Mixed Holiday Weekend Leadership

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, April 13, 2009 Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Life Before Aunt Bee___________________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Friday 4/10/09Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr CBS 6.0/11ABC 3.5/ 6NBC 2.8/ 5Fox 2.2/ 4CW 1.0/ 2 -Total Viewers:CBS: 9.89 million, ABC: 5.30, NBC: 4.32, Fox: 3.56, CW: 1.33 -Adults 18-49: CBS: 2.2 rating/7 share, ABC: 1.7/ 6, Fox: 1.3/ 5, NBC: 1.2/ 4, CW: 0.6/ 2 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Numb3rs (CBS) -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Howie Do It (NBC), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox), Friday Night Lights (NBC), Dollhouse (Fox), Dateline (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:It was another clean (albeit non-spectacular) Friday sweep for CBS, with a first place-finish in every hour in total viewers and adults 18-49 care of its combination of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: 10.23 million; A18-49: 2.5 rating/9 share), Flashpoint (Viewers: 9.72 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 6) and Numb3rs (Viewers: 9.72 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7). While Flashpoint fits well out of Ghost Whisperer in total viewers, CBS could still potentially put the Friday 9 p.m. hour to better use next season. As it stands, Flashpoint dipped by 24 percent among adults 18-49 last night. ABC finished a distant second in both categories in the three individual hours care of a repeat of Wife Swap (Viewers: 4.64 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 5), Supernanny (Viewers: 5.36 million; A18-49: 1.8/ 6), which deserves positive mention for building by 29 percent among adults 18-49, and veteran 20/20 (Viewers: 5.89 million; A18-49: 1.9/ 6). A better option for ABC might be to anchor the evening with Supernanny. Over at Fox, the season (or series) finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles did not impress, with just 3.56 million viewers (#4) and a third-place 1.3/ 5 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. Needless to say, there is no reason to think Sarah Connor will be back next season. Next up at 8 p.m. on Fox: the return of Prison Break, which will be repeated at 8 p.m. on April 17, followed by the first of its five remaining original episodes. Dollhouse, which will be pre-empted next Friday, will return on April 24. Speaking of Dollhouse, the cancellation clock continues to click, with a mere 3.56 million viewers (#4 and tied with lead-in Sarah Connor) and a 1.4/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 9 p.m. Sorry Dollhouse fans…the future just does not look good. NBC finished third overall in total viewers and fourth among adults 18-49 with its combination of two original half-hours of Howie Do It (Viewers: #3, avg. 3.86 million; A18-49: #4, avg. 1.1/ 4 from 8-9 p.m.), the season-finale of low-rated Friday Night Lights (Viewers: #3, 4.36 million; A18-49: #4, 1.3/ 4) and Dateline (Viewers: #3, 4.76 million; A18-49: #3, 1.1/ 4), which will air from 9-11 p.m. beginning next Friday. As for Friday Night Lights, don’t forget that NBC is keeping the quality drama alive for at least two more seasons (26 episodes in total) by continuing its partnership with DirecTV. Last, and very least in every half hour, was the CW’s encore line-up of Everybody Hates Chris (Viewers: 1.47 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2), The Game (Viewers: 1.38 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2) and America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: 1.23 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2). Chances are there will be no comedies on the CW’s line-up next season. One of these days someone needs to tell the CW that Top Model just does not play well in non-originals. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Saturday 4/11/09Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr ABC 4.2/ 8CBS 3.3/ 6Fox 3.0/ 6NBC 2.5/ 5 -Total Viewers:ABC: 6.80 million, CBS: 4.73, Fox: 4.63, NBC: 3.89 -Adults 18-49: ABC: 1.7 rating/6 share, Fox: 1.5/ 5, CBS and NBC: 0.9/ 3 each ---------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Saturday’s Winners:Nothing -Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):48 Hours Mystery (CBS) and the night overall. Sadly, only 27 percent of the schedule was original telecasts. ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:ABC led this typically lackluster Saturday with a repeat of annual holiday classic The 10 Commandments at 6.81 million viewers and a 1.7 rating/6 share among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. That’s right…the top-rated network did not even average 7-million viewers. Ouch! CBS finished in the distant No. 2 spot in total viewers and third overall among adults 18-49 (tied with NBC in the demo) with is combination of a repeat of CSI: Miami (Viewers: #3, 4.03 million; A18-49: #3, 0.7/ 3), a repeat of Without a Trace (Viewers: #3, 5.10 million; A18-49: #3t, 0.9/ 3) and 48 Hours Mystery (Viewers: #3, 5.06 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.2/ 4). While I am the first to give 48 Hours Mystery credit where credit is due, last night was a losing performance. Fox was just the opposite of CBS -- third in total viewers and second among adults 18-49 -- with is perennial (and diluted) combination of Cops (Viewers: #2, avg. 4.36 million; A18-49: #1, avg. 1.4/ 5) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #3, 4.90 million; A18-49: #2, 1.5/ 5). Sad, isn’t it, when a show finishes first in the time period with just a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49? It was not that long ago when Cops and America’s Most Wanted always reached a 2-rating in the demo. NBC capped off this deadly dull evening with repeats of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #4, 2.90 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2), Southland (Viewers: #4, 3.58 million; A18-49: #3t, 0.9/ 3) and Law & Order (Viewers: #2, 5.19 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.2/ 4). Remember the days when you could not run a crime drama in the 8-9 p.m. hour? When did the rules change? Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Sunday 4/12/09 HH Rtg/Shr CBS 7.7/13NBC 5.0/ 9ABC 4.6/ 8Fox 2.6/ 5CW 0.7/ 1 ---------- -Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Sunday, April 13, 2008):NBC: +28, CBS: + 4, Fox: -19, ABC: -28, CW: -36 ---------- Note: The fast affiliate results for Sunday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Sunday, April 12, 2009. ---------- Also Note: With the start times for CBS approximate, I will reserve labeling any show a “winner” or “loser” until the fast affiliate results are available. ---------- -Ratings Breakdown: CBS led the overnight troops, besting second-place NBC by a hefty 54 percent. But all results for CBS are estimated due to the Masters Golf Tournament bleeding into prime-time by about 45-minutes. With that in mind, here is CBS’ metered market performance by half-hour: CBS/Sunday 7:00 p.m. The Masters: 11.1 rating/23 share (#1) 7:30 p.m. The Masters/60 Minutes: 8.1/16 (#1) 8:00p.m. 60 Minutes: 8.9/16 (#1) 8:30 p.m. 60 Minutes/The Amazing Race: 7.0/12 (#1) 9:00 p.m. The Amazing Race: 6.6/11 (#1) 9:30 p.m. The Amazing Race/Cold Case: 6.4/10 (#2)10:00 p.m. Cold Case: 7.2/12 (#1)10:30 p.m. Cold Case/The Unit: 6.6/11 (#1) Next was NBC with its combination of a two-hour edition of Dateline (4.5/ 8 from 7-9 p.m.), which built in every half hour, and guilty pleasure Celebrity Apprentice (5.5/ 9 from 9-11 p.m.), which also grew as the night progressed. Take a look at the half-hour breakdowns: Dateline (NBC) 7:00 p.m. 3.6/ 7 (#2) 7:30 p.m. 3.9/ 7 (#3) 8:00 p.m. 4.7/ 8 (#2) 8:30 p.m. 5.8/10 (#2) Celebrity Apprentice (NBC) 9:00 p.m. 4.8/ 8 (#3) 9:30 p.m. 5.2/ 8 (#3)10:00 p.m. 5.9/10 (#2)10:30 p.m. 6.1/11 (#2) Wasn’t that a hoot on Celebrity Apprentice last night when Mama Joan Rivers had a hissy fit after spoiled brat daughter Melissa had to defend herself in the boardroom? Who says comedy is dead? Third overall for the evening in the overnights was ABC care of its line-up of America’s Funniest Home Videos (#3: 3.7/ 7), a two-hour edition of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (5.7/10 from 8-10 p.m.), which built in every half hour, and a repeat of Desperate Housewives (#3: 3.1/ 5), which will be back with an original installment next Sunday. Here is the half-hour breakdown for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)8:00 p.m. 4.6/ 8 (#3)8:30 p.m. 5.2/ 9 (#3)9:00 p.m. 6.1/10 (#2)9:30 p.m. 7.0/11 (#1) The real strength of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, of course, falls within the young adult demos. Fox, meanwhile, aired a night of all repeats, which resulted in a distant fourth-place finish as follows: Fox/Sunday7:00 p.m. American Dad (R): 1.4/ 3 (#4)7:30 p.m. King of the Hill (R): 1.9/ 4 (#4)8:00 p.m. The Simpsons (R): 3.0/ 5 (#4)8:30 p.m. King of the Hill (R): 2.8/ 5 (#4)9:00 p.m. Family Guy (R): 3.6/ 6 (#4)9:30 p.m. American Dad (R): 3.1/ 5 (#4) Last, and very least, was the CW’s line-up of a repeat of Jericho (#5: 0.4/ 1) and repeat theatrical 3 Strikes (0.9/ 2 from 8-10 p.m.). Is this an embarrassment or what? Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not -Final Thursday Nationals:Three series premiered on this second Thursday in April -- Parks and Recreation and Southland on NBC and murder mystery Harper’s Island on CBS. Led by CSI (which remains a top 10 occupant despite the absence of William Petersen), CBS was the most-watched network, with 4.49 million more viewers than second-place Fox (ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice were in repeats). But NBC tied CBS for first among adults 18-49, each with a 3.3 rating/10 share in the demo. Take a look at the overall results for Thursday April 9, followed by the three individual series launches: Total Viewers:CBS: 12.76 million, Fox: 8.27, NBC: 8.12, ABC: 4.68, CW: 2.01 Adults 18-49:CBS and NBC: 3.3 rating/10 share each, Fox: 2.9/ 8, ABC: 1.4/ 4, CW: 0.7/ 2 ---------- Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Thursday 8:30 p.m. (premiere)Viewers: 6.88 million (#3 in time period), A18-49: 3.0/ 9 (#2) The retention out of an 8 p.m. installment of The Office (94 percent in total viewers; 88 percent among adults 18-49) was good. But this week fading My Name is Earl will lead off Thursday for NBC. And that, of course, should result in steep losses for Parks and Recreation. ---------- Harper’s Island (CBS) – Thursday 10 p.m. (premiere)Viewers: 10.21 million (#1), A18-49: 2.6/ 8 (#2) Yes, this was the most-watched show at 10 p.m. But the retention for Harper’s Island out of lead-in CSI (61 percent in total viewers; 68 percent among adults 18-49) was nothing to rejoice about. Comparably, this is on par with recent on-the-fence occupant Eleventh Hour. ---------- Southland (NBC) – Thursday 10 p.m. (premiere)Viewers: 9.86 million (#1), A18-49: 3.2/ 9 (#1) Competing Harper’s Island may have won the hour in total viewers, but Southland is a better performance because of the growth out of lead-in 30 Rock -- 3.05 million viewers and three percent among adults 18-49. Source: Nielsen Media Research data ________________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 4/13/09 ABC: 8:00 p.m. Dancing With the Stars (90-minutes) 9:30 p.m. Surviving Suburbia 10:00 p.m. Castle CBS: 8:00 p.m. The Big Bang Theory 8:30 p.m. How I Met Your Mother 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men 9:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami NBC: 8:00 p.m. Chuck 9:00 p.m. Heroes 10:00 p.m. Medium Fox: 8:00 p.m. House 9:00 p.m. 24 CW: 8:00 p.m. Gossip Girl (R) 9:00 p.m. One Tree Hill (R) MNTV 8:00 p.m. Masters of Illusions (R) 9:00 p.m. Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed (R) ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -That’s a Wrap:As expected, TNT has officially canceled freshman drama Trust Me, which aired its 13th – and final – episode last Tuesday. -Wanna Feel Old?”Frank Bank, who played Clarence “Lumpy” Rutherford on classic sitcom Leave it to Beaver turned 67 yesterday. __________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Life Before Aunt Bee What was the name of the housekeeper who took care of Andy and Opie before Aunt Bee arrived on The Andy Griffith Show? BettyCelia Lucille MatildaRose The answer to Friday’s question… What was the secret Pat was hiding when Amy’s parents visited for Easter on Everybody Loves Raymond? she was not a virgin when she got marriedshe has a gambling problem she smokesshe has a jobAmy was adopted Is: c) she smokes. That’s right, Georgia Engel as Pat MacDougal had a nicotine addiction! -Current kudos goes to:Gerry Bixenspan, Randy Blake, Mark Braff, Lillian Buchman, Larry Collins, Harold Cooper, Audrey Davis, Arleen Fong, Mark Cosenza, James Davison, Ric Dittrick, John Ferlazzo, Karen Gardner, Maureen Goldman, Geoffrey Gordon, Jackie Hague, Michelle Harrington, Heidi Hoffmeister, Bob Ingersoll, Cara Jacobs, Marie LeFevre Karp, Synda Kollman, Claudia Martin, Becky McIntyre, Christina Monaghan, Kimberley Orti, Dave Pasquantonio, Alex Petrilli, Jr., Greg Phelan, Robyn Brown-Postell, Jim Romanovich, Paul Rule, Neal Sabin, Ron Salmon, Jan Stewart, Ivan Tafur, Ronnie Tallant, Trenna Underhill, Evan Weinstein, Jeanne Yonkers

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Mixed Holiday Weekend Leadership

Marc Berman

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