ABC and CBS Tie for Thursday Overnight Dominance

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERFriday, May 8, 2009 Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:ABC and CBS Tie for First; Hefty Yearly Losses for CBS, NBC and the CW Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Damn It, Alexis!_______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:ABC and CBS Tie for First; Hefty Yearly Losses for CBS, NBC and the CW Thursday 5/07/09 HH Rtg/Shr ABC 7.2/12CBS 7.2/12Fox 4.8/ 8NBC 3.8/ 6CW 2.1/ 3 ---------- -Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Thursday, May 8, 2008):Fox: + 9, ABC: - 4, CW: -16, NBC: -19, CBS: -23 ---------- -Yesterday’s Winners:Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (ABC) -Down but Certainly Not Out:Survivor: Tocantins (CBS), CSI (CBS) -Honorable Mention:Bones (Fox) -Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):My Name is Earl (NBC), Parks and Recreation (NBC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown: It was a night of split overnight Thursday leadership, with normally dominant CBS tied with ABC for first. In the distant No. 3 spot was Fox, followed by NBC and the CW. Expect ABC to finish first overall among key adults 18-49. Potentially alarming was the considerable erosion for CBS veteran CSI, which dipped to second behind Grey’s Anatomy on ABC in the metered markets as follows: Thursday 9 p.m.Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): 9.4/15CSI (CBS): 8.9/14 While that 8.9/14 was up a significant 39 percent from the second half of lead-in Survivor: Tocantins (6.4/11 at 8:30 p.m.), comparably CSI dropped by a concerning 23 percent from the year-ago telecast (11.5/18 on May 8, 2008). Grey’s Anatomy, which will have no trouble winning the hour among adults 18-49, dipped by just 4 percent (9.8/15). It looks like the absence of William Petersen has negatively impacted CSI. Earlier in the evening on CBS was Survivor: Tocantins at a diluted but still dominant 6.2/11 in the overnights from 8-9 p.m. (down by 13 percent from Survivor: Micronesia one year earlier: 7.1/12). Capping off the night for CBS was a repeat of CSI at a second-place 6.6/11. As for Survivor: Tocantins…SPOILER ALERT…all I can say is “adios Debbie.” While I still would have preferred to see insane Coach bid adieu, this was still very satisfying. ABC’s already renewed Ugly Betty finished third behind Survivor at 8 p.m., with a so-so 4.9/ 9. Next was the aforementioned Grey’s Anatomy (9.4/15), followed by 10 p.m. special, Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist at a first-place 7.3/12. Comparably, Michael J. Fox outdelivered the season-finale of week-ago occupant Private Practice (6.3/10 on April 30) by 16 percent. NBC had nothing of note in the overnights with its below-average rated combination of expected-to-be canceled My Name is Earl (#4: 3.0/ 5), just renewed Parks and Recreation (#4: 3.0/ 5), always demographic savvy The Office (#4: 3.9/ 6), compatible 30 Rock (#4: 3.7/ 6), and the also just picked-up Southland (#3: 4.7/ 8). Southland may no longer look all that positive, but it did manage to build from 30 Rock by 27 percent. As for The Office, why does poor Phyllis always seem to be suffering? That was a top-notch installment of The Office last night, wasn’t it? Elsewhere, Fox remained on the Thursday map care of underrated Bones (#2: 5.6/10 and demographically comfortable Hell’s Kitchen (#3: 4.1/ 6). But, like CBS and NBC last night, the CW dipped by double-digit percentages from one year earlier with its combination of veteran Smallville (#5: 2.2/ 4) and compatible Supernatural (#5: 2.0/ 3). Had the CW been in better shape, Smallville may not have been returning next season. Source: