Friday 12/19/08

What follows are the final national ratings for Friday, Dec. 19 broken out by network overall and by half-hour in the order of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW.

Overall

Total Viewers:
CBS: 9.07 million, Fox: 5.59, NBC: 5.21, ABC: 4.10, CW: 1.36

Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.1 rating/7 share, NBC and Fox: 1.3/ 4 each, ABC: 1.2/ 4, CW: 0.5/ 2

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8:00 p.m.

ABC – Wife Swap (R)
Viewers: 3.60 million (#3), A18-49: 1.1 rating/ 4 share (#3)

CBS – Ghost Whisperer
Viewers: 9.83 million (#1), A18-49: 2.4/ 8 (#1)

NBC – Momma’s Boy (R)
Viewers: 3.46 million (#4), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#4)

Fox – Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Viewers: 5.86 million (#2), A18-49: 1.3/ 4 (#2)

CW – Everybody Hates Chris (R)
Viewers: 1.52 million (#5), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#5)

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8:30 p.m.

ABC – Wife Swap (R)
Viewers: 3.34 million (#3), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#3)

CBS – Ghost Whisperer
Viewers: 10.65 million (#1), A18-49: 2.7/ 9 (#1)

NBC – Momma’s Boy (R)
Viewers: 2.89 million (#4), A18-49: 0.9/ 3 (#4)

Fox – Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Viewers: 6.47 million (#2), A18-49: 1.3/ 4 (#2)

CW – The Game (R)
Viewers: 1.34 million (#5), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#5)

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9:00 p.m.

ABC – Supernanny (R)
Viewers: 3.05 million (#4), A18-49: 1.0/ 3 (#4)

CBS – Numb3rs (R)
Viewers: 8.04 million (#1), A18-49: 1.8/ 6 (#1)

NBC – Dateline
Viewers: 5.73 million (#2), A18-49: 1.4/ 4 (#2)

Fox – Don’t Forget the Lyrics
Viewers: 4.70 million (#3), A18-49: 1.2/ 3 (#3)

CW – Everybody Hates Chris (R)
Viewers: 1.31 million (#5), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#5)

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9:30 p.m.

ABC – Supernanny (R)
Viewers: 3.23 million (#4), A18-49: 1.1/ 3 (#4)

CBS – Numb3rs (R)
Viewers: 7.54 million (#1), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#1t)

NBC – Dateline
Viewers: 6.44 million (#2), A18-49: 1.4/ 4 (#2)

Fox – Don’t Forget the Lyrics
Viewers: 4.70 million (#3), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#1t)

CW – The Game (R)
Viewers: 1.25 million (#5), A18-49: 0.5/ 2 (#5)

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10:00 p.m.

ABC – 20/20
Viewers: 5.32 million (#3), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#2t)

CBS – Numb3rs
Viewers: 9.25 million (#1), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#1)

NBC – Dateline
Viewers: 6.24 million (#2), A18-49: 1.5/ 5 (#2t)

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10:30 p.m.

ABC – 20/20
Viewers: 6.08 million (#3), A18-49: 1.7/ 5 (#2)

CBS – Numb3rs
Viewers: 9.10 million (#1), A18-49: 2.1/ 6 (#1)

NBC – Dateline
Viewers: 6.53 million (#2), A18-49: 1.6/ 5 (#3)


Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Marc,

I missed you.

We all missed you.

I hope you are ok.

I prayed at Youth group.

First off, welcome back Marc! Hope everything is OK.

As for the ratings:

Over at ABC, WS/Supernanny repeats didn't do much. Interesting that WS repeated better than Supernanny. I do question whether the lower lead in ratings is causing 20/20 to rate lower.

NBC got really low repeat ratings for Mamma's Boys. That's not a good sign when it moves to Monday. Dateline did decently considering that it had no lead in, but it rated lower than last week.

CBS got really good ratings for GW and Numbers. Numbers repeat did decently.

CW didn't get much out of The Game/EHC repeats. In fact, it didn't do much better at 9 PM than ANTM encores.

FOX got typical ratings out of AYSTA5thG and DFTL. However, AYSTA5thG is skewing really old this year.

Welcome back, Marc. I've been thinking of you all week, and the difficult times you've been experiencing. You're in mourning, and I'm appreciative that you're taking some time today (on a Saturday) to post Nielsens at the definitive ratings website that you created.

Dateline back to earth (though still stronger than Crusoe/LJ), 5th Grader not really benefiting from the lack of DOND, Numb3rs not nearly the repeating option at 9pm that NCIS/Mentalist were.

Thanks and welcome back, Marc.

CBS Victory Train Coming 'Round the Bend in Week 13

After five nights of Week 13, CBS leads in A18-49 with a commanding 3.14 average, while NBC (the only net with a shot at first depending on how well Sunday football does) is second in A18-49 with a 2.33 average in A18-49, FOX is third with 1.80, ABC fourth with a 1.58 just three basis points ahead of Univision in fifth with 1.55, The CW is sixth with a 0.62, while MyNetworkTV trails with 0.44 in A18-49.

In viewers, CBS has a dominating average of 12,575,000 viewers, while NBC is second, FOX third, ABC fourth, Univision fifth, The CW sixth and MyNetworkTV seventh, though MyNet is expected to climb to sixth once 'WWE Friday Night Smackdown' numbers are released on Monday.

