THE PROGRAMMING INSIDER
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings:
Idol Season-Finale Tears Past the Competition
Ratings Box:
What’s Hot/What’s Not
On the Air Tonight:
Prime-Time Programming Options
TV Tidbits:
Notes of Interest
TV Trivia Time:
Not So Real
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Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings:
Idol Season-Finale Tears Past the Competition
Wednesday 5/21/08
HH
Rtg/Shr
Fox 17.5/27
CBS 6.9/11
NBC 4.9/ 8
ABC 3.1/ 5
CW 1.5/ 2
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-Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Wednesday, May 23, 2007):
CW: +36, NBC: +32, CBS: + 8, Fox: - 8, ABC: -57
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Note: The fast affiliate results for Thursday 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 Thursday, May 22, 2008.
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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Opposite the Idol steamroller, we’ll give everyone a pass this time around.
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-Ratings Breakdown:
As expected, American Idol-ignited Fox roared past the competition on this final night of the May 2008 sweeps. The two-hour season-finale of Idol averaged a significant 17.5 rating/27 share in the overnights from 8-10 p.m., building by half-hour as follows:
American Idol (Fox)
8:00 p.m. 14.1/24
8:30 p.m. 16.7/27
9:00 p.m. 18.4/28
9:30 p.m. 20.7/31
Although the year-ago finale was a 19.0/30 in the overnights, let’s be honest. American Idol is still a powerhouse. Congratulations, David Cook! The right contestant won.
Distant second-place CBS opened the evening with The Price Is Right (#2: 4.6/ 7), followed by the season-finales of Criminal Minds (#2: 8.4/13) and CSI: NY (#1: 7.8/12) from 9-11 p.m. Criminal Minds, of course, deserves accolades for still standing tall opposite American Idol.
Next was NBC care of two repeat episodes of Law & Order from 8-10 p.m. (third-place 4.0/ 6 in each hour), followed by the season-finale at a second-place 6.6/10 at 10 p.m. Look for the return of Law & Order (season No. 19) on NBC in 2008-09 in midseason.
Two enhanced repeat episodes of ABC’s Lost were not competitive, with an average fourth-place 2.4/ 4 in the overnights from 8-10 p.m. That led into the season-finale of Boston Legal, which disappointed at a last-place 4.6/ 8 at 10 p.m. Next season, Boston Legal moves to Monday at 10 p.m. (out of Samantha Who?) for its final 13 episodes.
Two repeat episodes of the CW’s Farmer Wants a Wife finished a distant fifth with an average 1.5/ 2 in the overnights from 8-10 p.m. Please…it’s enough with these inane reality/competitions already!
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
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Ratings Box:
What’s Hot/What’s Not
-Updated May 2008 Results:
Based on ratings through Monday, May 19 (and excluding the Tuesday and Wednesday airings of Fox’s American Idol this week), CBS and Fox are leading in the May 2008 sweeps. CBS is first in households and total viewers; Fox is No. 1 in the three key demos -- adults 18-49, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34. But both networks are down year-to-year at similar levels.
ABC ranks second across the board in the five surveyed categories (tied with CBS among adults 25-54), with rapidly declining NBC fourth, the CW fifth and improved MyNetwork TV sixth. Of the six networks, only MyNetwork TV has improved over one year earlier, with growth of as much as 33 percent among adults 18-34 as a result of abandoning the telenovelas. The arrival of WWE Smackdown! next October will keep the two-year-old network on the plus side.
Here are the results for the May 2008 sweeps to-date from April 24 through May 19, 2008 (with change versus the comparable year-ago period in parentheses). Keep in mind that the final two nights of American Idol will give Fox a boost.
Households:
CBS: 6.7 rating/11 share (- 8), ABC: 6.3/11 (-10), Fox: 5.5/ 9 (- 8), NBC: 4.0/ 7 (-18), CW: 1.7/ 3 (-19), MNTV: 0.8/ 1 (+14)
Total Viewers:
CBS: 10.51 million (- 8), ABC: 9.64 (-10), Fox: 8.99 (- 8), NBC: 5.99 (-20), CW: 2.73 (-14), MNTV: 1.18 (+24)
Adults 18-49:
Fox: 3.4 rating/10 share (-11), ABC: 3.1/ 9 (-18), CBS: 2.8/ 8 (-13), NBC: 1.9/ 5 (-27), CW: 1.1/ 3 (-15), MNTV: 0.5/ 1 (+25)
Adults 25-54:
Fox: 3.8/10 (- 7), CBS: 3.7/10 (-10), ABC: 3.7/10 (-14), NBC: 2.3/ 6 (-23), CW: 1.1/ 3 (- 8), MNTV: 0.5/ 1 (+25)
Adults 18-34:
Fox: 2.9/ 9 (-17), ABC: 2.4/ 8 (-23), CBS: 1.8/ 6 (-14), NBC: 1.5/ 5 (-29), CW: 1.2/ 4 (-20), MNTV: 0.4/ 1 (+33)
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
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On the Air Tonight:
Prime-Time Programming Options
Thursday 5/22/08
ABC:
8:00 p.m. Ugly Betty (season finale)
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy (season finale, two hours)
CBS:
8:00 p.m. The Big Bang Theory (R)
8:30 p.m. How I Met Your Mother (R)
9:00 p.m. CSI (R)
10:00 p.m. Without a Trace (R)
NBC:
8:00 p.m. Deal or No Deal (90 minutes)
9:30 p.m. The Last Comic Standing (season premiere, 90 minutes)
Fox:
8:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance (season premiere, two hours)
CW:
8:00 p.m. Smallville (R)
9:00 p.m. Supernatural (R)
MTNV
8:00 p.m. Movie: Mighty Quinn (R)
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TV Tidbits:
Notes of Interest
-MyNetworkTV Programming Update:
In addition to the arrival of WWE Smackdown! in October, MyNetworkTV has announced renewals next season for non-scripted series Jail and Street Patrol, 13 new episodes of Magic’s Biggest Secrets Revealed, and a new series called Funniest Moments. Riding the wave of the You Tube and online video craze, Funniest Moments will capture life’s most outrageous moments caught on tape. Thursday and Saturday will remain movie nights on MyNetworkTV. And the original specials will include the 2008 World Magic Awards, the 2008 World Music Awards, and Toasted, Not Roasted, which will feature a variety of celebrities in a modern day twist on the classic comedy roast.
