY CABLE |
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|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
|
(000) |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
SEX AND THE CITY(S)-12/29 |
HBO |
2615 |
2.5 |
3455 |
|
2 |
SOPRANOS, THE |
HBO |
2558 |
2.4 |
3422 |
|
3 |
SOPRANOS, THE |
HBO |
2354 |
2.2 |
3060 |
|
4 |
SEX AND THE CITY(S)-12/29 |
HBO |
2292 |
2.1 |
3137 |
|
5 |
SOPRANOS, THE |
HBO |
2120 |
2.0 |
2636 |
|
Total U.S. ratings and household projections are based on 106.7
million TV homes. |
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| SYNDICATION Ranked on Households Week Ending Dec. 22 |
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|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
|
|
US Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE |
KIN |
8.9 |
9549 |
|
2 |
SEINFELD (AT) |
SPT |
7.3 |
7831 |
|
2 |
ESPN NFL REGULAR SEASON |
ESP |
7.3 |
7811 |
|
4 |
JEOPARDY |
KIN |
7.2 |
7677 |
|
5 |
FRIENDS-SYN (AT) |
WB |
6.9 |
7382 |
|
6 |
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
6.3 |
6736 |
|
7 |
SEINFELD-WKND (AT) |
SPT |
5.6 |
5952 |
|
8 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT) |
PRM |
5.5 |
5869 |
|
9 |
JUDGE JUDY (AT) |
PRM |
5.3 |
5698 |
|
10 |
ESPN NFL REGULAR SEASON 2 |
ESP |
5.1 |
5394 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION |
||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
NHTI* |
Projection |
|
1 |
VIAS DEL AMOR MON |
UNI |
23.2 |
2262 |
|
2 |
VIAS DEL AMOR THU |
UNI |
23.1 |
2249 |
|
3 |
VIAS DEL AMOR FRI |
UNI |
23.0 |
2242 |
|
4 |
CRISTINA-MON |
UNI |
21.6 |
2097 |
|
5 |
GATA SALVAJE-THU |
UNI |
18.8 |
1833 |
|
6 |
CASOS VIDA R: ED. ESP FRI |
UNI |
18.7 |
|