Summer Viewing Continues to Dwindle on the Broadcast Nets

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, June 22, 2009 Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Sit on It!_______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Friday 6/19/09Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr CBS 3.3/ 6NBC 3.0/ 6ABC 2.0/ 4Fox 1.9/ 4CW 0.9/ 2 -Total Viewers:CBS: 4.82 million, NBC: 4.28, Fox: 3.15, ABC: 2.71, CW: 1.24 -Adults 18-49: NBC and Fox: 1.0 rating/4 share each, CBS: 0.9/ 4, ABC: 0.7/ 3, CW: 0.4/ 2 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:Nothing -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):The Chopping Block (NBC), Surviving Suburbia (ABC), The Goode Family (ABC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:There was a three-way split for leadership on this third Friday in June, with CBS the most-watched network and NBC tied for first among adults 18-49. But there is not much you can say when the top-rated network averaged under five million viewers and a 1.0 rating in the demo. CBS was in all repeats, with its combination of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #1, 4.70 million; A18-49: #2, 1.0/ 4), Flashpoint (Viewers: #2, 4.82 million; A18-49: #2, 1.0/ 4) and Numb3rs (Viewers: #2, 4.94 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.0/ 3). Failed NBC reality/competition The Chopping Block returned to burn-off its final episodes with a mere 1.94 million viewers (#4) and a 0.6/ 2 (#3t) among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into a two-hour edition of Dateline with 5.45 million viewers and a 1.3/ 5 among adults 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Take a look at the half-hour breakdown: Dateline (NBC) 9:00 p.m. - Viewers: 4.42 million (#2), A18-49: 1.0/ 4 (#1) 9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 5.84 million (#1), A18-49: 1.3/ 5 (#1)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 5.49 million (#1), A18-49: 1.3/ 5 (#1)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 6.03 million (#1), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#1) Fox also aired an all repeat night, with its combination of game show Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Viewers: #2, 3.63 million; A18-49: #1, 1.1/ 5) and drama Mental (Viewers: #3, 2.67 million; A18-49: #3, 0.8/ 3). ABC opened the evening with original episodes of failed comedies Surviving Suburbia (Viewers: #3, 2.59 million; A18-49: #3t, 0.6/ 3) and animated The Goode Family (Viewers: #4, 1.59 million; A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2) from 8-9 p.m., followed by back-to-back repeats of canceled Samantha Who? (Viewers: #4, avg. 1.86; A18-49: #4, avg. 0.6/ 2 from 9-10 p.m.) and veteran 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 4.18 million; A18-49: #3, #2t, 1.0/3) from 9-11 p.m. Last were repeats of The CW’s Privileged (Viewers: 1.17 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 2), Everybody Hates Chris (Viewers: 1.17 million; A18-49: 0.4/ 1) and The Game (Viewers: 1.43 million; A18-49: 0.5/ 2). To whet your appetite for next fall, here is the upcoming Friday line-up: ABC 8:00 p.m. Supernanny (new time) 9:00 p.m. Ugly Betty (new day and time)10:00 p.m. 20/20 CBS 8:00 p.m. Ghost Whisperer 9:00 p.m. Medium (new network, new day and time)10:00 p.m. Numbr3s NBC 8:00 p.m. Law & Order (new day and time) 9:00 p.m. Southland (new day and time)10:00 p.m. The Jay Leno Show (new) Fox 8:00 p.m. Brothers (new) 8:30 p.m. ‘Til Death (return) 9:00 p.m. Dollhouse The CW 8:00 p.m. Smallville (new day) 9:00 p.m. America’s Next Top Model (R) Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Saturday 6/20/09Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr CBS 3.0/ 6Fox 2.5/ 5NBC 2.3/ 5ABC 1.8/ 4 -Total Viewers:CBS: 4.38 million, Fox: 3.91, NBC: 3.33, ABC: 2.74 -Adults 18-49: Fox: 1.3 rating/5 share, CBS: 0.9/ 3, ABC and NBC: 0.7/ 3 each ---------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Saturday’s Winners:Nothing -Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Kings (NBC), Harper’s Island (CBS), Eli Stone (ABC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:CBS and Fox shared leadership on this typically lackluster Saturday, with CBS first in total viewers (at under five million) and Fox No. 1 among adults 18-49 (with a mere 1.3 rating). Mirroring the past few weeks, Saturday remains a breeding ground for burn-off episodes of canceled series (Kings, Harper’s Island and Eli Stone last night). A repeat of should-not-have-been canceled Without a Trace opened the evening for CBS with 4.11 million viewers (#1) and a third-place 0.6 rating/2 share among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into an original installment of canceled Harper’s Island (Viewers: #2t, 3.79 million; A18-49: #2, 0.9/ 4) and a repeat of 48 Hours Mystery (Viewers: #1, 5.25 million; A18-49: #1, 1.2/ 5) from 9-11 p.m. Fox, of course, aired its perennial combination of Cops (Viewers: #2, avg. 3.75 million; A18-49: #1, avg. 1.3/ 5) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #1, 4.07 million; A18-49: #1, 1.3/ 5) from 8-10 p.m. NBC kicked-off Saturday with another burn-off episode of canceled Kings (Viewers: #4, 1.94 million’ A18-49: #4, 0.5/ 2) at 8 p.m., followed by repeats of Law & Order (Viewers: #2t, 3.79 million; A18-49: #3, 0.8/ 2) and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #2, 4.25 million; A18-49: #2, 0.9/ 3) from 9-11 p.m. And ABC aired a repeat of Wipeout (Viewers: #3, 3.24 million; A18-49: #2, 1.0/ 4), a repeat of Castle (Viewers: #4, 2.48 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2), and the return of the remaining episodes of Eli Stone (Viewers: #3, 2.50 million; A18-49: #3, 0.5/ 2) from 8-11 p.m. