THE PROGRAMMING INSIDER Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Prime-Time Metered Market Tuesday Ratings: CBS Dominates, It’s Down to the Final 4 on Dancing With the Stars
Ratings Box: What’s Hot/What’s Not
National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of November 3, 2008
On the Air Tonight: Prime-Time Programming Options
TV Tidbits: Notes of Interest
TV Trivia Time: Not on ABC ______________________________________________________________________
Prime-Time Metered Market Tuesday Ratings: CBS Dominates, It’s Down to the Final 4 on Dancing With the Stars
Tuesday 11/11/08
HH Rtg/Shr CBS 9.8/15 ABC 7.8/12 Fox 6.4/10 NBC 5.2/ 8 CW 1.7/ 3
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-Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Tuesday, November 13, 2007): CBS: +27, ABC: + 5, CW: -15, NBC: -22, Fox: -23
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Note: The fast affiliate results for Tuesday will be posted at PIFeedback by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Tuesday, November 11, 2008.
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-Yesterday’s Winners: NCIS (CBS), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), The Mentalist (CBS)
-Vast Improvement Over Former Occupant: Without a Trace (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers: Privileged (CW), Eli Stone (ABC)
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-Ratings Breakdown: CBS led the Tuesday troops in the overnights, beating second-place ABC by a healthy 26 percent care of its combination of NCIS (#1: 10.8 rating/17 share), The Mentalist (#2: 10.2/15) and Without a Trace (#1: 8.4/13). While NBC’s competing Law & Order: SVU (#2: 6.5/11) is likely to win the 10 p.m. hour among adults 18-49, Without A Trace built by a hefty 56 percent over year-ago occupant Cane (5.4/ 9 on Nov. 13, 2007).
ABC got plenty of mileage in the 8-10 p.m. block as a result of the Dancing With the Stars Recap Show (#2: 7.4/11) and the live Dancing With the Stars Results Show (#1: 10.9/16). But Eli Stone at 10 p.m. continues to lag, with a last-place 5.1/ 9. Comparably, retention for Eli Stone out of the second half of Dancing With the Stars (11.0/16 at 9:30 p.m.) was only 46 percent. As for DWTS, so long Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke. While I have nothing personally against Maurice, Cheryl is not exactly a sparkling conversationalist when the cameras are off.
Third in the overnights (and expected to pick up steam among adults 18-49) was Fox duo House (#2: 7.3/11) and Fringe (#3: 5.6/ 9), which will surely benefit once it airs out of American Idol in January. As a reminder, House moves to Mondays at 8 p.m. (into returning 24) in January.
NBC had a typically lackluster Tuesday in the overnights care of a two-hour edition of The Biggest Loser (#4: 4.6/ 7 from 8-10 p.m.) and the aforementioned Law & Order: SVU (#2: 6.5/11). And year-to-year, SVU decreased by 30 percent (versus a 9.3/15 on Nov. 13, 2007). But expect some traction among adults 18-49 once the fast affiliate results are released.
Last, and very least, was the CW’s combination of 90210 (2.1/ 3) and Privileged (1.4/ 2). While I realize the strength of the CW falls within the young female demos, let’s be honest: barely a 2-rating for 90210 in the overnights is only equal to year-ago occupant Beauty and the Geek.
-Top Rated iCarly TV Movie on Nickelodeon: Based on ratings for the week of Nov. 3, Nickelodeon’s iGo to Japan, a TV movie based on the successful iCarly series, finished first overall (in both broadcast and cable) among kids 2-11 (12.2 rating), kids 6-11 (16.7) and tweens 9-14 (14.1). Comparably, that outdelivered the year-ago time period average by as much as 292 percent in the tween demographic. iCarly’s ‘Go to Japan now ranks as the highest-rated live-action television movie in Nickelodeon’s history in total viewers, kids 2-11 and kids 6-11, and second among tweens 9-14 (behind Goodbye Zoey).
-The Doctors Hits an Overnight High: Based on the metered market results for Monday, Nov. 10, CBS Television Distribution’s The Doctors rose to a series-high 2.0 rating/6 share. Comparably, that beat its lead-in average (1.8/ 5), with a first or second-place time period finish in 20 of the 56 markets.
