USA Extends Streak Into August

USA Network steamed into August with yet another ratings win, averaging 3.55 million total viewers in prime, while taking two of the three major demos. According to Nielsen ratings data for the week ended August 2, USA averaged 1.58 million adults 25-54 and 1.34 million viewers 18-49. The network took second place among the 18-34 set, drawing 548,000. The NBC Universal cable outlet notched seven of the week’s 10 most-watched programs, and enjoyed another particularly strong outing on Thursday night. The July 30 installment of USA’s Burn Notice served up 6.63 million viewers, of which 2.5 million were members of the core TV demo. Lead-out Royal Pains delivered 6.38 million viewers at 10 p.m., including a week-high 2.58 million adults 18-49.On Monday, July 27, USA’s WWE Raw drew 5.67 million viewers between 9 p.m. and 11:14 p.m., of which 2.7 million were adults 25-54 and 2.56 million viewers fell into the 18-49 demo. Also drawing big numbers were Thursday night’s 8 p.m. installment of NCIS (4.25 million viewers); the August 2 premiere of a new Law & Order: Criminal Intent (4.24 million); the Monday 8 p.m. run of NCIS (4.15 million) and a new episode of the USA original In Plain Sight, which drew 3.88 million viewers Sunday night in the hotly contested 10 p.m. slot.(In the same hour, Lifetime’s Army Wives beat In Plain Sight by some 11,000 viewers, averaging 3.89 million.)Second place on the week went to TNT, which continued to serve up huge numbers with its original drama strip, The Closer. The Turner net averaged 2.27 million viewers in prime, of which 1.05 million were adults 25-54 and 900,000 were viewers 18-49. The July 27 installment of The Closer averaged 7.46 million viewers, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day ratings data. The Kyra Sedgwick vehicle lured 2.84 million adults 25-54 to TNT in the Monday 9 p.m. time slot. TNT also enjoyed a lift from its sophomore crime strip Leverage, which drew 3.68 million viewers Wednesday night at 9 p.m. The previous night saw newbie nurse drama Hawthorne land 3.61 million viewers at 9 p.m. Fox News Channel maintained its control of third place, averaging 2.15 million viewers on the week, of which 548,000 were members of the core news demo. FNC enjoyed another strong showing from its 8 p.m. program The O’Reilly Factor, which drew 3.52 million viewers on Thursday night, 3.49 million on Monday and 3.47 million on Wednesday. Fourth place once again went to Nick at Nite, which drew 1.81 million total viewers in prime. TBS closed out the week in fifth place, drawing an average nightly audience of 1.63 million viewers. The Turner net took first place among the 18-34 crowd, averaging 574,000 viewers, while finishing second with 18-49s (1.01 million) and third among 25-54s (861,000). Tops among the core TV demo were: USA, which drew 1.34 million viewers 18-49; TBS (1.01 million); TNT (900,000); Discovery Channel (771,000); Food Network (708,000); FX (672,000); ESPN (630,000); A&E (606,000); ABC Family (596,000) and History (585,000).Of particular interest a week ago were Food Network’s signature competition series, The Next Food Network Star, which whipped up 5.49 million viewers (2.88 million adults 25-54 and 2.48 million 18-49s) Sunday night at 9 p.m., and Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, which landed 3.75 million viewers Tuesday night at 9 p.m., of which 2.43 million were members of the 18-49 tribe. Non-ad-supported Disney Channel was the week’s second-most watched basic-cable property, averaging 2.92 million viewers in prime. The Mouse ran away with another pair of wins among kids 6-11 (1.17 million) and ‘tweens 9-14 (904,000), thanks to original fare like The Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny with a Chance. On the week, Disney enjoyed its largest program delivery with Friday night’s installment of Wizards, which drew 4.84 million total viewers at 8 p.m.Related: USA Network Wraps Up July

Convergent TV

USA Extends Streak Into August

Anthony Crupi

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Anthony Crupi