TNT Drives the Lane With NBA Playoff Coverage

As the earth heaves itself headlong into May, TNT last week made its annual leap into the cable catbird seat. Set aloft by its NBA Playoffs coverage, the Turner net averaged 3.3 million total viewers in prime, marking its first weekly ratings win of 2010.Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day ratings data for the week ended May 2, TNT swept the three key demos, averaging 1.73 million viewers 18-49, 1.67 million adults 25-54 and 896,000 viewers 18-34.Game One of the Eastern Conference Semis battle between LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics drew 5.71 million viewers Saturday, May 1, of which 2.91 million were adults 25-54 and 2.87 million were members of the 18-49 demo. In what would prove to be the most-watched program on cable last week, the Cavs drew first blood with a 101-93 victory on their home court.TNT also got a boost from Game Five of the opening round tussle between the OKC Thunder and defending champs LA Lakers. Led by Pau Gasol’s 25 points, the Lakers blew out the visiting Thunder 111-87, in a game that was watched by a national TV audience of 4.69 million viewers. TNT on April 27 served up the week’s biggest cache of viewers 18-49, averaging 2.92 million members of the core demo.All told, the NBA on TNT accounted for three of the week’s most watched programs on ad-supported cable, including the April 27 Bulls-Cavs clincher that sent Cleveland to the Semis. As the lead-in to the Thunder-Lakers blowout, the 96-94 squeaker drew 4.24 million viewers.On the week, TNT’s pro hoops coverage notched eight of the week’s top 20 biggest deliveries among viewers 18-49.USA Network dropped to second place on the week, averaging 3.13 million total viewers, including 1.25 million adults 25-54 and 1.15 million viewers 18-49. A special three-hour installment of WWE Raw delivered 4.63 million viewers on Monday night between 8 p.m. and 11:03 p.m., making it the week’s fifth most-watched program on ad-supported cable. Subtract the additional hour of content and the wrestling showcase delivered 4.99 million viewers from 9 p.m. on.Also putting up solid numbers were USA’s roster of NCIS repeats and a new episode of the original drama series In Plain Sight. The latter drew 3.27 million viewers in its Wednesday 10 p.m. slot.Bolstered by a strong showing from iCarly, Nick at Nite moved up two spaces to take third on the week, averaging 1.92 million viewers. The 30-minute iCarly drew 4.87 million viewers Saturday night at 8 p.m., of which more than half (2.51 million) were kids 2-11. A lead-in episode of iCarly served up 3.93 million viewers at 7:30 p.m.Pawn Stars helped History retain its spot at No. 4, as the series averaged 4.33 million viewer Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. The unscripted series set the table for the second two-hour installment of America: The History of Us, which drew 3.88 million viewers. The doc/reenactment special dropped 32 percent from its premiere delivery of 5.67 million viewers, and its target demo saw a proportionate decline (1.82 million adults 25-54, versus last week’s 2.68 million). Viewers 18-49 dropped off by 35 percent, as History averaged 1.69 million members of the demo, down from the premiere week’s delivery of 2.58 million.History jumped to third among adults 25-54, averaging 848,000 in prime on the week. The net held onto fourth place among viewers 18-49, averaging 772,000.Closing out the top five, Fox News Channel moved up a notch with an average nightly draw of 1.69 million viewers. Roughly a quarter (409,000) of FNC’s deliveries were drawn from its core demo, adults 25-54.While ESPN finished out of the money, the sports network posted the week’s third most-watched program on ad-supported cable, as the April 30 Thunder-Lakers series clincher scared up 4.83 million viewers. Following up on an errant shot by Kobe Bryant, power forward Gasol put in the game winner with a half-second on the clock, securing a 95-94 victory that was seen by 2.72 million viewers 18-49 and 2.46 million adults 25-54.

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TNT Drives the Lane With NBA Playoff Coverage

Anthony Crupi

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Anthony Crupi