-Top 10 Rated Programs in Syndication – Week of Oct. 27: What follows is the top tier in syndication nationally for the week of Oct. 27 based on households (AA – average audience), followed by any highlights of note:
Wheel of Fortune (CBS Television Distribution): 7.3 rating Jeopardy (CBS): 6.2 Oprah (CBS): 5.0 Two and a Half Men (CBS): 4.9 Judge Judy (CBS): 4.5 Entertainment Tonight (CBS): 4.4 Family Guy (Twentieth Television): 4.0 CSI: NY (CBS): 3.8 Seinfeld (Sony Pictures Television): 3.6 Dr. Phil (CBS): 3.4
-Two and a Half Men extended its household winning streak in off-net sitcoms to 54 consecutive weeks (all without the benefit of a cable run). Charlie Sheen and company also ranked first in the category in adults 25-54 (3.1), women 18-49 (2.7), women 25-54 (3.0) and men 25-54 (3.1).
-Judge Judy rose to a season-high in households, beating the No. 2 occupant in the genre (Judge Joe Brown) by 96 percent.
-ET scored a season high in households for the second consecutive week, building by two percent from one week earlier.
-NBC Universal’s Access Hollywood rose to a season-high on households (2.1) and total viewers (2.9 million), increasing by 17 percent and 13 percent, respectively, from one week earlier. Access Hollywood also tied its season best in women 18-34 (1.0), women 18-49 (1.2) and women 25-54 (1.3).
-Warner Bros.’ freshman The Bonnie Hunt perked up to a 0.9 in households -- up 13 percent from its season to-date average (0.8). Note to Bonnie: Now I am enjoying the time you are devoting to your guests!
Source: Nielsen Media Research data _______________________________________________________________________________
National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of November 3, 2008
Three networks shared leadership for the week of Nov. 3 -- the first full week of the Nov. 2008 sweeps. CBS extended its winning streak in households and total viewers to six consecutive weeks, while tying football ignited NBC for first among adults 25-54. ABC and NBC tied for the top spot among adults 18-49, while finishing first among adults 18-34 – a demo normally won by Fox.
Thanks to the New York Giants versus Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football, NBC posted minor growth from one year earlier in four of the five surveyed categories (excluding adults 18-34). And MyNetworkTV was up by double-digit percentages, of course, care of Friday Night Smackdown! (which rose to a record 3.68 million viewers on the network). But erosion year-to-year erosion was the common observation elsewhere, with the biggest losses (32 to 65 percent) falling in Fox’s corner (which took a hit minus original episodes of House and Fringe on Tuesday). Worth noting for the CW, however, was growth of 20 percent in women 18-34 (1.8/ 5) and eight percent in women 18-49 (1.4/ 3).
This week included Monday NBC special SNL Presidential Bash; Election night Tuesday; the return of NBC’s Law & Order (Viewers: 7.04 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6) leading out of the relocated Life on Wednesday (Viewers: 5.94 million; A18-49: 2.0/ 5); and a delayed (and inflated) start for CBS’ Sunday line-up as a result of 22.41 million viewers tuning into a football overrun in the 7 p.m. half-hour. For full election night rating results, click on http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/nation...9fc57b282673a329f701.
Here are the final national ratings for the week of November 3, 2008 (with percent change versus the comparable year-ago week in parentheses), followed by a listing of the new series results (in order of total viewers), the sophomore series report card, and the top 30 rated programs of the week.
Freshman Series Results Pre-empted this week: My Own Worst Enemy (NBC), The Mentalist (CBS) and Fringe (Fox), and excluding repeats of the CW’s In Harm’s Way, Valentine and Easy Money.
With retention out of CSI of just 60 percent in total viewers and 61 percent among adults 18-49, CBS should be doing better in the Thursday 10 p.m. hour.
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Life on Mars (ABC) – Thursday 10 p.m. Viewers: 8.71 million (#33), A18-49: 2.9/ 8 (#34t)
Retention out of lead-in Grey’s Anatomy (Viewers: 55 percent in viewers, 48 percent in adults 18-49) is even worse than Eleventh Hour out of CSI. But versus one week earlier (Viewers: 8.14 million, A18-49: 2.6/ 7 on Oct. 30), Life on Mars actually increased by 570,000 viewers and 12 percent in the demo.
