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Broadcast recap

Yes, a brighter summer for broadcast

Thanks to games, Big Four are up 13 percent, to a 6.8 in 18-49s

By Toni Fitzgerald

August 29, 2012

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It's been a bummer of a summer for new shows on the Big Four, and ratings for returning ones are down too.

But thanks to the Olympics, overall broadcast ratings are up for the second time in the past three summers.

The Big Four networks have averaged a 6.8 adults 18-49 rating this summer, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Turner Networks, 13 percent better than last summer.

That's the biggest year-to-year jump since at least 2003, as far back as the Turner data goes.

The 6.8 rating was also the best for broadcast since 2008, the year of the previous Summer Games.

It's clear that the Olympics is exclusively responsible for the bump. Every network except NBC has fallen this summer.

Fox, in second place with a 1.6 rating, is off 6 percent. ABC, in third place with a 1.5, has fallen 12 percent. And CBS, in fourth place with a 1.1, has dipped 21 percent, the biggest decline of all.

NBC, which drew record ratings for the Games earlier this month, is leading this summer with a 3.1 rating, up 82 percent over last year.

But if the Olympics are removed from NBC's average, the network would be down 12 percent, to 1.5.

The reason for the non-sports declines is clear. Nearly every show on broadcast, including NBC's "America's Got Talent," ABC's "Bachelor Pad" and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" have seen ratings declines versus last year.

And only one new show, Fox's "Hotel Hell," looks like it will get a second season. Most others, including ABC's "The Glass House," NBC's "Stars Earn Stripes" and CBS's "Dogs in the City," have flopped.

Broadcast's sports-fueled gains have clearly taken a bite out of cable. Ad-supported cable still has a huge ratings advantage over broadcast, but it's down 5 percent this summer, to a 17.5 rating.

It's the second time in the past three years that cable's summer rating has dipped.

***

Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended Aug. 26:

Among adults 18-49, CBS and NBC tied for first for the week with a 1.5 average rating and a 5 share apiece, followed by Fox at 1.4/4, Univision at 1.2/4, ABC at 1.1/3, Telemundo at 0.5/2, ION, Telefutura and CW at 0.3/1, and Azteca and Estrella at 0.1/0.

Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. NBC's "NFL Preseason" 3.3; Tie-2. CBS's "Big Brother" and Fox's "Hell's Kitchen-Monday" 2.6; 3. NBC's "America's Got Talent-Tuesday" 2.5; 5. Fox's "MasterChef-Tuesday" 2.4.

Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC's "America's Got Talent-Tuesday" 9.9 million; 2. NBC's "NFL Preseason" 9.81 million; 3. CBS's "60 Minutes" 8.58 million; 4. CBS's "NCIS" 8.09 million; 5. NBC's "America's Got Talent-Wednesday" 8.6 million

Show on the rise: CBS's "Big Brother," Sunday, 8 p.m. The show matched its season high on any night with a 2.6 in 18-49s.

Show on the decline: CW's "America's Next Top Model," Friday, 8 p.m. The show's 19th season premiere was expected to decline, airing during the summer and on Friday night no less, but the numbers were still rough. The show averaged a series-low 0.4 adults 18-49 rating and a mere 1.09 million total viewers.

Note: Hispanic and African-American ratings charts will return next week.

WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK Ranked on Households Week Ending Aug. 26
Network	Households			People 2+			Adults 18-49
Network	Rtg%	(000)	Shr	Rtg%	(000)	Shr	Rtg%	(000)	Shr
CBS	3.8	4350	7	2.0	5840	6	1.5	1860	5
NBC	3.3	3760	6	1.8	5130	5	1.5	1860	5
ABC	2.7	3060	5	1.4	4090	4	1.1	1410	3
FOX	2.3	2660	4	1.3	3790	4	1.4	1810	4
UNI	1.7	1990	3	1.1	3180	3	1.2	1520	4
ION	0.7	820	1	0.4	1050	1	0.3	340	1
TEL	0.7	750	1	0.4	1180	1	0.5	650	2
CW	0.5	560	1	0.3	740	1	0.3	360	1
TF	0.3	370	1	0.2	610	1	0.3	330	1
ETV	0.1	110	0	0.1	160	0	0.1	70	0
AZA	0.1	70	0	0.0	110	0	0.1	60	0
*Each rating point is equivalent to 1 percent or 1. 147 million homes Note: Viewing estimates include same day (3 a.m.-3 a.m.) DVR playback. Source: Nielsen

SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK Ranked on Households Week Ending Aug. 26
Network	Households			People 2+			Adults 18-49
Network	Rtg%	(000)	Shr	Rtg%	(000)	Shr	Rtg%	(000)	Shr
CBS	6.3	7280	11	3.5	10040	9	2.5	3170	7
NBC	4.9	5650	8	2.8	8090	7	2.6	3350	8
ABC	4.8	5500	8	2.6	7460	7	2.2	2790	6
FOX	4.6	5260	8	2.6	7650	7	2.8	3520	8
UNI	1.9	2150	3	1.2	3610	3	1.4	1840	4
CW	1.0	1110	2	0.5	1440	1	0.6	800	2
ION	0.7	830	1	0.4	1070	1	0.3	390	1
TEL	0.7	780	1	0.4	1230	1	0.5	660	1
TF	0.3	360	1	0.2	590	1	0.3	340	1
ETV	0.1	130	0	0.1	210	0	0.1	100	0
AZA	0.1	100	0	0.1	150	0	0.1	80	0
*Each rating point is equivalent to one percent or 1. 147 million homes Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average and Live+7 data, except for the most recent two weeks which are based Live+SD viewing. Source: Nielsen

