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Way cool right now: The Amish

TLC's 'Breaking Amish' becomes top new series in net history

By Toni Fitzgerald

November 14, 2012

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TLC’s “Breaking Amish” might just be cable’s newest trendsetter.

It’s become the network’s No. 1 new series ever, impressive from the network where such highly rated shows as “Trading Spaces” and “Jon and Kate Plus 8” have aired.

Already other new shows focused on the Amish are popping up, much like New Jersey-focused programs did at the height of “Jersey Shore’s” popularity.

“Amish” hit a series high with 3.9 million for the special “The Shunning Truth: Part One,” which aired Sunday at 10 p.m. following the first-season finale at 9.

It became the network’s No. 1 show this year in total viewers, adults 18-34 and all adult women demos, according to Nielsen.

It also ranked first in its timeslot on cable in total viewers and second in 18-49s.

The show follows young Amish people as they leave their close-knit communities and pursue their dreams in New York City, all the while encountering outrageously unfamiliar situations.

In concept the program isn’t all that different from “Amish in the City,” a much-criticized UPN reality show from 2004 that followed a group of five Amish teens during rumspringa, when they are allowed to experience modern-day life.

“City” flopped, unable to find a big enough audience to survive on broadcast.

But “Amish” seems well suited to cable, where shows about niche groups often thrive. A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” about a family that runs a duck call fabrication business, and History’s “Pawn Stars,” about the eclectic pawn shop world, are two of the most popular reality programs.

Apparently there’s room for more Amish-focused shows on cable, or at least that’s what Discovery is hoping. Following “Amish’s” success, Discovery Channel will bow a new show next month entitled “Amish Mafia,” about the peacekeepers among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pa.

Of course, a little controversy never hurts a show. Allegations popped up online following “Amish’s” premiere that some of the show’s stars weren’t as naïve as they’d claimed.

One was divorced and another had a child, went the gossip, and some had left their religion well before signing on to the reality show.

TLC said the allegations were false, and viewership for the show has continued to grow since then, jumping by nearly a million since its premiere.

***

In cable ratings for the week ended Nov. 11:

Top five networks in primetime (18-49s): ESPN, TBS, USA, CNN, Fox News Channel.

Top five networks in primetime (total viewers): Fox News Channel, ESPN, USA, Disney Channel, CNN.

Top five cable news networks in primetime (25-54): Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, CNBC.

Top five cable news programs (total viewers): 1 Fox News Channel's "America's Election H.Q." (Tuesday, 9 p.m.); 2. Fox News Channel's "America's Election H.Q." (Tuesday, 10 p.m.); 3. Fox News Channel's "America's Election H.Q." (Tuesday, 8 p.m.); 4. CNN's "Election Night in America" (Tuesday, 11 p.m.); 5 Fox News Channel's "America's Election H.Q." (Tuesday, 11 p.m.)

Top movie (18-49s): No movie during the week was among the top 50 among 18-49s.

Top sporting event (total viewers): ESPN's "Monday Night Football: Philadelphia/New Orleans" (Monday, 8:30 p.m.) 12.86 million.

Shows making the top 10 among 18-34s, 18-49s and 25-54s: ESPN's "NFL Football: Philadelphia/New Orleans" (Monday, 8:30 p.m.); CNN's "Election Night in America" (Tuesday, 8, 9, 10 and 11 p.m.); Fox News Channel's "America's Election H.Q." (Tuesday, 11 p.m.).

Show on the rise: Disney XD's "Crash & Bernstein," Monday, 8:30 p.m. The first-year show hit a series high with 764,00o total viewers, and the network had its best weekly primetime performance ever among its target demos boys 6-14 (188,000), boys 6-11 (141,000) and boys 9-14 (139,000).

Show on the decline: FX's "Sons of Anarchy" Tuesday, 10 p.m. Up against election coverage the drama averaged 2.65 million viewers 25-54, down 14 percent from 3.07 million the previous week.

TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS Ranked on Total Viewers Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	Primetime		Total Day
Rank	Net	(000)	Net	(000)
1	FOXN	3420	NICK	1841
2	ESPN	2979	FOXN	1777
3	USA	2676	DSNY	1558
4	DSNY	2202	ESPN	1285
5	CNN	1887	USA	1244
6	HIST	1856	ADSM*	1197
7	TBSC	1816	TOON	1112
8	MSNB	1752	NAN *	1052
9	TNT	1602	MSNB	1037
10	AMC	1500	CNN	1035
11	DISC	1488	TNT	896
12	ADSM	1424	HIST	885
13	AEN	1397	TBSC	779
14	FX	1265	AEN	768
15	TLC	1241	DISC	673
16	SYFY	1160	AMC	670
17	NAN	1157	HGTV	633
18	HALL	1086	FX	631
19	FAM	1075	HALL	628
20	HGTV	1035	TVLD	587
21	FOOD	935	FOOD	554
22	LIF	888	FAM	549
23	NFLN	804	TLC	538
24	TVLD	791	ID	526
25	TRU	789	LIF	513
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day. Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 25 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE PROGRAMS Ranked on Total Viewers Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	Program	Net	(000)
1	Philadelphia/New Orleans	ESPN	12857
2	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	11792
3	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	11609
4	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	10959
5	Election Night In America	CNN	10788
6	Walking Dead	AMC	10373
7	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	10101
8	Election Night In America	CNN	10043
9	Election Night In America	CNN	9433
10	Election Night In America	CNN	9250
11	Election Night In America	CNN	8439
12	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	8300
13	Election Night In America	CNN	8279
14	Obama Acceptance Speech	CNN	7803
15	Election Night In America	CNN	5864
16	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	5612
17	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	5578
18	MSNBC Election Coverage	MSNB	5536
19	MSNBC Election Coverage	MSNB	5343
20	2012 – Colts vs. Jaguars	NFLN	5194
21	The O'Reilly Factor	FOXN	4989
22	MSNBC Election Coverage	MSNB	4934
23	MSNBC Election Coverage	MSNB	4670
24	MSNBC Election Coverage	MSNB	4521
25	NASCAR Sprint Cup	ESPN	4423
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS Adults 18-34 Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	PRIME TIME		TOTAL DAY
Rank	Net	(000)	Net	(000)
1	ESPN	670	ADSM*	455
2	TBSC	517	ESPN	358
3	AMC	447	NICK	333
4	ADSM	442	NAN *	315
5	USA	442	DSNY	226
6	CNN	432	TBSC	224
7	FX	373	USA	220
8	FAM	317	TOON	215
9	TNT	311	CNN	213
10	TLC	306	CMDY	209
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day. Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS Adults 18-34 Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	PROGRAM	NET	(000)
1	Walking Dead	AMC	4343
2	Election Night In America	CNN	3590
3	Election Night In America	CNN	3132
4	Philadelphia/New Orleans	ESPN	3068
5	Election Night In America	CNN	2989
6	Election Night In America	CNN	2756
7	Election Night In America	CNN	2739
8	Obama Acceptance Speech	CNN	2545
9	Election Night In America	CNN	2284
10	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	1786
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS Adults 18-49 Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	PRIME TIME		TOTAL DAY
Rank	Net	(000)	Net	(000)
1	ESPN	1434	ESPN	676
2	TBSC	983	ADSM*	628
3	USA	922	NICK	509
4	CNN	850	NAN *	475
5	FOXN	816	USA	443
6	AMC	807	CNN	436
7	DISC	744	TBSC	433
8	FX	733	FOXN	391
9	TNT	653	AEN	382
10	AEN	651	DSNY	363
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day. Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS Adults 18-49 Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	PROGRAM	NET	(000)
1	Walking Dead	AMC	7076
2	Philadelphia/New Orleans	ESPN	6452
3	Election Night In America	CNN	6153
4	Election Night In America	CNN	5704
5	Election Night In America	CNN	5315
6	Election Night In America	CNN	4971
7	Election Night In America	CNN	4901
8	Obama Acceptance Speech	CNN	4543
9	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	4269
10	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	4135
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE NETWORKS Adults 25-54 Week Ending Nov. 11
	PRIME TIME		TOTAL DAY
Rank	Net	(000)	Net	(000)
1	ESPN	1493	ESPN	651
2	USA	988	FOXN	495
3	FOXN	985	USA	486
4	TBSC	973	CNN	442
5	CNN	830	TBSC	429
6	DISC	818	NICK	413
7	AMC	772	ADSM*	402
8	HIST	769	AEN	395
9	FX	718	HIST	391
10	AEN	700	TNT	391
* Network broadcasts less than 51% of minutes in a 24-hour day. Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data

TOP 10 AD-SUPPORTED CABLE SHOWS Adults 25-54 Week Ending Nov. 11
Rank	PROGRAM	NET	(000)
1	Philadelphia/New Orleans	ESPN	6820
2	Walking Dead	AMC	5925
3	Election Night In America	CNN	5313
4	Election Night In America	CNN	5195
5	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	4765
6	Election Night In America	CNN	4710
7	Election Night In America	CNN	4648
8	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	4519
9	America's Election H.Q.	FOXN	4356
10	Election Night In America	CNN	4315
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen data