CBS and Fox Continue to Dominate in Prime

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERThursday, May 7, 2009 National Ratings in Prime-Time:Week of April 27, 2009 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 Different Mr. Spock ______________________________________________________________________ Note: The overnight (metered market) rating results for Wednesday, May 6 were not available at press time. _______________________________________________________________________________________ National Ratings in Prime-Time:Week of April 27, 2009 It was another week of split leadership, with CBS first in households and total viewers and the home of American Idol, Fox, No. 1 in the three key demos -- adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. Needless to say, this will remain the pecking order through the remainder of the traditional (September through May) season. CBS was on the plus side from one year earlier, with minor growth, while Fox lost about the same amount of steam that CBS gained. ABC was on the map, finishing as high as second in households and adults 18-34, with its largest audience in five weeks (and home to four of the top 10 rated shows among adults 18-49). NBC, which grew in the three surveyed demos, finished third among adults 18-34 and fourth elsewhere, while fifth-place the CW dipped by margins of 17 to 24 percent. Last-place MyNetworkTV continues to benefit from the fall 2008 arrival of Friday Night Smackdown!, with growth of as much as 50 percent in adults 25-54. The true test will come next season when the comparisons will include Smackdown! in the year-ago mix. As expected, CBS moving Harper’s Island into the Saturday 9 p.m. hour was a disaster, with a series-low 4.63 million viewers (#64) and a 1.0 rating/3 share among adults 18-49 (tied for #74). Also not benefiting by a move was recently animated Fox entry Sit Down, Shut Up, which sunk to a mere 2.06 million viewers (#83) and a 0.8/ 3 in the demo (tied for #82) in the Sunday 7 p.m. anchor spot. Both moves, of course, were just burn-off maneuvers. Considerably disappointing on NBC, meanwhile, was just renewed Southland at an also series-low 6.66 million viewers (#47) and a 2.0/ 6 among adults 18-49 (tied for #53) in the Thursday 10 p.m. hour. Competing against Southland was the second season-finale of ABC’s Practice at a comfortable 9.70 million viewers (#26) and a 3.5/10 among adults 18-49 (#18t). Comparably, that put retention out of Grey’s Anatomy (Viewers: 14.12 million; A18-49: 5.1/13) at 69 percent in both categories. Here are the final national ratings for the week of April 27, 2009 (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago week in parentheses), followed by the new midseason series report card and the top 30 rated programs of the week. Note: The Wednesday 8 p.m. hour was not rated this week due to President Obama addressing the country on his 100th day in office. -Households:CBS: 6.9 rating/12 share (+ 6), ABC: 5.5/ 9 (- 8), Fox: 5.3/ 9 (- 7), NBC: 4.2/ 7 (- 2), CW: 1.3/ 2 (-24), MNTV: 1.0/ 2 (+25) -Total Viewers: CBS: 11.11 million (+11), Fox: 8.85 (- 6), ABC: 8.37 (- 9), NBC: 6.43 (no change), CW: 1.96 (-24), MNTV: 1.57 (+39) -Adults 18-49:Fox: 3.2 rating/9 share (- 9), CBS: 2.7/ 8 (+ 4), ABC: 2.5/ 7 (-14), NBC: 2.1/ 6 (+ 5), CW: 0.9/ 2 (-18), MNTV: 0.5/ 2 (+25) -Adults 25-54:Fox: 3.7/10 (- 5), CBS: 3.6/ 9 (+ 6), ABC: 3.1/ 8 (-11), NBC: 2.6/ 7 (+ 4), CW: 0.8/ 2 (-20), MNTV: 0.6/ 2 (+50) -Adults 18-34:Fox: 2.6/ 9 (-10), ABC: 1.9/ 6 (-17), NBC: 1.7/ 6 (+13), CBS: 1.7/ 6 (+ 6), CW: 1.0/ 3 (-17), MNTV: 0.5/ 2 (+25) -------------------- New Midseason Series Scorecard (excluding repeats and in order of total viewers; Pre-empted: ABC’s Better Off Ted) Surviving Suburbia (ABC) – Monday 9:30 p.m.Viewers: 8.98 million (#35), A18-49: 2.2/ 5 (#46t) Castle (ABC) – Monday 10 p.m. Viewers: 8.23 million (#39), A18-49: 2.0/ 5 (#53t) Lie to Me (Fox) – Wednesday 8 p.m. Viewers: 7.75 million (#42), A18-49: 2.3/ 7 (#42t) Southland (NBC) – Thursday 10 p.m. Viewers: 6.66 million (#47), A18-49: 2.0/ 6 (#53t) Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Thursday 8:30 p.m. Viewers: 5.07 million (#61), A18-49: 2.2/ 7 (#46t) The Unusuals (ABC) – Wednesday 10 p.m.Viewers: 4.86 million (#63), A18-49: 1.5/ 4 (#60t) Harper’s Island (CBS) – Saturday 9 p.m. (time period premiere)Viewers: 4.63 million (#64), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#74t) Howie Do It (NBC) – Friday 8 p.m. (season or series finale)Viewers: 3.26 million (#74), A18-49: 0.9/ 3 (#78t) Dollhouse (Fox) – Friday 9 p.m.Viewers: 3.06 million (#78), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#69t) Howie Do It (NBC) – Friday 8:30 p.m. Viewers: 2.83 million (#80), A18-49: 0.8/ 3 (#82t) Sit Down, Shut Up (Fox) – Sunday 7 p.m. (time period premiere) Viewers: 2.06 million (#83), A18-49: 0.8/ 3 (#82t) -------------------- Top 30 Rankings -Total Viewers:American Idol – Tuesday (Fox): 23.26 million, American Idol – Wednesday (Fox): 22.27, Dancing With the Stars – Monday (ABC): 19.28, The Mentalist (CBS): 17.11, NCIS (CBS): 16.70, CSI (CBS): 15.54, Dancing With the Stars – Tuesday (ABC): 14.72, Two and a Half Men (CBS): 14.16, Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): 14.12, Criminal Minds (CBS): 13.61, Desperate Housewives (ABC): 13.48, CSI: NY (CBS): 12.50, Cold Case (CBS): 12.46, 60 Minutes (CBS): 12.31, Without a Trace (CBS): 12.21, CSI: Miami (CBS): 12.12, Survivor: Tocantins (CBS): 11.73, House (Fox): 11.69, Rules of Engagement (CBS): 11.30, The Amazing Race (CBS): 10.84, Law & Order: SVU (NBC): 10.55, 24 (Fox): 10.43, Criminal Minds R (CBS, Thurs. 10 p.m.): 10.23, The Unit (CBS): 9.97, Ghost Whisperer (CBS): 9.79, Private Practice (ABC, season finale) and Numb3rs (CBS): 9.70 each, Flashpoint (CBS): 9.66, Fringe (Fox): 9.62, The Biggest Loser (NBC): 9.26 -Adults 18-49:American Idol – Tuesday (Fox): 8.1 rating/23 share, American Idol – Wednesday (Fox): 7.7/19, Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): 5.1/13, Two and a Half Men (CBS): 4.9/12, House (Fox): 4.6/13, Desperate Housewives (ABC): 4.4/11, Dancing With the Stars – Monday (ABC): 4.3/11, Lost (ABC): 4.1/10, Fringe (Fox): 4.0/10, Law & Order: SVU (NBC): 3.9/11, Rules of Engagement (CBS): 3.9/10, How I Met Your Mother (CBS) and The Office (NBC): 3.7/10 each, CSI (CBS) and The Mentalist (CBS): 3.7/ 9 each, Survivor: Tocantins (CBS): 3.6/11, NCIS (CBS) and Private Practice (ABC, season finale): 3.5/10 each, Family Guy (Fox): 3.5/ 9, The Big Bang Theory (CBS): 3.4/10, 24 (Fox): 3.4/ 8, CSI: Miami (CBS): 3.3/ 9, Dancing With the Stars – Tuesday (ABC) and Criminal Minds (CBS): 3.3/ 8 each, The Simpsons (Fox): 3.2/10, CSI: NY (CBS) and The Amazing Race (CBS): 3.2/ 9 each, Celebrity Apprentice (NBC): 3.1/ 8, Brothers & Sisters (ABC): 3.0/ 8, Heroes (NBC, season finale): 3.0/ 7 Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)______________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Basic Cable Rankings – Week of April 27:What follows are the basic cable rankings in prime-time for the week of April 27 broken out by total viewers, adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. Total Viewers:TNT: 3.45 million, USA: 2.85, Fox News: 2.13, Nick at Nite: 1.56, TBS: 1.55, Discovery: 1.36, FX: 1.29, A&E: 1.27, History: 1.15 and Cartoon Network: 1.15 each Adults 18-49:TNT: 1.90 million, USA: 1.26 million, TBS: 911,000, Discovery: 755,000, FX: 744,000, A&E: 616.000, VH1: 561,000, Nick at Nite: 557,000, ESPN: 546,000, Comedy Central: 538,000 Adults 25-54:TNT: 1.82 million, USA: 1.31 million, TBS: 774,000, Discovery: 757,000, FX: 688,000, A&E: 643,000, Sci Fi: 579,000, History Channel: 555,000, Fox News: 538,000, ESPN: 537,000 Adults 18-34:TNT: 967,000, USA: 598,000, TBS: 521,000, VH1: 398,000, MTV: 389,000, FX: 358,000, Discovery: 344,000, Comedy Central: 318,000, ESPN: 290,000, Nick at Nite: 283,000 Source: Nielsen Media Research data_______________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Thursday 5/07/09Night 15 of the May 2009 Sweeps ABC: 8:00 p.m. Ugly Betty 9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy 10:00 p.m. Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist CBS: 8:00 p.m. Survivor: Tocantins 9:00 p.m. CSI 10:00 p.m. CSI (R) NBC: 8:00 p.m. My Name is Earl (part two) 8:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation 9:00 p.m. The Office 9:30 p.m. 30 Rock10:00 p.m. Southland Fox: 8:00 p.m. Bones 9:00 p.m. Hell’s Kitchen CW: 8:00 p.m. Smallville 9:00 p.m. Supernatural MTNV 8:00 p.m. Movie: Batman Returns (R) ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage Prepped for Off-Net Syndication:HBO and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution have licensed the fall 2010 off-network syndication rights for HBO comedies Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage to the Tribune Broadcasting stations. Under the three year deal, Tribune has licensed all seven seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and all six seasons of Entourage to the 17 owned-and-operated Tribune stations, including New York (WPIX), Los Angeles (KTLA) and Chicago (WGN). Both half-hours will be stripped Monday to Friday, with one weekend telecast. -Coming Up on HBO:HBO has ordered a new drama from David Simon, the creator of The Wire, called Treme. Treme will focus on the lives of a group of New Orleans residents coping after Hurricane Katrina. Production on an unspecified number of episodes is expected to begin next fall. -ION Acquires Movie Slate From WBDTD:ION Television has acquired a new feature film package from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution that will include The Departed, Ocean’s Thirteen, Heat, The Matrix Reloaded, The Perfect Storm, Passenger 57 and Assassins. The titles will begin airing this month, with broadcast runs through 2010. -Coming Up on TV Land This Summer:TV Land has announced an aggressive slate of programming this summer including three reality series (She’s Got The Look, How’d You Get So Rich and Make My Day), a celebrity-filled tribute to Michael Douglas and the arrival of classic sitcom Roseanne. Repeats of Roseanne will kick-off with a week-long marathon beginning on Friday, June 5, followed by the new season of She’s Got the Look, hosted by Kim Alexis, on Thursday, June 11 at 9 p.m. ET. Next are back-to-back half-hours How’d You Get So Rich, featuring comedienne Joan Rivers, and hidden camera series Make My Day on Wednesday, August 12 from 10-11 p.m. How’d You Get So Rich will feature the current Celebrity Apprentice finalist as she introduces viewers to some of the richest people in the country. Also on TV Land is the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Life Achievement Award tribute to Academy Award winner Michael Douglas on Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET. And Friday night movies scheduled this summer include Born on the 4th of July, Back to School, Driving Miss Daisy, Another 48 Hours and Doc Hollywood. _________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:A Different Mr. Spock Who was originally offered the role of Mr. Spock on the original Star Trek before Leonard Nimoy? Ted BessellChad EverettElliott Gould Martin LandauRobert Urich The answer to yesterday’s question… Which one of the following TV characters was often seen with a beer (or two) at the Warsaw Tavern? Dan Conner“Stretch” CunninghamLarry DallasOswald HarveyJack Stein Is: d) Oswald Harvey of The Drew Carey Show. -Current kudos goes to:Don Abel, Suzanne Ackley, Danny Aguilar, Michelle Bauer, Matthew Berriman, Gerry Bixenspan, Michael Bobble, Paul Certo, Tom Condosta, Annie Courtney, Reid Davis, Sue Doron, Malcolm Dunlop, John Ferlazzo, Arleen Fong, Michael Fruchtman, Adam Giagni, Jerry Gibbons, Maureen Goldman, Geoffrey Gordon, Sherrie Hentschel, Jerry Hermes, Brad Hight, Marie Hokanson, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Greg Janover, Mike Joliffe, Deb Kainer, Kathryn Kieser, Synda Kollman, Tom Lawrenson, Keith Marder, Julia McCray, Sharon Merritt, Christina Monaghan, Jim Moore, Tillie Nutter, Jim O’Heir, Francine Purcell, Gordon Purcell, Lisa Tatum-Roehrig, Alan Rosenfeld, Colleen Roth, Harley David Rubin, Ron Salmon, David Shall, Mark Simmons, Michelle Stanton, Mickie Steinmann, Ron Strauss, Ivan Tafur, Carol Teichman, Don Webb, Myndi Weinraub

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CBS and Fox Continue to Dominate in Prime

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