Ratings on the Rise for The 2011 NCAA Tournament

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, March 21, 2011 Primetime Ratings:Friday and Saturday Results Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Finding The District _______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Friday and Saturday Results Friday 3/18/11Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/ShrNBC 4.2/ 8ABC 3.1/ 6CBS 2.9/ 5Fox 2.3/ 4CW 0.8/ 1 -Total Viewers:NBC: 6.13 million, ABC: 4.77, CBS: 4.52, Fox: 3.74, CW: 1.40 -Adults 18-49:CBS: 1.5 rating/5 share, Fox: 1.4/ 5, ABC: 1.3/ 4, NBC: 1.2/ 4, CW: 0.5/ 2 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 33 percent at this same point last year to approximately 38 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:Nothing -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Supernanny (ABC), Kitchen Nightmares (Fox), Fringe (Fox), 20/20 (ABC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:There is not much you can say, of course, when the top rated network (NBC in total viewers; CBS in adults 18-49) averages a lackluster 6.13 million viewers with a 1.5 rating/5 share among adults 18-49. But what you must keep in mind about 2011 NCAA Basketball on CBS are the games now being split between CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Year-to-year the ratings are down on CBS, but overall they are on the plus side thanks to the increased platforms. With that in mind, 2011 NCAA Basketball on Friday averaged an estimated 6.13 million viewers with a 1.5 rating/5 share among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. Results for any live sporting event are always approximate. Here is the half-hour breakdown: 2011 NCAA Basketball 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.75 million (#1), A18-49: 1.4/ 6 (#2) 8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 4.80 million (#1), A18-49: 1.5/ 6 (#2) 9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.52 million (#2), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1) 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 4.06 million (#3), A18-49: 1.4/ 5 (#2t)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 4.16 million (#3), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#1)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 3.83 million (#2), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#1t) In series-finale news, Superanny on ABC earned its cancellation stripes with just 4.50 million viewers (#2) and a 1.0/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 8 p.m. That led into Primetime: What Would You Do? (Viewers: #2, 5.00 million; A18-49: #2, 1.5/ 5 at 9 p.m.) and 20/20 (Viewers: #2, 4.81 million; A18-49: #3, 1.4/ 4 at 10 p.m.), which featured an interview with Jennifer Hudson. What once seemed fresh is beginning to feel stale on Primetime: What Would You Do? NBC started out slow and built as the night progressed with its combination of How Do You Think You Are? (Viewers: #3, 4.33 million; A18-49: #4, 0.9/ 3 at 8 p.m.) and Dateline (Viewers: #1, 7.03 million; A18-49: #3t from 9-10 p.m.; #1t at 10 p.m.: 1.4/ 5), which is expected to remain intact next season. Elsewhere, Fox had nothing unusual to report with its lackluster line-up of Kitchen Nightmares (Viewers: #4, 3.67 million; A18-49: #1t, 1.5/ 6) and Fringe (Viewers: #4, 3.80 million; A18-49: #3t, 1.3/ 5). And The CW populated the evening with repeats of Smallville (Viewers: #5, 1.48 million; A18-49: #5, 0.6/ 2) and Supernatural (Viewers: #5, 1.32 million; A18-49: #5, 0.5/ 2). Once upon a time, Friday was a golden night of television, populated with a wide array of “A” list options. What happened? Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ---------- Saturday 3/19/11Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr Fox 2.9/ 5NBC 2.9/ 5CBS 2.8/ 5ABC 1.8/ 3 -Total Viewers:Fox: 4.69 million, NBC: 4.54, CBS: 4.24, ABC: 3.19 -Adults 18-49:Fox: 1.5 rating/5 share, CBS: 1.3/ 4, ABC: 1.0/ 3, NBC: 0.7/ 2 --------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 33 percent at this same point last year to approximately 38 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. --------------- -Saturday’s Winners: Nothing -Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):The night overall ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:Fox led the low-rated Saturday troops care of its perennial combination of Cops (original and repeat – Viewers: #1, avg. 4.53 million; A18-49: #1t, 1.4 rating/5 share) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #1, 4.84 million; A18-49: #1, 1.5/ 6). But it did not even crack the 5-million viewer mark and its adult 18-49 average was a mere 1.5 rating. Until the networks take a more aggressive stance on Saturday, nothing will ever change. The 2011 NCAA Basketball Tournament continued on CBS, and the approximate average was 4.32 million viewers (#2) and a 1.4/ 5 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 8-10 p.m. Keep in mind that results for any live sporting event are always estimated. And the games now being split between CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV translates into fewer viewers for CBS alone, but more overall combined. On that note…four days into Basketball Tournament, CBS Sports and Turner Sports are reporting the best overall average ratings to-date according to the fast affiliates in 20 years, with a 5.1 rating/12 share in households. Comparably, that is up by 11 percent to-date from one year earlier. Results among total viewers (7.83 million) is up by 12 percent. CBS capped off the evening with long-running 48 Hours Mystery at 4.17 million viewers (#2) and a 1.1/ 4 in the demo (#2) at 10 p.m. Elsewhere, NBC filled the evening with repeats of Harry’s Law (Viewers: #3, 3.96 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2), Law & Order: Los Angeles (Viewers: #2, 4.25 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2), which returns in originals on Monday, April 11 and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #1, 5,42 million; A18-49: #3, 1.0/ 3). And ABC aired repeats of Wipeout (Viewers: #4, 3.28 million; A18-49: #3, 0.8/ 3 at 8 p.m.) and theatrical Norbit (Viewers: 3.15 million; A18-49: 1.1/ 4 from 9-11 p.m.). Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Note: Due to the early release of The Programming Insider, the overnight rating results for Sunday, March 20 were not available. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -NCAA Tournament Remains on the Plus Side Four days into the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, CBS Sports and Turner Sports are reporting the best overall average ratings to-date in 20 years, with a 5.1 rating/12 share in households, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Comparably, coverage on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV (based on a weighted average) is up by 11 percent to-date from CBS alone one year earlier. Total viewers (7.83 million) have increased by 12 percent. Coverage on the four platforms on Saturday, March 19 scored a 5.9/14 in households with 9.3 million viewers -- up 9 and 11 percent percent, respectively, over CBS Sports' 5.4/13 in 2010. The overall tournament average-to-date continues to deliver double-digit growth in key adult and male demos over 2010, including: Adults18-34: 2,065,000 vs. 1,883,000 (+10 percent)Adults 18-49: 4,371,000 vs. 3,842,000 (+14 percent)Adults 25-54: 4,639,000 vs. 4,150,000 (+12 percent)Men 18-34: 1,442,000 vs. 1,259,000 (+15 percent)Men 18-49: 3,103,000 vs. 2,644,000 (+17 percent)Men 25-54: 3,280,000 vs. 2,876,000 (+14 percent) ---------- -The Gang Loses Steam:Based on results for Thursday, March 17, Jersey Shore on MTV, which concludes for the season this week, dipped to a season-low 6.60 million viewers (with a 3.4 rating among adults 18-49). But it was still by far the most-watched series on basic cable for the evening. Second was Fairly Legal on USA at 4.04 million. Last, meanwhile, was FX’s animated Archer at just 931,000. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 3/21/11 ABC: 8:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars (season premiere, two hours)10:00 p.m. Castle Competing on Dancing with the Stars:Actress Kirstie Alley, radio personality “Psycho” Mike Catherwood, wrestler Chris Jericho, musician Chelsea Kane, boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, Ralph “The Karate Kid” Macchio, model Petra Nemcova, Super Bowl great Hines Ward, E! star and Playboy model Kendra Wilkinson and talk show host Wendy Williams CBS: 8:00 p.m. How I Met Your Mother 8:30 p.m. Mad Love 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men (R) 9:30 p.m. Mike & Molly 10:00 p.m. Hawaii Five-O NBC: 8:00 p.m. Chuck 9:00 p.m. The Event10:00 p.m. Harry’s Law Fox: 8:00 p.m. House 9:00 p.m. The Chicago Code CW: 8:00 p.m. 90210 (R) 9:00 p.m. Gossip Girl (R) _____________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -The Singing Bee Returns to CMT:Former NBC music competition The Singing Bee will return for its second season on CMT on Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Working Class star Melissa Peterman hosts. -You Know a Show is Dead When…:ABC has scheduled an original installment of freshman drama No Ordinary Family this Saturday, March 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Originally scheduled to air on Tuesday, March 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, No Ordinary Family will be pre-empted that night for special Dancing with the Stars: The Story So Far. -The X Factor Announces Second Judge:Upcoming Fox music competition The X Factor, which debuts in the fall, has announced its second judge: Antonio “L.A.” Reid, former Chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group. Reid has launched some of the biggest acts in music, including Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Pink, Usher, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. The first judge, of course, is Simon Cowell. The X Factor is in search of undiscovered talent over the age of 12, solo or groups, who compete for a chance to win a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music. Auditions are set to begin in Los Angeles at the L.A. Sports Arena on Sunday, March 27. Next up is Miami (Thursday, April 7), followed by Newark (Thursday, April 14), Seattle (Wednesday, April 20), Chicago (Wednesday, April 27) and Dallas (Thursday, May 26). The X Factor host and additional judges will be announced at a later time. ______________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Finding The District Remember 2000-04 CBS crime drama The District with Craig T. Nelson? Where did it take place? a) Atlantab) Chicago c) Memphisd) Philadelphiae) Washington, D.C. The answer to Friday’s question… We all remember, of course, when spiteful Kristin Shepard shot not-so-good ‘ol J.R. Ewing on Dallas. But who of the following was also a suspect? a) Dr. Elbyb) Jack Ewing c) Afton Cooperd) Carter McKaye) April Stevens Is: a) Dr. Elby, who was Sue Ellen’s therapist and aware of all the crummy things J.R. did to her. The characters of Jack Ewing, Afton Cooper, Carter McKay and April Stevens were introduced after Kristin shot J.R. -Current kudos goes to:Gerry Bixenspan, Tom Kilgallon, Anne Moynihan, Stephen Phillips, Gordon Purcell, Andrew Stearn

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Ratings on the Rise for The 2011 NCAA Tournament

Marc Berman

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