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST Ranked on Households Week Ending Aug. 26
#	PROGRAMS	Net	HOUSEHOLDS			PERSONS 2+
#	PROGRAMS	Net	Rtg%	Shr	(000)	#	Rtg%	(000)
1	NBC NFL PRE-SEASON GM8/26(S)	NBC	6.2	10	7117	1	3.4	9819
2	AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE	NBC	6.0	10	6912	1	3.4	9903
3	60 MINUTES	CBS	5.7	10	6482	3	3.0	8583
4	NCIS	CBS	5.4	9	6212	5	2.8	8094
5	AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED	NBC	5.2	8	5988	3	3.0	8602
6	BIG BANG THEORY, THE	CBS	4.8	9	5562	6	2.6	7444
6	NCIS: LOS ANGELES	CBS	4.8	8	5497	7	2.5	7145
8	BIG BROTHER 14-SUN	CBS	4.5	7	5122	7	2.5	7367
9	MENTALIST, THE – TUE	CBS	4.2	7	4819	9	2.2	6292
10	20/20-FRI	ABC	3.9	7	4456	14	2.0	5934
10	BIG BROTHER 14-THU	CBS	3.9	6	4492	9	2.2	6278
10	TWO AND A HALF MEN – THU	CBS	3.9	7	4459	12	2.1	5950
13	CRIMINAL MINDS	CBS	3.8	6	4310	14	2.0	5769
13	CSI	CBS	3.8	7	4332	18	1.9	5610
15	BIG BROTHER 14-WED	CBS	3.7	6	4228	14	2.0	5860
15	MENTALIST, THE – SUN	CBS	3.7	6	4197	18	1.9	5574
15	NASCAR SERIES AT BRISTOL(S)	ABC	3.7	7	4226	14	2.0	5905
18	HAWAII FIVE-0	CBS	3.6	6	4125	21	1.8	5087
18	ROCK CENTER-B. WILLIAMS	NBC	3.6	6	4124	21	1.8	5179
20	2 BROKE GIRLS 9PM	CBS	3.5	5	4030	18	1.9	5471
20	HELL'S KITCHEN-MON	FOX	3.5	6	4056	9	2.2	6234
20	MASTERCHEF-TUE	FOX	3.5	6	4056	12	2.1	5990
20	PERSON OF INTEREST	CBS	3.5	6	4015	21	1.8	5268
24	MIKE & MOLLY	CBS	3.4	5	3933	21	1.8	5331
25	20/20-FRIDAY	ABC	3.3	6	3782	30	1.7	4926
25	AMERICA GOT TALENT-WED 8P	NBC	3.3	6	3807	21	1.8	5240
25	NFL PRE-SEASON(S)	CBS	3.3	6	3769	21	1.8	5153
Source: Nielsen

TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST Adults 18-49 Week Ending Aug. 26
Rank	Program	Net	Rtg%	(000)
1	NBC NFL PRE-SEASON GM8/26(S)	NBC	3.3	4184
2	BIG BROTHER 14-SUN	CBS	2.6	3376
2	HELL'S KITCHEN-MON	FOX	2.6	3315
4	AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-TUE	NBC	2.5	3241
5	MASTERCHEF-TUE	FOX	2.4	3099
6	AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED	NBC	2.3	2901
6	BIG BROTHER 14-THU	CBS	2.3	2897
8	BIG BROTHER 14-WED	CBS	2.1	2652
9	BIG BANG THEORY, THE	CBS	2.0	2616
9	FAMILY GUY	FOX	2.0	2511
9	HOTEL HELL	FOX	2.0	2522
12	FAMILY GUY-SUN 9:30P	FOX	1.9	2382
13	SIMPSONS-SUN 8:30P	FOX	1.8	2314
14	2 BROKE GIRLS 9PM	CBS	1.7	2115
14	ABISMO DE PASION THU	UNI	1.7	2114
14	GRIMM	NBC	1.7	2126
14	SIMPSONS	FOX	1.7	2158
14	TWO AND A HALF MEN – THU	CBS	1.7	2152
19	ABISMO DE PASION TUE	UNI	1.6	2084
19	ABISMO DE PASION WED	UNI	1.6	2034
19	NFL PRE-SEASON FTBLL(S)	CBS	1.6	2092
22	2 BROKE GIRLS	CBS	1.5	1883
22	MIKE & MOLLY	CBS	1.5	1898
22	NASCAR SERIES AT BRISTOL(S)	ABC	1.5	1898
22	NFL PRE-SEASON(S)	CBS	1.5	1971
22	POR ELLA SOY EVA THU	UNI	1.5	1932
22	POR ELLA SOY EVA TUE	UNI	1.5	1898
22	SO YOU THINK CN DANCE	FOX	1.5	1884
22	WIPEOUT-THURS	ABC	1.5	1858
Source: Nielsen