NBC to Unveil 2009-10 Plans This Afternoon

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, May 4, 2009 Prime-Time Ratings:Friday Fast Affiliate Results Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:A Dramatic Lady ___________________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Friday Fast Affiliate Results Friday 5/01/09Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr CBS 6.1/11ABC 3.5/ 6NBC 3.3/ 6Fox 2.0/ 4CW 1.0/ 2 -Total Viewers:CBS: 9.63 million, ABC: 5.00, NBC; 4.93, Fox: 3.14, CW: 1.54 -Adults 18-49: CBS: 2.2 rating/7 share, ABC: 1.6/ 5, NBC: 1.3/ 4, Fox: 1.0/ 4. CW: 0.7/ 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), Flashpoint (CBS), Numb3rs (CBS) -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Wife Swap (ABC), Howie Do It (NBC), Prison Break (Fox), Everybody Hates Chris (CW), The Game (CW), Dollhouse (Fox), Dateline (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:It was a clean sweep for CBS with its combination of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: 9.67 million; A18-49: 2.3 rating/9 share), Flashpoint (Viewers: 9.57 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 7) and Numb3rs (Viewers: 9.46 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 7). Needless to say, the compatibility is flawless and all three are “winners” on this increasingly HUT challenged evening. As for the recent rumor of Ghost Whisperer moving to ABC next season, I would not count on that happening. ABC finished in the distant No. 2 spot overall in both total viewers and adults 18-49 with its line-up of Wife Swap (Viewers: #2, 4.19 million; A18-49: #4, 1.4/ 5), Supernanny (Viewers: #3, 4.61 million; A18-49: #2, 1.6/ 5) and veteran 20/20, which finished neck-and-neck with the second half of NBC’s competing Dateline. Take a look: Friday 10 p.m.20/20 (ABC)Viewers: 6.20 million (#2), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#2) Dateline (NBC)Viewers: 6.19 million (#3), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#3) Earlier in the evening on NBC were two repeats (original and repeat) of Howie Do It (8:00 p.m. – Viewers: #3, 3.27 million; A18-49: #3t, 0.9/ 3 -- 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: #4, 2.75 million; A18-49: #4, 0.8/ 3) and the first half of another two-hour edition of Dateline (Viewers: #2, 5.28 million; A18-49: #3, 1.3/ 4). Overall, Dateline averaged 5.74 million viewers and a 1.4/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. As for Howie Do It, the promoted 8 p.m. season -finale will, no doubt, really be the series-finale. Low-rated Fox finished fourth in both total viewers and adults 18-49 with its pairing of soon-to-conclude Prison Break (Viewers: #4, 3.20 million; A18-49: #3, 1.0/ 4) and Dollhouse (Viewers: #4, 3.09 million; A18-49: #4, 1.1/ 4), which is just waiting for the axe to swing. With the axe in mind comes the CW’s struggling combination of Everybody Hates Chris (Viewers: 1.73 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 3), The Game (Viewers: 1.86 million; A18-49: 0.8/ 3) and a repeat of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: 1.29 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2), which finished last in every half hour. It’s back to square one for the CW on Friday next season. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Note: Rating results for Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 were not available at press time. As for NBC’s addictive Celebrity Apprentice, it’s Joan Rivers versus Annie Duke! Returning for the three-hour season finale on May 10: Clint Black, Dennis Rodman, Brande Roderick, Herschel Walker, Tom Green, and tantrum throwing Melissa Rivers Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not -Respectable Private Practice Season-Ender:Season two of ABC’s already renewed Private Practice concluded on Thursday, April 30 with 9.70 million viewers and a 3.5 rating/10 share among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. Comparably, that ranked first in the hour in the demo and second in total viewers (behind a repeat of CBS’ Criminal Minds), with retention out of lead-in Grey’s Anatomy (Viewers: 14.12 million; A18-49: 5.1/13 at 9 p.m.) of 69 percent in both categories. Third in the time period was NBC’s just renewed Southland at a series-low 6.68 million viewers and a 2.0/ 6 in the demo. -Speaking of Thursday:Here are the final national rating results for Thursday, April 30: Total Viewers:CBS: 12.56 million, ABC: 10.23, Fox: 7.89, NBC: 6.16, CW: 3.09 Adults 18-49:ABC: 3.6 rating/10 share, CBS: 3.2/ 9, NBC and Fox: 2.5/ 7 each, CW: 1.3/ 4 Source: Nielsen Media Research data ________________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday May 4, 2009Night 12 of the May 2009 Sweeps ABC: 8:00 p.m. Dancing With the Stars (two hours) 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. Deal or No Deal (return) 9:00 p.m. Medium (part one)10:00 p.m. Medium (part two) Fox: 8:00 p.m. House 9:00 p.m. 24 CW: 8:00 p.m. Gossip Girl 9:00 p.m. One Tree Hill MNTV 8:00 p.m. Masters of Illusions 9:00 p.m. Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -NBC Fall 2009 Sneak Peak:NBC, which will unveil its prime-time plans for 2009-10 to the press and a group of advertisers in New York this afternoon, is expected to launch six or more new series despite the arrival of Jay Leno weeknights at 10 p.m. Recently introduced Parks and Recreation and Southland will be returning, with Southland confirmed for 13 new episodes. Veteran Medium will get a reprieve, and on-the-fence Chuck is also expected back. Weekend Update, the satirical news segment on Saturday Night Live, will be spun-off into a series of half-hour prime-time specials. And Parenthood, a continuation of the 1989 Ron Howard theatrical, will be reborn with Peter Krause, Maura Tierney and former Coach star Craig T. Nelson leading the cast. A 1990 version of Parenthood with Ed Begley. Jr. came and quickly went after just three months More news on NBC tomorrow. -Jenny McCarthy Wants to Talk:Former Playboy model, sitcom star and best selling author Jenny McCarthy has signed a multi-year deal with Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions to develop different projects, including a potential syndicated daytime talk show. The first joint effort is a blog written by McCarthy that was launched on Oprah.com on Friday. -How is This for Optimism?:Upcoming Family Guy spin-off The Cleveland Show, which focuses on the Cleveland Brown character, has been renewed for a second season before even debuting. Initially slated for midseason, The Cleveland Show was pushed back to next fall with an order for 13 initial episodes. The unexpected pick-up brings it to 35 episodes. -More Wizards of Waverly Place:Disney Channel has renewed sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place for a third season, with an unspecified number of new episodes for 2009-10. Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie, in addition, will premiere on the cable network in August. _______________________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:A Dramatic Lady Four of the following five series were comedies. Which one wasn’t? DianaFayHazelJulieShirley The answer to Friday’s question… What city did 2001-04 legal drama The Guardian take place? AlbuquerqueAtlanta BostonPittsburghSan Francisco Is: d) Pittsburgh. The Guardian (with The Mentalist star Simon Baker) was one of those shows that was still doing well, but skewed too old. So, CBS prematurely dropped it. -Current kudos goes to:Gerry Bixenspan, Andrew Brandner, Larry Collins, Tom Condosta, Lori Cuyler, Sue Doron, Connie Falcone, Arleen Fong, Adam Giagni, Martha Gonzalez, Sherrie Henstchel, Bob Ingersoll, Synda Kollman, Debbie Mirr, Beverly Morris, Tony Naldrett, Frank Nicotero, Greg Phelan, Gordon Purcell, Bob Rall, David Shearer, Arlyn Sinsay, Daniel Wiggins, Joel Wolk, Ged Young, Ted Zawislak

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NBC to Unveil 2009-10 Plans This Afternoon

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