-Ratings Breakdown: CBS scored a three-tier Friday victory opposite movies on ABC, NBC and Fox, with a first-place finish in households, total viewers and adults 18-49. The Eye net opened the evening with the underrated Ghost Whisperer at 10.75 million viewers and a 3.1 rating/10 share among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. That led into he older skewing Close to Home (Viewers: #1, 10.38 million; A18-49: #2, 2.3/ 7) at 9 p.m., followed by sleeper success Numb3rs at a dominant 11.62 million viewers and a 3.0/ 9 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. When I refer to Close To Home as older skewing, by the way, I do not consider that a bad thing. The networks need to start realizing the value of the 50+ crowd. And the reason why Close To Home was listed as an honorable mention instead of as a winner was the loss of 26 percent among adults 18-49 out of Ghost Whisperer.
ABC finished second in total viewers and adults 18-49 as a result of theatrical Shrek 2 (Viewers: #2, 7.26 million; A18-49: #2, 2.4/ 8 from 8-10 p.m.) and 20/20 (Viewers: #3: 6.79 million; A18-49: #3, 2.3/ 7 at 10 p.m.). As for the segment on 20/20 featuring Mayim Bialik, I hate to disagree but Blossom was never a huge hit. It did well among female teens -- that was really about it.
Next up in total viewers and adults 18-49 was NBC courtesy of movie The Family Man at 7.02 million viewers and a 2.1/ 7 among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. Fox also aired a movie, with Jim Carrey theatrical Bruce Almighty at 5.27 million viewers (#4) and a 2.1/ 7 in the demo (#2t) from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, Bruce Almighty outdelivered the CW’s perennial Friday Night Smackdown! (Viewers: 4.07 million; A18-49: 1.3/ 4 from 8-10 p.m.) by 1.20 million viewers and 62 percent among adults 18-49. Maybe Fox should consider closing the week with a movie instead of non-scripted programming.
Originally posted by Marc Berman: Next up in total viewers and adults 18-49 was NBC courtesy of movie The Family Man at 7.02 million viewers and a 2.1/ 7 among adults 18-49 from 8-11 p.m. Fox also aired a movie, with Jim Carrey theatrical Bruce Almighty at 5.27 million viewers (#4) and a 2.1/ 7 in the demo (#2t) from 8-10 p.m. Comparably, Bruce Almighty outdelivered the CW’s perennial Friday Night Smackdown! (Viewers: 4.07 million; A18-49: 1.3/ 4 from 8-10 p.m.) by 1.20 million viewers and 62 percent among adults 18-49. Maybe Fox should consider closing the week with a movie instead of non-scripted programming.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
I agree. In recent seasons, FOX has had some obsession with placing a science fiction show on Friday nights ever since The X-Files caught on but even that series got more popular (actually reached the top-20 most-watched programs of the season in 1997-98) when it moved to Sunday nights.
Careful Marc. If memory serves, the networks' (with the exeception of Fox) first move in de-programming original programming on Saturdays began with a a move to theatrical movies. With decreasing HUT levels on Fridays, it may suffer the same fate.
quote:
Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Maybe Fox should consider closing the week with a movie instead of non-scripted programming.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data
Posts: 1664 | Location: Great White North | Registered: 10 November 2006
You know, last season Fox gave quite a bit of advertising to Trading Spouses on Friday. I think that if the network would do the same this year the numbers would go up.
Movies are not a bad idea for Fox on Friday considering that they are drawing better than Fox's original Trading Spouses drew last Friday (5.27 mil to 3.59 last Friday for Trading Spouses).
Of Course, Fox could also develop some shows that are worth watching!
