The Programming Insider

Prime-Time Ratings:
Weekend Highlights

–Total Viewers:
CBS: 8.52 million, ABC: 6.42, NBC: 5.38, CW: 4.12, Fox: 3.39

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.0 rating/7 share, ABC: 1.7/ 6, NBC: 1.4/ 5, CW: 1.3/ 5, Fox: 1.1/ 4

Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Friday’s Winners:
Ghost Whisperer (CBS), Numb3rs (CBS)

-Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Movie: Man of the House (Fox), Dateline (NBC), 20/20 (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS led this typically uneventful third Friday of the May 2008 sweeps with its combination of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #1, 8.74 million; A18-49: #1, 2.1 rating/8 share), Moonlight (Viewers: #1, 7.68 million; A18-49: #2, 1.9/ 6) and Numb3rs (Viewers: #1, 9.13 million; A18-49: #1, 2.2/ 7). To the fans of Moonlight lighting up the boards at PIFeedback, renewal for a second season is still 50/50. What doesn’t help, of course, is the low rating among adults 18-49, which is no better than year-ago occupant Close to Home. And CBS canceled Close to Home because it skewed too old.

ABC finished second overall with two-hour special, TV’s All-Time Funniest at a so-so 6.50 million viewers (#2) and a 1.6/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 8-10 p.m., followed by 20/20 a 6.26 million viewers (#2t) and a 1.9/ 6 in the demo (#2) at 10 p.m. While I normally enjoy any special focusing on TV, the clips were awfully generic, weren’t they? And there was just too much of an emphasis on The Simpsons.

Next was NBC with its line-up of two repeat episodes of Most Outrageous Moments (Viewers: #3t, 4.21 million; A18-49: #4, 1.2/ 5 from 8-9 p.m.), and a two-hour edition of Dateline at 5.96 million viewers and a 1.5/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. The CW’s soon-to-relocate Friday Night Smackdown! was fourth for the night, with a typical 4.12 million viewers and a 1.3/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. And Fox finished last with theatrical Man of the House at a not-so-manly 3.39 million viewers and a 1.1/ 4 in the demo from 8-10 p.m. Although the CW is now focusing on its Monday to Friday slate now that Sunday is no longer part of the equation, programming Friday without Smackdown! will not be easy.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

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-Total Viewers:
Fox: 7.67 million, CBS: 5.80, ABC: 4.53, NBC: 4.05

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 2.6 rating/9 share, ABC: 1.6/ 6, CBS: 1.3/ 5, NBC: 1.0/ 3

Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Saturday’s Winners:
Nothing

-Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
The 2008 NBA Conference Semi-Finals (ABC) and the night overall.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox led the sluggish Saturday night troops care of two hours of NASCAR, which averaged 7.67 million viewers and a 2.6 rating/9 share among adults 18-49 from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, that is better than regularly scheduled occupants Cops and America’s Most Wanted.

Elsewhere, there was absolutely nothing of note to talk about. CBS opened the evening with a repeat of CSI: Miami (Viewers: #2, 5.25 million; A18-49: #3, 1.1/ 4 at 8 p.m.), followed by a repeat of Criminal Minds (Viewers: #2, 5.98 million; A18-49: #3, 1.3/ 5) and 48 Hours Mystery (Viewers: #1, 6.16 million; A18-49: #2, 1.6/ 5) from 9-11 p.m. ABC aired The 2008 NBA Conference Semi-Finals, which (including the 15-minute pre-game) averaged a mere 4.54 million viewers (#3) and a 1.6/ 6 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 8-11 p.m. And NBC ran an encore combination of Medium (Viewers: #4, 2.52 million; A18-49: #4: 0.6/ 2), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #4, 4.02 million; A18-49: #4, 1.0/ 4) and Law & Order (Viewers: #2, 5.61 million; A18-49: #3, 1.3/ 4).

All together now