-Another Potential Name in Syndicated Talk:
Yet another name has popped up in the crowded fall 2009 talk show waters: T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor and successful entrepreneur who has made several appearances on Dr. Phil. The potential talk show project, which is from CBS Television Distribution and Dr. Phil and Jay McGraw’s Stage 29 production company, is expected to be relationship driven.
-More Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil:
Comedy Central has renewed Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil for a second season, which kicks off on Wednesday, July 30 at 10:30 p.m. ET. Comparably, season one averaged 1.9 million viewers, ranking first in its time period among men 18-24 and men 18-34.
-Heroes the Trading Cards:
NBC Universal Television, DVD, Music & Consumer Products Group has debuted the first set of collectible trading cards for drama Heroes from Topps. Ninety cards will be featured in the first set, which will focus on characters and scenes from the first season of the show.
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-More Summer 2008 Entries:
Since I failed to include a number of original series in my tally of upcoming summer 2008 entries yesterday, here is a revised listing:
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox): Thursday, May 22: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere)
The Last Comic Standing (NBC): Thursday, May 22: 9:30 p.m. ET (season premiere)
The Moment of Truth (Fox): Tuesday, May 27: 8 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Million Dollar Password (CBS): Sunday, June 1: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Bridezillas (WE tv): Sunday, June 1: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
The Mole (ABC): Monday, June 2: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
She’s Got the Look (TV Land): Wednesday, June 4: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Fear Itself (NBC): Thursday, June 5: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Swingtown (CBS): Thursday, June 5: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Army Wives (Lifetime): Sunday, June 8: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Denise Richards: It’s Complicated (E!): Sunday, June 8: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Living Lohan (E!): Sunday, June 8, 10:30 pm. ET (premiere)
Nashville Star (NBC): Monday, June 9: 9:30 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Celebrity Circus (NBC): Wednesday, June 11: 9:30 p.m. ET (premiere)
My Boys (TBS): Thursday, June 12: 9:30 p.m. (season premiere)
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo): Thursday, June 12: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
America’s Got Talent (NBC): Tuesday, June 17: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Flipping Out (Bravo): Tuesday, June 17: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Gene Simmons’ Family Jewels (A&E): Sunday, June 22, 9:30 p.m. ET (season premiere)
The Two Coreys (A&E): Sunday, June 22: 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC): Tuesday, June 24: 9 p.m. ET (premiere)
Baby Borrowers (NBC): Wednesday, June 25: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Shear Genius (Bravo): Wednesday, June 25: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Dance Machine (ABC): Friday, June 27: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Duel (ABC): Friday, June 27: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Celebrity Family Feud (NBC): Tuesday, July 1: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Greatest American Dog (CBS): Thursday, July 10: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Flashpoint (CBS): Friday, July 11: 10 p.m. ET (premiere)
Big Brother 10 (CBS): Tuesday, July 15: 9 p.m. ET (season premiere)
Family Foreman (TV Land): Wednesday, July 16: 10:30 p.m. ET (premiere)
The Gong Show with Dave Attell (Comedy Central): Tuesday, July 17: 10:30 p.m. ET (premiere)
Psych (USA): Wednesday, July 18, 10 p.m. ET (season premiere)
High School Musical: Get in the Picture (ABC): Monday, July 21: 8 p.m. ET (premiere)
Wanna Bet (ABC): Monday, July 21: 9 p.m. ET (premiere)
Jingles (CBS): Sunday, July 27: 9 p.m. ET (premiere)
Eureka (Sci Fi): Tuesday, July 29 (season premiere)
Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil (Comedy Central): Wednesday, July 30: 10:30 p.m. ET
Also in July:
Project Runway in Bravo
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TV Trivia Time:
Not So Real
Which one of the following five options was not the title of a television show?
a) Goode Behavior
b) Happy
c) Mad About You
d) Mean Streets
e) Nasty Boys
The answer to yesterday’s question…
What high school did Rory Gilmore go to?
a) Cheshire Academy
b) Chilton Academy
c) Oak Creek
d) Eastland
e) Verde Valley Institute
Is: b) Chilton Academy. Little Miss Goodie Two Shows was a straight A student.
-Current kudos goes to:
Joanne Albrecht, Carolyn Bisson, Gerry Bixenspan, Vanessa Coates, Melanie Caselas, Larry Collins (2x), Zach Gray, Heidi Hoffmeister, David Jackino, Deb Kainer, Meg Kohr, Anne Leahy, Cheryl Lightfoot, Kelly Lindley, Cheryl Luciani, Debbie Millman, Tony Naldrett, Kathleen Pearson, Francine Purcell, Gordon Purcell, Kelly Robinson, Ruby Rodriguez, Colleen Roth, Maureen Ruane, Rich Seiber, Mitch Sickafoose, Carol Teichman, Margaret Thomas, Lauren Unger, Myndi Weinraub, Larry Weinstock
