Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 5/06/08

The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 16.25 million, ABC: 12.44, CBS: 10.62, NBC: 6.24, CW: 2.05

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 6.7 rating/18 share, ABC: 3.0/ 8, CBS: 2.3/ 6, NBC: 2.1/ 6, CW: 0.9/ 2

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Dancing With the Stars (ABC), NCIS (CBS), Hell’s Kitchen (Fox), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Most Outrageous Moments (NBC), Beauty and the Geek (CW), Women’s Murder Club (ABC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Fox, as usual, took top-rated honors on Tuesday. Second in total viewers and adults 18-49 was ABC, followed by CBS, NBC and the CW. But powerhouse American Idol actually took a hit against of the first hour of an expanded Dancing With the Stars on ABC, with 21.25 million viewers and an 8.2 rating/23 share from 8-9 p.m. Compared to one year earlier, that was a decrease of 4.22 million viewers (25.47 to 21.25 million) and 12 percent among adults 18-49 (9.3/28 to 8.2/23).

Second in the 8 p.m. time period was CBS’ always reliable NCIS (Viewers: 13.79 million; A18-49: 2.8/ 8), followed by first hour of the 100th episode celebration of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars (10.50 million; A18-49: 2.4/ 7), two episodes (original and repeat) of NBC’s low-rated Most Outrageous Moments (Viewers: avg. 4.21 million; A18-49: avg. 1.3/ 4), and soon-to-depart Beauty and the Geek on the CW (Viewers: 1.63 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 2).

At 9 p.m., the regularly scheduled portion of ABC’s Dancing With the Stars shared leadership with Hell’s Kitchen on Fox as follows:

Wednesday 9 p.m.
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Viewers: 18.14 million (#1), A18-49: 4.4/11 (#2)

Hell’s Kitchen (Fox)
Viewers: 11.25 million (#2), A18-49: 5.2/13 (#1)

As for Dancing With the Stars, how do you like survivor Marissa Jaret Winokur? No wonder why Sony Pictures Television has signed her to host a daytime talk show in fall 2009.

Third in the 9-10 p.m. was CBS’ recently relocated Shark (Viewers: 10.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 5), which is performing similarly to former occupant The Unit, followed by a repeat of Law & Order: SVU on NBC (Viewers: 4.06 million; A18-49: 1.4/ 4), and the CW’s Reaper (Viewers: 2.47 million; A18-49: 1.0/ 3). Worth noting for Reaper was growth out of Beauty and the Geek of 840,000 viewers and 43 percent among adults 18-49.

The regularly scheduled edition of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU won the 10 p.m. hour, with 10.44 million viewers and a 3.5/10 in the demo. Second was ABC’s relocated Women’s Murder Club (Viewers: 8.68 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 6), followed by a repeat of CSI: Miami on CBS at 7.62 million viewers and a 1.9/ 5 among adults 18-49. Comparably, retention for Women’s Murder Club out of the second half of lead-in Dancing With the Stars (Viewers: 18.54 million; A18-49: 4.6/11 at 9:30 p.m.) was just 47 percent in viewers and 48 percent among adults 18-49. Start packing, Angie Harmon!

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Hopefully, this is enough for Reaper to get renewed.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Third in the 9-10 p.m. was CBS’ recently relocated Shark (Viewers: 10.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 5), which is performing similarly to former occupant The Unit

Only about 400K less in viewers, but more importantly, the year-ago Unit got a 3.1 (over 40% higher), which was good for full retention in the demo out of NCIS. And it was facing House. If they renew Shark, it will definitely not be because it's doing favorably relative to the year-ago Unit numbers.

Nice to see Reaper still growing the audience after Beauty and the Geek.

As for L&O:SVU: that had to be the stupidest ending to an L&O show since Serena quit. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't watched it yet, but it was completely ridiculous. Casey and the Cops should be shipped to Staten Island after that.

Interesting night... Dancing was up so that helped WMC.

Everything else was down. SVU, Idol, NCIS...all down.

