Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 10/02/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 11.15 million, ABC: 10.25, NBC: 9.45, Fox: 3.95, CW: 3.76

-Adults 18-49:
NBC: 3.7 rating/9 share, CBS: 3.5/ 9, ABC: 3.3/ 8, Fox: 1.6/ 4, CW: 1.5/ 4

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
Survivor: Gabon (CBS), The Vice Presidential Debate, which totaled a hefty (and approximate) 33.99 million viewers and an 11.7 rating/27 share on ABC, CBS, NBC from 9-10:30 p.m.

-Continues to Lose Steam:
Smallville (CW)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Ugly Betty (ABC), My Name is Earl (NBC), Hole in the Wall (Fox)

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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.

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-Ratings Breakdown:
CBS and NBC shared leadership on this atypical second Thursday of the 2008-09 season, with CBS the most-watched network (900,000 viewers ahead of second-place ABC) and NBC No. 1 among adults 18-49 (six percent above second-place CBS). The big news last night, of course, was the vice presidential debate between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and Republican nominee Sarah Palin.

CBS’ veteran Survivor: Gabon opened the evening with a still dominant 12.85 million viewers and a 4.3 eating/12 share from 8-9 p.m. But one year earlier, Survivor: China was stronger at 14.14 million viewers and a 4.5/13 in the demo. Tied for second in the hour were ABC’s Ugly Betty and two episodes of NBC’s My Name is Earl as follows:

Thursday 8 p.m.
Ugly Betty (ABC)
Viewers: 8.58 million (#2), A18-49: 2.6/ 7 (#3)

My Name is Earl (NBC)
Viewers: 7.01 million (#3), A18-49: 2.8/ 8 (#3)

Compared to the year-ago evening, Ugly Betty dipped by 1.32 million viewers (9.90 to 8.58 million) and 24 percent among adults 18-49 (3.4/10 to 2.6/ 7). My Name is Earl, meanwhile, slipped by 970,000 viewers (7.98 to 7.01 million) and 21 percent in the demo (3.3/10 to 2.6/ 7). That is significant for both.

Rounding off the 8-9 p.m. hour were the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5: 3.95 million; A18-49: #4: 1.6/ 4), which dipped year-to-year by 640,000 viewers (4.59 to 3.95 million) and 16 percent among adults 18-49 (1.9/ 5 to 1.6/ 4), and two episodes of Fox’s ludicrous Hole in the Wall (Viewers: #5, avg. 3.54 million; A18-49: #5, avg. 1.5/ 4). I smell a new addition for Mr. TV’s annual TV Turkeys column, don’t you?

Each of the Big 3 networks were on the map courtesy of coverage of Joe Biden vs. Sarah Palin from 9-10:30 p.m. Keeping in mind that results for any live event are always approximate, here are the results:

Vice Presidential Debate: 9-10:30 p.m.
ABC – Viewers: 11.58 million (#1), A18-49: 3.9/ 9 (#2)
NBC – Viewers: 11.32 million (#2), A18-49: 4.4/10 (#1)
CBS – Viewers: 11.09 million (#3), A18-49: 3.4/ 8 (#3)

Fox, meanwhile, averaged 4.37 million viewers and a 1.8/ 4 in the demo from 9-10 p.m.

The CW stuck with its regularly scheduled Supernatural, which scored 3.57 million viewers and a 1.5/ 3 among adults 18-49, with retention out of Smallville of 90 percent in total viewers and 83 percent in the demo.

The half-hour analysis on The Big performed as follows in the overnights at 10:30 p.m.

Vice Presidential Debate Analysis – 10:30 p.m.
ABC – Viewers: 9.23 million (#1), A18-49: 3.0/ 8 (#2)
NBC – Viewers: 8.75 million (#2), A18-49: 3.3/ 8 (#1)
CBS - Viewers: 7.91 million (#3), A18-49: 2.4/ 6 (#3)

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

I would love for someone to put a study together of why people choose the broadcast network they do for these presidential/VP debate (since the news cable outlets have pretty distinct identities on the political spectrum). It fascinates me that there's such a distinct difference between the Big 3 (4? Did Fox run the debate? Or did it leave that to FNC?) Is it viewers showing their brand allegiance... or at least news-brand allegiance?