This week, retention out of Two and a Half Men this week was just 65 percent in total viewers and 57 percent among adults 18-49. Am I the only one surprised that CBS has not pulled Worst Week yet?
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Kath & Kim (NBC) – Thursday 8:30 p.m. Viewers: 5.63 million (#64), A18-49: 2.4/ 6 (#44t)
See you on Mr. TV’s annual listing of TV Turkey’s Kath & Kim. My vote for the Worst Actress in a Sitcom: Molly Shannon.
-Total Viewers: 60 Minutes (CBS): 18.47 million, CSI (CBS): 18.18, Sunday Night Football: N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia (NBC): 17.56, Dancing With the Stars – Monday (ABC): 17.09, Dancing With the Stars – Wednesday (ABC) and Desperate Housewives (ABC): 15.85 each, Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): 15.74, SNL Presidential Bash (NBC): 14.44, Criminal Minds (CBS): 14.30, Vote 2008 (ABC, 9 p.m.): 14.19, Two and a Half Men (CBS): 12.76, CSI: Miami (CBS): 12.74, Cold Case (CBS): 12.69, Decision 2008 (NBC): 12.46, CSI: Miami (CBS): 12.74, Survivor: Gabon (CBS): 12.01, CSI: NY (CBS): 11.80, The Amazing Race 13 (CBS): 11.71, Sunday Night Football Pre-Kick (NBC): 11.40, Numb3rs (CBS): 11.28, NCIS R (CBS): 11.22, Vote 2008 (ABC, 8 p.m.): 11.21, Eleventh Hour (CBS): 10.90, Ghost Whisperer (CBS): 10.89, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC): 10.75, Bones (Fox): 10.17, Bothers & Sisters (ABC): 10.11, The Unit (CBS): 9.87, The Big Bang Theory (CBS): 9.67, How I Met Your Met Mother (CBS), 9.40, Private Practice (ABC): 9.17
-Adults 18-49: Night Football: N.Y. Giants vs. Philadelphia (NBC): 6.7/16, Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): 6.0/14, Desperate Housewives (ABC): 5.9/13, SNL Presidential Bash (NBC): 5.6/13, CSI (CBS): 5.1/12, Vote 2008 (ABC): 4.9/10, Two and a Half Men (CBS): 4.6/10, Decision 2008 (NBC): 4.5/10, The Office (NBC): 4.3/10, 60 Minutes (CBS): 4.2/11, Family Guy (Fox): 4.2/ 9, How I Met Your Mother (CBS): 4.1/10, Dancing With the Stars – Monday (ABC) and 30 Rock (NBC): 3.9/ 9 each, Survivor: Gabon (CBS) and The Simpsons (Fox): 3.8/10 each, The Big Bang Theory (CBS): 3.7/10, Brothers & Sisters (ABC): 3.7/ 9, CSI: Miami (CBS): 3.6/ 9, Criminal Minds (CBS): 3.5/ 9, Vote 2008 (ABC, Tues. 8 p.m.) and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC): 3.5/ 8 each, The Amazing Race 13 (CBS): 3.4/ 8, Dancing With the Stars – Wednesday (ABC), Bones (Fox), CSI: NY (CBS) and Football Night in America, part 3 (NBC): 3.3/ 9 each, King of the Hill (Fox): 3.3/ 8, American Dad (Fox): 3.3/ 7, ER (NBC): 3.2/ 9
Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ______________________________________________________________________________
On the Air Tonight: Prime-Time Programming Options
Wednesday 11/05/08 Night 15 of the November 2008 Sweep
ABC: 8:00 p.m. The 42nd Annual CMA Awards
CBS: 8:00 p.m. The New Adventures of Old Christine 8:30 p.m. Gary Unmarried 9:00 p.m. Criminal Minds 10:00 p.m. CSI: NY
NBC: 8:00 p.m. Night Rider 9:00 p.m. Deal or No Deal 10:00 p.m. Lipstick Jungle
Fox: 8:00 p.m. Bones 9:00 p.m. House (R)
CW: 8:00 p.m. America’s Next Top Model 9:00 p.m. Stylista
MTNV 8:00 p.m. Funniest Moments 9:00 p.m. Tony Rock Project 9:30 p.m. Tony Rock Project (R)
ION 8:00 p.m. Boston Legal (R) 9:00 p.m. Boston Legal (R) 10:00 p.m. Boston Legal (R)
-More Days of Our Lives: Veteran NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives, which premiered in 1965, has been renewed for an additional 18 months past its March 2009 expiration date. They will keep it on the air until at least Sept. 2010.
