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summer for ABC
With 'Mole' gone, it has fewest shows in top 30
By Kevin Downey
The outlook for ABC is at long last getting brighter with programming alliances with HBO and USA and the hiring of new executives presumably determined to reverse the Disney-owned network’s dismal ratings.
But, if last week is any indication, things are likely to get worse before they get better.
ABC remained entrenched in a distant last place among the Big Four networks in the adult 18-49 demographic and only had three shows in the week’s top 30 programs. CBS and Fox had eight each, while NBC had 11 shows among the highest-rated.
To make matters worse, ABC lost its highest-rated show last night, when “The Mole 2” wrapped its summer run.
The show ranked No. 16 with a 3.5 rating in the demographic last week, and despite having been yanked off the air midway through its regular-season run, it has proved to be one of very few hits for ABC this summer.
While the network has new shows lined up for the remainder of the summer, like reruns of USA Network’s “Monk” and the four-part “Widows” with Mercedes Ruehl and Brooke Shields, which debuted last night, there’s virtually no hope for the network to recover from its ratings loss.
ABC’s adult 18-49 rating last week was down 15.4 percent from the same week last year, and the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau reports the network’s household rating was down 29 percent in July. That’s nearly three times the average decline for all the broadcast networks.
ABC ended last week with a 2.2 rating in the 18-49 demographic. NBC was No. 1 with a 2.9, Fox had a 2.5 and CBS had a 2.4. UPN had a 1.2 and the WB had a 1 rating.
ABC is not the only network that is hurting.
Fox is flat, CBS and the WB are up slightly, and UPN is down.
NBC’s adult 18-49 rating is down 12 percent in the same time period, despite its growing list of highly rated reality shows and strong Thursday repeats.
NBC is probably taking the loss considerably better than ABC, though, since it dominated the 18-49 demographic during the regular season, which ended in May, and has ranked No. 1 for all but two weeks this summer. Moreover, media buyers almost unanimously peg NBC the winner of this coming season.
That’s the result of a well-received lineup, but it also has something to do with having a larger audience it can use to promote that lineup.
While Fox may be getting the bulk of media attention this summer with “American Idol: The Search for a Superstar,” NBC lays claim to the majority of each week’s top shows.
Last week it had five of the top 10, including “Dog Eat Dog,” which ranked No. 2 in the 18-49 demographic behind “Idol,” and the surprisingly strong premiere for the critically-panned “Rerun Show.”
“Rerun” ranked No. 5 for the week with a 4.7 rating. It improved on “Will & Grace’s” lead-in by two-tenths of a rating point and held up well in head-to-head competition with the second half of CBS’s “CSI,” which averaged a 5.4 in the demo.
Exactly what’s causing NBC’s ratings dip is anyone’s guess, but it probably has something to do with viewers drifting to cable TV.
It might also have something to do with the loss of “Weakest Link,” which was in its prime this time last year. Or it may be that “Spy TV” is now competing directly with Fox’s strong Tuesday lineup.
It’s not helping NBC any that some of its shows are dying, key among them being “She Spies.”
The new drama continues to sputter after a lackluster premiere last month. It tied with Fox’s “X-Files” as the second lowest rated program last week on the major networks, at No. 102 with a 1.1 rating.
Meanwhile, CBS ranked No. 1 among households with a 5.5 rating and a 10 share to NBC’s 5.4/10. ABC had a 4.2/8, Fox had a 3.6/7, UPN had a 1.8/3 and the WB had a 1.6/3.