Week 13, Five Nights (4 Finals, 1 FASTnat)
# Network A18-49 (%YOY) Millions of Viewers (%YOY)
====================================================
1. CBS 3.14  (+32%) 12.575 (+39%)
2. NBC 2.33   (-2%)  6.517 (-10%)
3. FOX 1.80  (-12%)  5.590 (-7%)
4. ABC 1.58   (-9%)  4.974 (-16%)
5. UNI 1.55   (+9%)  4.085 (+10%) <- 4 nights
6. CW  0.62  (-28%)  1.556 (-33%) 
7. MNT 0.44   (-5%)  1.393 (+18%) <- 4 nights

YOY = Year-Over-Year increase/decrease to same week last year.

Year-Over-Year 7-Network Demo/Viewer Growth(+)/Erosion(-)
Night A18-49 +/- Viewers +/-
=========================================================
Week 13:
--------
Monday:    A: +13% V:  +6%
Tuesday:   A:  +7% V: +11%
Wednesday: A:  +3% V:  +7%
Thursday:  A: -14% V: -12%
Friday:    A:  -6% V:  +3%
  

Guven how well CBS did this week those numbers are actually kind of weak. Especially Num3ers's. Still don't understand why CBS airs a repeat before an original episode

Welcome back Marc! As we've all missed you this week and we hope you're doing better everyday.

WOW! good night for CBS as usual on Fridays. GW is a bonifide hit and it produces like no other show in its genre on TV right now. GW is the highest rated Sci-Fi/Paranormal/Fantasy/Chick Show on TV right now. I saw it on DVR last night and the ending was awesome and emotional as we got to see out Melinda try her chance at love.

NUMB3RS repeats solid, but not like NCIS or The Mentalist has. NUMB3RS may need to move from Fridays next year so it can get some higher hut-level eyes during the week and establish better repeat numbers. NUMB3RS new episode numbers were very high and dominate at 10pm and Flashpoint is definitely going to help raise those numbers some although FP should be on at 10pm not 9pm.

FOX's 5th Grader has done way better as of late then its done the rest of the season, but demos are still pretty low. 5th Grader producing over 6 million viewers on a Friday is just what FOX needs and their going to miss it when the new Sci-Fi FOX Friday comes aboard February 13 with T:SCC and Dollhouse with the very hot Eliza Dishku. DFTL's ratings were solid, but disappointing as it should've did better like it has lately.

NBC much needed improvement with Dateline and NBC needs Howie Do It to do well in a few weeks. Momma's Boys is a horrible show and it repeated horribly like America's Toughest Jobs and Crusoe for the network.

ABC, I'm going to say this every week until they bring back TGIF. Those numbers for their mediocre reality shows were god awful. Its great to be cheap with your programming and all, but I would rather struggle with originals financially with better viewer and demo numbers then give up on the entire night. People love to watch ABC on Fridays if given a reason to and some new multi-cam family comedies can do that for them.

The CW still programs?

MyNetworkTV with new WWE Champion Jeff Hardy should have a huge rating from that episode as SD! has already made MNTV into a better network year to year. SD!'s 9pm numbers are really high and are getting closer to their CW levels.

Again The CW still exists?

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Guven how well CBS did this week those numbers are actually kind of weak. Especially Num3ers's. Still don't understand why CBS airs a repeat before an original episode

I agree with you, but I think they do it so people will watch the repeat before the original and won't have a low rating for a repeat during the 10pm hour.

Had NUMB3RS aired behind GW they would've had over 10 million viewers for that episode.

Thank you for the posting, Marc. I know this is a difficult time for you. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Welcome back Marc.

Good night for CBS. over at NBC, Dateline did okay and everything else was a big bof....

quote:

1. CBS 3.14  (+32%) 12.575 (+39%)

The other networks should have no excuse for low ratings. If CBS can grow year over year (even in the demos) then the other networks should too.

Yes, but most of CBS' growth this week is based on the fact that ABC and FOX were in repeats. Most of the ABC's and FOX's decline this week were based on the fact that they were in repeats.

I think this is a point to strengthen the argument that networks can't rely on repeats and need to do more of a year round scheduling (which other networks have thought about for a while now). If CBS can still produce decent numbers during December, there's no reason for other networks to completely shut down in December.

quote:

Originally posted by yankeesrj12:

quote:

1. CBS 3.14  (+32%) 12.575 (+39%)

The other networks should have no excuse for low ratings. If CBS can grow year over year (even in the demos) then the other networks should too.

I think the repeat of Numbers was just a place holder for Flashpoint. CBS could have ran two original Numbers episodes at 9 PM and 10 PM, but then they would be one short and have to repeat it later in the year.

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
Guven how well CBS did this week those numbers are actually kind of weak. Especially Num3ers's. Still don't understand why CBS airs a repeat before an original episode

To be fair, WS and Supernanny were in repeats, so their numbers were going to be lower. I think ABC should focus their effort on Tuesday and Wednesday comedy blocks in order for their comedies (some of them which sound quite good)to get maximum exposure. I think it's just a case of finding the right shows on Friday that makes their current Friday idea work.

However, if they do bring back scripted fare on Fridays, I could see something like Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas placed on Fridays.

quote:

Originally posted by BlueLick:

ABC, I'm going to say this every week until they bring back TGIF. Those numbers for their mediocre reality shows were god awful. Its great to be cheap with your programming and all, but I would rather struggle with originals financially with better viewer and demo numbers then give up on the entire night. People love to watch ABC on Fridays if given a reason to and some new multi-cam family comedies can do that for them.