-ABC Family Series Return Dates: Two ABC Family dramas will open new seasons in January. The Secret Life of an American Teenager will return on a new day, Mondays at 8 p.m., effective on Jan. 5. And season three of Kyle XY will premiere on Jan. 12 at 9 p.m. ET.
Which one of the following five series did not air on ABC?
a) Hardcastle & McCormick b) Julia c) Marcus Welby, M.D. d) The Mod Squad e) The Patty Duke Show
The answer to yesterday’s question…
Which one of the following dramas was set in the 1880s?
a) Bonanza b) The Family Holvak c) Legacy d) Maverick e) The Waltons
c) Legacy, which aired on UPN in the 1998-99 season. As for the rest, according to TV mogul Bob Ingersoll…
-Bonanza was set in the time of the Comstock Load, which was 1859 through 1874. It was always said the show took place during and immediately after the Civil War, which also fits that time period. -The Family Holvak took place during the Great Depression of the 1930s. -Maverick was also set shortly after the Civil War, when riverboat gambling was still in vogue. Since spin-off Bret Maverick was set in Sweetwater, Arizona in the 1880s, Maverick had to be 20 years earlier (or in the 1860s). -The Waltons began during the Great Depression of the 1930s, extending into the early days of World War II in the 1940s.
-Current kudos goes to: Gerry Bixenspan (2x), Larry Collins (2x), John Ferlazzo, Maureen Goldman, Bob Ingersoll, Adam Licker, Beverly Morris, Alan Perris, Deanna Rosolen
Everything looks to be about where it was before the special election coverage last week.
The only thing that stand out for me is how well that DwtS recap show does. I don't understand how people can sit through it once and yet many people are sitting through it twice? A phenomenon like that certainly doesn't give a network any reason to try real programming.
I'm also amazed at how well the DWTS recap does. Much better than previous Tuesday at 8 PM occupants. It wouldn't surprise me to see it scheduled when DWTS comes back in March.
BL is getting overexposed, causing very average ratings. Did NBC learn anything from overexposing DOND?
ES is doing terrible and it's only going to get worse if they are scheduled behind ATJ.
Originally posted by Marc Berman: -More Days of Our Lives: Veteran NBC daytime serial Days of Our Lives, which premiered in 1965, has been renewed for an additional 18 months past its March 2009 expiration date. They will keep it on the air until at least Sept. 2010.
I wouldn't be surprised if this renewal is more of a "let the producers have one final hurrah" deal than the network wanting to keep it on the air. It will be interesting to see if NBC is able to find something of value to replace this. Do we really need Today Hour 5?
Originally posted by WlcmLAPD: I'm also amazed at how well the DWTS recap does. Much better than previous Tuesday at 8 PM occupants. It wouldn't surprise me to see it scheduled when DWTS comes back in March.
I am amazed too...it is even out-performing 'Cavemen' last year.
Now just imagine the rating bump that 'Cavemen' would have got if they had done a crossover with 'Dancing with the Stars'.
Originally posted by WlcmLAPD: I'm also amazed at how well the DWTS recap does. Much better than previous Tuesday at 8 PM occupants. It wouldn't surprise me to see it scheduled when DWTS comes back in March.
I am amazed too...it is even out-performing 'Cavemen' last year.
Now just imagine the rating bump that 'Cavemen' would have got if they had done a crossover with 'Dancing with the Stars'.
LMAO! Oh somedays dumont I really wish ABC would create a sitcom about you.
Originally posted by mushu_jj: LMAO! Oh somedays dumont I really wish ABC would create a sitcom about you.
ABC already made that sitcom. It was called: dumont Saves TV. If you do an internet search on it, you will be able to find out exactly how popular it was in the ratings.
Originally posted by mushu_jj: LMAO! Oh somedays dumont I really wish ABC would create a sitcom about you.
ABC already made that sitcom. It was called: dumont Saves TV. If you do an internet search on it, you will be able to find out exactly how popular it was in the ratings.
I never missed an episode of that! I never watched it, but I never missed it ...