|
PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK |
|||||||||
|
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
||||||
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
|
CBS |
5.5 |
5780 |
10 |
2.9 |
7910 |
9 |
2.4 |
3030 |
8 |
|
NBC |
5.4 |
5650 |
10 |
2.9 |
7920 |
9 |
2.9 |
3730 |
9 |
|
ABC |
4.2 |
4420 |
8 |
2.3 |
6260 |
7 |
2.2 |
2750 |
7 |
|
FOX |
3.6 |
3820 |
7 |
2.1 |
5770 |
7 |
2.5 |
3230 |
8 |
|
UPN |
1.8 |
1900 |
3 |
1.1 |
2910 |
3 |
1.2 |
1540 |
4 |
|
WB |
1.6 |
1730 |
3 |
0.9 |
2360 |
3 |
1.0 |
1230 |
3 |
|
PAX |
0.8 |
850 |
1 |
0.4 |
1100 |
1 |
0.3 |
340 |
1 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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|
SEASON-TO-DATE* |
|||||||||
|
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
||||||
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
|
NBC |
8.1 |
8520 |
14 |
4.5 |
12260 |
12 |
4.8 |
6060 |
13 |
|
CBS |
7.6 |
7970 |
13 |
4.2 |
11330 |
11 |
3.5 |
4470 |
10 |
|
ABC |
5.8 |
6100 |
10 |
3.3 |
8820 |
9 |
3.2 |
4120 |
9 |
|
FOX |
5.2 |
5530 |
9 |
3.1 |
8430 |
8 |
3.7 |
4690 |
10 |
|
UPN |
2.5 |
2610 |
4 |
1.5 |
3950 |
4 |
1.7 |
2150 |
5 |
|
WB |
2.3 |
2400 |
4 |
1.3 |
3460 |
3 |
1.5 |
1870 |
4 |
|
PAX |
0.9 |
920 |
1 |
0.5 |
1240 |
1 |
0.3 |
400 |
1 |
|
* Regular broadcast season
ended May 22, 2002 |
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|
NETWORK TV |
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|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
||||
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
RANK |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
CSI |
CBS |
10.5 |
18 |
11083 |
1 |
5.8 |
15626 |
|
2 |
48 HOURS-MONDAY |
CBS |
8.6 |
15 |
9117 |
2 |
4.6 |
12294 |
|
3 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
8.5 |
14 |
9003 |
2 |
4.6 |
12322 |
|
3 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
8.5 |
15 |
8982 |
4 |
4.5 |
12149 |
|
5 |
BECKER |
CBS |
7.8 |
13 |
8258 |
7 |
4.2 |
11235 |
|
6 |
DATELINE NBC-TUE |
NBC |
7.6 |
13 |
8054 |
8 |
4.0 |
10845 |
|
7 |
60 MINUTES |
CBS |
7.5 |
15 |
7910 |
8 |
4.0 |
10913 |
|
8 |
AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY |
FOX |
7.1 |
12 |
7524 |
4 |
4.5 |
12202 |
|
9 |
FRIENDS |
NBC |
6.8 |
13 |
7181 |
11 |
3.7 |
10067 |
|
9 |
PRIMETIME THURSDAY |
ABC |
6.8 |
12 |
7211 |
14 |
3.5 |
9547 |
|
11 |
DOG EAT DOG |
NBC |
6.7 |
11 |
7071 |
6 |
4.3 |
11734 |
|
11 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
6.7 |
11 |
7026 |
13 |
3.6 |
9687 |
|
13 |
KING OF QUEENS |
CBS |
6.4 |
12 |
6705 |
14 |
3.5 |
9480 |
|
13 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
6.4 |
12 |
6735 |
20 |
3.3 |
8962 |
|
15 |
BIG BROTHER 3-WED |
CBS |
6.3 |
11 |
6679 |
11 |
3.7 |
9988 |
|
16 |
AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY |
FOX |
6.2 |
10 |
6515 |
10 |
3.8 |
10204 |
|
16 |
WILL & GRACE |
NBC |
6.2 |
11 |
6488 |
18 |
3.4 |
9298 |
|
16 |
YES, DEAR |
CBS |
6.2 |
11 |
6514 |
18 |
3.4 |
9250 |
|
19 |
60 MINUTES II |