When did NBC switch their programming for last night? I thought they were going to air a Best of SNL last night.

I don't think the WMC ratings are that bad! It's picked up slightly from last week and has broken into the 2's in the demo! It's certainly performing better than Eli Stone did.

Plus I think WMC can get ratings where ever it is, it's one of very few shows (if any!) that actually hasn't lost any viewers since the writers strike! In fact it's gained some! I'm not giving up hope on this show yet and neither should ABC!!

Blah26: I agree with you. With the TV landscape being what it is - especially on Friday's - ABC would be foolish to airlock WMC and hope for better. CBS did that with Close To Home and the devoted following of Moonlight aside, they've suffered a bit for that rash decision.

WMC performs just fine for Friday's; it was a silly decision by ABC to put it against SVU on Tuesday. As a procedural, it has a chance of growth whereas a quirky show like Eli Stone probably does not. JMO.

Look at Idol's ratings and do the math. There were more A18-49 watching TV last night than there were on last year's comparable night. Where have they all gone? Cable?

quote:

Originally posted by spotupj:

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Third in the 9-10 p.m. was CBS’ recently relocated Shark (Viewers: 10.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 5), which is performing similarly to former occupant The Unit

Only about 400K less in viewers, but more importantly, the year-ago Unit got a 3.1 (over 40% higher), which was good for full retention in the demo out of NCIS. And it was facing House. If they renew Shark, it will definitely not be because it's doing favorably relative to the year-ago Unit numbers.

Moonlight gets better A18-49 numbers on low-HUT, low A18-49 Fridays than Shark is capable of producing on Tuesdays.

Moonlight also does a better job of retaining its lead-in young adult demo.

Time to go back to making movies, Mr. Woods.

It is losing too much of the DWTS lead-in.

quote:

Originally posted by Blah26:
I don't think the WMC ratings are that bad! It's picked up slightly from last week and has broken into the 2's in the demo! It's certainly performing better than Eli Stone did.

Plus I think WMC can get ratings where ever it is, it's one of very few shows (if any!) that actually hasn't lost any viewers since the writers strike! In fact it's gained some! I'm not giving up hope on this show yet and neither should ABC!!

quote:

Originally posted by TravisYanan:
Look at Idol's ratings and do the math. There were more A18-49 watching TV last night than there were on last year's comparable night. Where have they all gone? Cable?

Or maybe watching the Monday shows on DVR.

quote:

Originally posted by dumont:

quote:

Originally posted by spotupj:

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Third in the 9-10 p.m. was CBS’ recently relocated Shark (Viewers: 10.43 million; A18-49: 2.2/ 5), which is performing similarly to former occupant The Unit

Only about 400K less in viewers, but more importantly, the year-ago Unit got a 3.1 (over 40% higher), which was good for full retention in the demo out of NCIS. And it was facing House. If they renew Shark, it will definitely not be because it's doing favorably relative to the year-ago Unit numbers.

Moonlight gets better A18-49 numbers on low-HUT, low A18-49 Fridays than Shark is capable of producing on Tuesdays.

Moonlight also does a better job of retaining its lead-in young adult demo.

Time to go back to making movies, Mr. Woods.

Please check the data before writing on the forum

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
It is losing too much of the DWTS lead-in.

quote:

Originally posted by Blah26:
I don't think the WMC ratings are that bad! It's picked up slightly from last week and has broken into the 2's in the demo! It's certainly performing better than Eli Stone did.

Plus I think WMC can get ratings where ever it is, it's one of very few shows (if any!) that actually hasn't lost any viewers since the writers strike! In fact it's gained some! I'm not giving up hope on this show yet and neither should ABC!!

WMC pulls 8 million without any lead-in so the renwal should be based on that not on the retention

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
It is losing too much of the DWTS lead-in.

Yeah I can see that but has anything held onto that lead-in on ABC? Boston Legal didn't hold it either! It's looking like it's between Eli, Boston Legal & WMC for pick up and as Shawn says it has more of a chance of growth being a procedural! I think out of those three shows WMC should be the one to give another chance! JMO though!