Nielsen Media Research data_______________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Final Monday and Tuesday Nationals:The delayed delivery of the ratings should, hopefully, be a thing of the past after today. And to keep you up-to-date, here are the final national rating results for Monday, May 4 and Tuesday, May 5: Monday, May 4: -Total Viewers:ABC: 16.96 million, CBS: 11.85, Fox: 11.08, NBC: 6.28, CW: 2.22 -Adults 18-49:ABC: 4.2 rating/11 share, CBS: 4.0/11, Fox: 4.0/10, NBC: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.1/ 3 ----- Tuesday, May 5: -Total Viewers:Fox: 16.62 million, CBS: 15.10, NBC: 9.36, ABC: 7.80, CW: 1.87 -Adults 18-49:Fox: 6.2/17, NBC: 3.6/10, CBS: 3.2/ 9, ABC: 2.0/ 5, CW: 0.9/ 2 --------------- -DOA Return for Deal or No Deal:NBC’s Deal or No Deal returned from its recent prime-time hiatus, replacing Chuck which concluded the season (or series) in the Monday 8 p.m. hour one week earlier. Howie Mandel and company hit rock-bottom, however, with just 4.36 million viewers and a 1.2/ 3 among adults 18-49 on May 4. Comparably, that placed a distant fourth in the hour in both measures. -Updated Midseason Results:As the networks actively plan their fall 2009 line-ups, here are the results this week for three recent ABC entries vying for a spot. Castle (ABC) – Monday 10 p.m.Viewers: 9.97 million (#2 in time period), A18-49: 2.8/ 7 (#2) While this certainly does not look bad on paper, retention out of lead-in Dancing With the Stars (Viewers: 20.28 million; A18-49: 4.8/13 at 9 p.m.) was just 49 percent in total viewers and 58 percent among adults 18-49. Regardless, I do think that patient ABC will renew Castle for next season. ----- Better Off Ted (ABC) – Tuesday 8:30 p.m.Viewers: 3.07 million (#4), A18-49: 1.2/ 3 (#4) This Tuesday test out of lead-in Scrubs (Viewers: 3.70 million; A18-49: 1.5/ 4 at 8 p.m.) did not help Better Off Ted’s already slim chance for renewal. ----- Cupid (ABC) – Tuesday 10 p.m.Viewers: 5.14 million (#3), A18-49: 1.6/ 4 (#3) Retention out of the live Dancing With the Stars Results Show (Viewers: 14.56 million; A18-49: 3.2/ 8 at 9 p.m.) was just 35 percent in total viewers and 50 percent in the demo. Why remake something that did not work the first time around? Chances of a second-season renewal: none. Source: Nielsen Media Research data________________________________________________________________________________ On the Air This Weekend:Prime-Time Programming Options Friday 5/08/09Night 16 of the May 2009 Sweeps ABC: 8:00 p.m. Movie: Happy Feet10:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS: 8:00 p.m. Ghost Whisperer 9:00 p.m. Flashpoint 10:00 p.m. Numb3rs NBC: 8:00 p.m. Howie Do It (R) 8:30 p.m. Howie Do It (R) 9:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) Fox: 8:00 p.m. Prison Break 9:00 p.m. Dollhouse (season or series finale) CW: 8:00 p.m. Everybody Hates Chris (season or series finale) 8:30 p.m. The Game 9:00 p.m. America’s Next Top Model (R) MNTV 8:00 p.m. Friday Night Smackdown! --------------- Saturday 5/09/09Night 17 of the May 2009 Sweeps ABC: 8:00 p.m. NBA Countdown 8:15 p.m. 2009 NBA Conference Semi-Finals CBS: 8:00 p.m. CSI (R) 9:00 p.m. Harper’s Island10:00 p.m. 48 Hours Mystery NBC: 8:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU (R) 9:00 p.m. Southland (R)10:00 p.m. Law & Order (R) Fox: 8:00 p.m. NASCAR MNTV: 8:00 p.m. Movie: Alien Resurrection (R) --------------- Sunday 5/10/09Night 18 of the May 2009 Sweeps ABC: 7:00 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos 8:00 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 9:00 p.m. Desperate Housewives 10:00 p.m. Brothers & Sisters (season finale) CBS: 7:00 p.m. 60 Minutes 8:00 p.m. The Amazing Race (season