CBS |
6.1 |
11 |
6432 |
24 |
3.1 |
8330 |
|
19 |
FEAR FACTOR |
NBC |
6.1 |
11 |
6387 |
14 |
3.5 |
9472 |
|
21 |
20/20-FRI |
ABC |
6.0 |
12 |
6375 |
21 |
3.2 |
8683 |
|
21 |
RERUN SHOW 8/1(S) |
NBC |
6.0 |
10 |
6343 |
14 |
3.5 |
9407 |
|
23 |
SCRUBS TH 8:30 |
NBC |
5.8 |
11 |
6084 |
21 |
3.2 |
8613 |
|
23 |
WEST WING |
NBC |
5.8 |
10 |
6133 |
25 |
3.0 |
8126 |
|
25 |
AGENCY, THE |
CBS |
5.6 |
10 |
5910 |
25 |
3.0 |
8035 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
||||||||
|
CABLE TV |
|||||
|
BASIC CABLE |
|||||
|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
|
(000) |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
PENNSYLVANIA 500 |
TNT |
4275 |
4.1 |
6376 |
|
2 |
AUTOTRADER.COM POST RACE |
TNT |
3899 |
3.7 |
5995 |
|
3 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW ZONE) |
TNN |
3800 |
3.6 |
6114 |
|
4 |
PENN 500 TRACK REPAIR |
TNT |
3762 |
3.6 |
5384 |
|
5 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW) |
TNN |
3501 |
3.3 |
5566 |
|
6 |
PENN 500 RAIN DLY |
TNT |
3430 |
3.3 |
4837 |
|
7 |
MONK |
USA |
3152 |
3.0 |
4869 |
|
8 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
3051 |
2.9 |
4692 |
|
9 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2998 |
2.8 |
4579 |
|
10 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2930 |
2.8 |
4347 |
|
11 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2913 |
2.8 |
4309 |
|
12 |
SUNDAY MOVIE (EVERY WOMANS DREAM) |
LIF |
2860 |
2.7 |
3839 |
|
13 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2853 |
2.7 |
4481 |
|
14 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2793 |
2.6 |
4109 |
|
15 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2707 |
2.6 |
3837 |
|
PAY CABLE |
|||||
|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
(000) |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
SEX AND THE CITY(S)-7/28 |
HBO |
4677 |
4.4 |
6630 |
|
2 |
ARLISS(S)-7/28 |
HBO |
2799 |
2.7 |
3842 |
|
3 |
WIRE, THE |
HBO |
2381 |
2.3 |
3305 |
|
4 |
HBO BAD 7/27/02 |
HBO |
2002 |
1.9 |
2616 |
|
5 |
SIX FEET UNDER |
HBO |
1900 |
1.8 |
2902 |
|
Total U.S.
ratings and household projections are based on 105.5 million TV
homes. |
|||||
|
SYNDICATION |
||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Household |
|
|
US Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE |
KIN |
8.1 |
8533 |
|
2 |
JEOPARDY |
KIN |
6.9 |
7283 |
|
3 |
FRIENDS-SYN (AT) |
WB |
6.1 |
6384 |
|
4 |
SEINFELD (AT) |
CTS |
5.7 |
5976 |
|
5 |
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT) |
KIN |
5.5 |
5775 |
|
6 |
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
5.3 |
5555 |
|
7 |
SEINFELD-WKND (AT) |
CTS |
5.1 |
5403 |
|
8 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT) |
PRM |
5.0 |
5302 |
|
8 |
JUDGE JUDY (AT) |
PRM |
5.0 |
5249 |
|
10 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND |
KIN |
4.6 |
4829 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE
TELEVISION |
||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
NHTI* |