Can you please supply the half hour breakdowns of Smallville and Supernatural?

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
I would love for someone to put a study together of why people choose the broadcast network they do for these presidential/VP debate (since the news cable outlets have pretty distinct identities on the political spectrum). It fascinates me that there's such a distinct difference between the Big 3 (4? Did Fox run the debate? Or did it leave that to FNC?) Is it viewers showing their brand allegiance... or at least news-brand allegiance?

perhaps those lacking cable? not everyone has cable/dish you know...

Travis, I think it is a reflection of news brand allegience. I find it amazing that Survivor was #1 in the demo and way ahead in viewers, yet a debate that will look the same on every network has a viewer shift that puts CBS in third place. CBS needs an overhaul of their news department...probably starting with their morning show. If I didn't know better, I'd think that someone must be sleeping with someone important in order to keep their news job. ;-)

quote:

Originally posted by gdfriends:
perhaps those lacking cable? not everyone has cable/dish you know...

You missed the point.

Smallville
8:00 p.m. V: 3.80 m, A18-49: 1.5/ 4
8:30 p.m. V: 4.09 m, A18-49: 1.6/ 4

Supernatural
9:00 p.m. V: 3.75 m, A18-49: 1.5/ 3
9:30 p.m. V: 3.40 m, A18-49: 1.4/ 3

quote:

Originally posted by jamhexxx:
Can you please supply the half hour breakdowns of Smallville and Supernatural?

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Smallville
8:00 p.m. V: 3.80 m, A18-49: 1.5/ 4
8:30 p.m. V: 4.09 m, A18-49: 1.6/ 4

Supernatural
9:00 p.m. V: 3.75 m, A18-49: 1.5/ 3
9:30 p.m. V: 3.40 m, A18-49: 1.4/ 3

quote:

Originally posted by jamhexxx:
Can you please supply the half hour breakdowns of Smallville and Supernatural?

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
I would love for someone to put a study together of why people choose the broadcast network they do for these presidential/VP debate (since the news cable outlets have pretty distinct identities on the political spectrum). It fascinates me that there's such a distinct difference between the Big 3 (4? Did Fox run the debate? Or did it leave that to FNC?) Is it viewers showing their brand allegiance... or at least news-brand allegiance?

I have always wondered that too!!

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
I would love for someone to put a study together of why people choose the broadcast network they do for these presidential/VP debate (since the news cable outlets have pretty distinct identities on the political spectrum). It fascinates me that there's such a distinct difference between the Big 3 (4? Did Fox run the debate? Or did it leave that to FNC?) Is it viewers showing their brand allegiance... or at least news-brand allegiance?

It might just come down to which local affliate is the local market news leader which would help the network the affilite is associated with.

Supernatural did good, MLB Playoffs was the other thing for people to watch too in that hour so a good number for Supernatural. That means it held around 85-90% of Smallville's audience for the first time in years. The CW is just such a bad network that anything that they air on there will seem like it fails.

Ugly Betty and Earl are starting to become huge disappointments every Thursday their ratings become lower and lower. UB's ratings are good for a solid ratings performer, but UB is supposed to be a hit that gets between 11-15 million viewers on average and it doesn't do that.

MyNetworkTV is really slowly becoming a fifth place network. Last night they had the Magic show and I was entertained and they'll have a huge premiere for Smackdown!

I think Worst Week has one more week to prove itself on Monday. If it doesn't improve then CBS will yank it and make some heavy changes to their comedy lineups on Monday and Wednesday. I think Rules of Engagement needs to go back into production as soon as possible. CBS may need to make another sitcom for mid-season just in case Gary doesn't deliver on Monday nights.

If NBC is bringing back The Partridge Family then Thursday might need to change its whole interface and get rid of those single-cam comedies.

NBC should do this next year on Thursdays:
7-The Partridge Family
8-The Office
8:30-The Office (spin-off or a whole hour of Office)
9-New LA Police Series from ER creator.

If Partridge Family performs just as good as KR is doing currently then they might want to make this a young skewing night and bring back The Brady Bunch. Silverman loves retro TV programming.

Can anyone post the baseball numbers when they get available.

from Wed night and Thursday?

come join me in the chat.

Tina Fey back on SNL this saturday. Should be fun

Betty did about as well as expected given Greys was not airing.