finale) 9:00 p.m. Cold Case (season or series finale)10:00 p.m. The Unit (season or series finale) NBC: 7:00 p.m. Dateline (two hours) 8:00 p.m. Celebrity Apprentice (season finale, three hours) Fox: 7:00 p.m. Sit Down, Shut Up 7:30 p.m. American Dad (R) 8:00 p.m. The Simpsons 8:30 p.m. King of the Hill (new time) 9:00 p.m. Family Guy 9:30 p.m. American Dad CW: 7:00 p.m. Jericho (R, from 6:30 p.m.) 7:30 p.m. Sunday Movie: The Spy Who Loved Me (R) ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Upcoming at ABC – Modern Family:Hoping to get back into the sitcom business, ABC has ordered 13 episodes of a new half-hour called Modern Family. The focus on the show is on three American families: a traditional couple with three children, a gay couple with an adopted Vietnamese child, and an older man who has recently married a much younger woman. Modern Family is expected to air this fall. -Surviving Suburbia On Hold:Recent ABC entry Surviving Suburbia, which aired out of Dancing With the Stars on Monday for four weeks, has been temporarily pulled from the schedule. It returns Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. out of new animated comedy The Goode Family on May 27. -Aisha Tyler Next in Line to Talk:Former Ghost Whisperer and Friends co-star Aisha Tyler has signed a deal with ABC to host a talk driven hour that would include the actress communicating with fans live online. Produced by ABC Media Productions, the project is being eyed for either syndication or cable. -More VH1 Tough Love:VH1 has renewed freshman entry VH1 Tough Love for a second season, with an unspecified number of new episodes expected to launch in fourth quarter 2009. Season to-date, VH1 Tough Love is averaging 1.9 million viewers, with a 1.3 rating among key adults 18-49. -ABC News to Introduce New YouTube Channel:ABC News has announced the launch of youtube.com/ABCNEWS, a branded YouTube channel that will feature breaking news, highlights, and clips of Good Morning America, World News with Charles Gibson, Nightline, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, 20/20 and the Primetime franchise. Debuting online is Quick Fix, a web exclusive program featuring the ABC News correspondents. ___________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Damn It, Alexis! How many children did Blake Carrington on Dynasty have? Bonus: what are their names? 34567 The answer to yesterday’s trivia question… Who was originally offered the role of Mr. Spock on the original Star Trek before Leonard Nimoy? Ted BessellChad EverettElliott Gould Martin LandauRobert Urich Is: d) Martin Landau, who chose the role of Rollin Hand on spy drama Million: Impossible instead. After Landau departed MI in 1969, Leonard Nimoy was added to the cast. -Current kudos goes to:Suzanne Ackley, Mark Amato, Mikki Beno, Matthew Berriman, Gerry Bixenspan, Susan Brandes, John Brooker, Lillian Buchman, Al Canaletich, Dave Carfolite, Larry Collins, Tom Condosta, Kay Copeland, Annie Courtney, Audrey Davis, Reid Davis, Sylvia Davis, John Ferlazzo, Arleen Fong, Jim Forkan, Jan Frazier, Michael Fruchtman, Todd Galloway, Jason Gold, Maureen Goldman, Geoffrey Gordon, Bill Graff, Vicky Gregarian, Barb Hemberger, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Deb Kainer, Synda Kollman, Joel Kunkel, Tom Lawrenson, Rick Locke, Jim Moore, Tony Naldrett, Alan Perris, Greg Phelan, Francine Purcell, Gordon Purcell, Bruce Robinson, Lisa Tatum-Roehrig, Joe Rubi, David Ruckman, Ron Salmon, Mindy Staley, Michelle Stanton, Joe Swaney, Ronnie Tallant, Larry Weinstock

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ABC and CBS Tie for Thursday Overnight Dominance

Marc Berman

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