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Note: Due to the early release of The Programming Insider, rating results for Sunday, June 21 were not available at press time. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What's Hot/What's Not -More Growth for USA’s Royal Pains:Week three of USA drama Royal Pains remains a hit, with 6.5 million viewers and as high a 3.0 million viewers in the adult 25-54 demo on Thursday, June 18. In just three weeks, Royal Pains has increased by 17 percent in total viewers and as much as 31 percent among adults 18-34 (1.4 million). And that 6.5 million viewer tally was the third best original series performance for USA. -Syndicated Magazine Ratings Update:What follows is an updated track of the six current syndicated strips occupying the category of magazine. Percent change versus the comparable year-ago period appears in parentheses. HouseholdsEntertainment Tonight (CBS Television Distribution): 4.3 rating (- 9), Inside Edition (CBS): 3.0 (-12), TMZ (Warner Bros.): 2.2 (no change), Access Hollywood (NBC Universal): 2.1 (-13), The Insider (CBS): 1.9 (-17), Extra (Warner Bros.): 1.7 (- 6) Women 25-54: Entertainment Tonight (CBS): 2.6 (-13), Inside Edition (CBS): 1.6 (-16). TMZ (Warner Bros.): 1.5 (no change), Access Hollywood (NBCU): 1.4 (-13), Extra (Warner Bros.): 1.1 (- 8), The Insider (CBS): 1.1 (-27) Adults 25-54:Entertainment Tonight (CBS): 2.1 (- 9), TMZ (Warner Bros.): 1.4 (+ 8), Inside Edition (CBS): 1.4 (- 7). Access Hollywood (NBCU): 1.1 (-15), Extra (Warner Bros.): 0.9 (-10), The Insider (CBS): 0.9 (-18) Source: Nielsen Media Research data ________________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 6/22/09 ABC: 8:00 p.m. The Bachelorette (two hours) 10:00 p.m. Here Come the Newlyweds CBS: 8:00 p.m. The Big Bang Theory (R) 8:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement (R, new time period) 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men (R) 9:30 p.m. The Big Bang Theory (R)10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami (R) NBC: 8:00 p.m. I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (two hours)10:00 p.m. Dateline Fox: 8:00 p.m. House (R) 9:00 p.m. Lie to Me (R, new day and time) CW: 8:00 p.m. Gossip Girl (R) 9:00 p.m. One Tree Hill (R) MNTV 8:00 p.m. Masters of Illusions (R) 9:00 p.m. Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed (R) ________________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Bob Cook to Exit Twentieth Television:Bob Cook, president of Twentieth Television, will depart from his current post in November to head start-up consulting firm MBN Inc., which will develop digital platforms for Twentieth and other distributors. No official replacement has been announced yet, but Greg Meidel, current head of Fox Entertainment Group’s MyNetworkTV is expected to be named as his replacement. “We are considering candidates both internally and externally,” said a spokesman at Twentieth. -Midseason Scorecard:The official start of the 2009-10 is still three months away. But since a good portion of the upcoming 22 new shows are unlikely to succeed, here is what is waiting in the midseason bullpen: New:Arranged Marriage (CBS) – non-scriptedBlonde Charity Mafia (CW) – non-scriptedThe Bridge (CBS) – dramaDay One (NBC) - dramaThe Deep End (ABC) – dramaHappy Town (ABC) – dramaHuman Target (Fox) - dramaMercy (NBC) - dramaMiami Trauma (CBS) – drama100 Questions (NBC) – sitcomParental Discretion Advised (CW) - dramaPast Life (Fox) – dramaSons of Tucson (Fox) - sitcomUndercover Boss (CBS) – non-scriptedV (ABC) - drama Returning:American Idol (Fox)The Bachelor (ABC)Better Off Ted (ABC)Celebrity Apprentice (NBC)Chuck (NBC)Flashpoint (CBS)Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)Lost (ABC)Rules of Engagement (CBS)Scrubs (ABC) 24 (Fox)_______________________________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Sit on It! Which one of the following shows did Happy Days replace when it premiered on January 15, 1974? BewitchedBob & Carol & Ted & AliceThe Courtship of Eddie’s FatherTemperatures RisingThat’s My Mama The answer to Friday’s question… What state did Terri move to on the final episode of sitcom Three’s Company? GeorgiaHawaiiNew MexicoTexasWashington Is: b) Hawaii. Janet got married and bland Terri Austin relocated to Hawaii. After Suzanne Somers departed as Chrissy and Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as The Ropers, Three’s Company was never the same. All together now: Come and knock on our door..... We've been waiting for you...... Where the kisses are hers and hers and his, Three's company too. Come and dance on our floor...... Take a step that is new..... We've a loveable space that needs your face, Three's company too. You'll see that life is a frolic and laughter is calling for you...... Down at our rendez-vous, Three's company, too!!!!!! -Current kudos goes to:Gerry Bixenspan, Tom Condosta, Harold Cooper, Annie Courtney, Reid Davis, Malcolm Dunlop, John Ferlazzo, Arleen Fong, Maureen Goldman, Martha Gonzalez, Geoffrey Gordon, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Synda Kollman, Debbie Mirr, Michael Murphy, Tony Naldrett, Gordon Purcell, Colleen Roth, Joe Rubi, Ron Salmon, Michelle Stanton, Bruce Starin, Jodi Titkin, Mark Wristen

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Summer Viewing Continues to Dwindle on the Broadcast Nets

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