Projection |
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1 |
PRIVILEGIO DE AMAR-THU |
UNI |
25.7 |
2623 |
|
1 |
PRIVILEGIO DE AMAR-MON |
UNI |
25.7 |
2618 |
|
3 |
SALOME TUE |
UNI |
25.5 |
2604 |
|
4 |
PRIVILEGIO DE AMAR-TUE |
UNI |
25.1 |
2564 |
|
5 |
SALOME THU |
UNI |
24.9 |
2537 |
|
6 |
SALOME FRI |
UNI |
24.6 |
2507 |
|
7 |
SALOME WED |
UNI |
24.4 |
2490 |
|
7 |
SALOME MON |
UNI |
24.4 |
2484 |
|
9 |
PRIVILEGIO DE AMAR-WED |
UNI |
24.3 |
2477 |
|
10 |
PRIVILEGIO DE AMAR-FRI |
UNI |
23.7 |
2414 |
|
11 |
CRISTINA-MON |
UNI |
20.3 |
2070 |
|
12 |
JUEGO DE LA VIDA-TUE |
UNI |
18.9 |
1925 |
|
13 |
PICA Y SE EXTIENDE THU |
UNI |
18.7 |
1910 |
|
14 |
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA-WE |
UNI |
18.2 |
1859 |
|
15 |
JUEGO DE LA VIDA-THU |
UNI |
17.8 |
1820 |
|
15 |
JUEGO DE LA VIDA-WED |
UNI |
17.8 |
1817 |
|
15 |
JUEGO DE LA VIDA-FRI |
UNI |
17.8 |
1817 |
|
18 |
JUEGO DE LA VIDA-MON |
UNI |
17.4 |
1771 |
|
19 |
CASOS VIDA R: ED. ESP FRI |
UNI |
16.9 |
1721 |
|
20 |
AQUI Y AHORA-TUE |
UNI |
15.1 |
1542 |
|
* Nielsen
Hispanic Television Index; ratings based on 10.2 million Hispanic TV
homes. |
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|
NETWORK SPORTS |
|||||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Episode |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
||
|
US Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
(000) |
||||
|
1 |
FOX SATURDAY BASEBALL |
FOX |
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES |
3.3 |
10 |
3523 |
4602 |
|
2 |
WWE SMCKDWN! |
UPN |
3.3 |
6 |
3469 |
5204 |
|
|
3 |
JOHN DEERE CLASSIC |
CBS |
1.9 |
5 |
2015 |
2459 |
|
|
4 |
PIKES PEAK 250 |
NBC |
NASCAR: BUSCH SERIES |
1.8 |
5 |
1903 |
2513 |
|
5 |
JOHN DEERE CLASSIC |
CBS |
1.5 |
4 |
1598 |
1891 |
|
|
6 |
CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR |
CBS |
TOUR DE FRANCE |
1.5 |
4 |
1612 |
2160 |
|
7 |
MICHIGAN INDY |
ABC |
1.2 |
3 |
1220 |
1709 |
|
|
8 |
BIG APPLE CLASSIC |
NBC |
1.2 |
3 |
1222 |
1416 |
|
|
9 |
BIG APPLE CLASSIC |
NBC |
1.1 |
3 |
1150 |
1427 |
|
|
10 |
SENIOR BRITISH OPEN- |
ABC |
1.0 |
3 |
1094 |
1290 |
|
|
11 |
NBA |
NBC |
1.0 |
3 |
1086 |
1256 |
|
|
12 |
SENIOR BRITISH OPEN |
ABC |
0.9 |
3 |
964 |
1330 |
|
|
13 |
CBS SPORTS SPECIAL(S) |
CBS |
CLLG FTBL PRVW: QUEST FOR #1 |
0.9 |
3 |
905 |
1072 |
|
14 |
WNBA SPECIAL(S) |
NBC |
0.9 |
3 |
986 |
1170 |
|
|
15 |
WNBA BASKETBALL |
NBC |
HOUSTON AT NEW YORK |
0.9 |
3 |
993 |
1145 |
|
16 |
THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL |
FOX |
0.8 |
3 |
896 |
1002 |
|
|
17 |
TOPSPIN: USTA KIDS SHOW-2(S) |
CBS |
0.5 |
1 |
544 |
536 |
|
|
18 |
WUSA WOMENS SOCCER |
PAX |
SAN DIEGO AT WASHINGTON |
0.2 |
0 |
177 |
232 |
|
19 |
FLEETBOSTON CLSC(S) |
PAX |
0.1 |
0 |
115 |
154 |
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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August 7, 2002© 2002 Media Life
-Kevin Downey is a staff writer for Media Life
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