Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 4/24/08

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

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 14.41 million, ABC: 12.33, Fox: 8.64, NBC: 6.53, CW: 2.91

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 4.8 rating/13 share, CBS: 4.0/11, NBC: 2.9/ 8, Fox: 2.3/ 6, CW: 1.2/ 3

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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:
Survivor: Micronesia (CBS), CSI (CBS), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Office (NBC), Without a Trace (CBS), Lost (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
My Name is Earl (NBC), Scrubs (NBC), 30 Rock (NBC), Supernatural (CW), ER (NBC)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC and CBS shared leadership on this first night of the May 2008 sweeps, with CBS the most-watched network and ABC No. 1 among adults 18-49. NBC and Fox shared the No. 3 and 4 spots; while the CW remained buried in the distant fifth position.

CBS’ perennial Survivor: Micronesia (Viewers: 12.98 million; A18-49: 4.2 rating/13 share) opened the evening on a winning note, outdelivering the return of ABC’s Ugly Betty (Viewers: #2, 8.52 million; A18-49: 2.5/ 8) by a hefty 4.46 million viewers and 40 percent in the demo. Both hours were down year-to-year as follows:

Survivor (CBS)
4/26/07 Fiji – Viewers: 13.83 million, A18-49: 4.6/14
4/24/08 Micronesia – Viewers: 12.98 million; A18-49: 4.2/13
Percent Change – Viewers: - 6, A18-49: - 9

Ugly Betty (ABC)
4/26/07 – Viewers: 9.62 million, A18-49: 3.1/ 9
4/24/08 – Viewers: 8.52 million, A18-49: 2.5/ 8
Percent Change – Viewers: -11, A18-49: - 19

Wasn’t it frustrating to see naïve Jason not use the immunity idol last night?

Also airing in the 8 p.m. hour was the first half of an expanded edition of Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Viewers: #3, 8.32 million; A18-49: #4, 2.1/ 6), NBC’s My Name is Earl (Viewers: #4, 6.06 million; A18-49: #2, 2.3/ 7) and the relocated Scrubs (Viewers: #4, 5.30 million; A18-49: #3, 2.4/ 7), and the CW’s Smallville (Viewers: #5, 3.56 million; A18-49: #5, 1.4/ 4). One look at Scubs and there is absolutely no reason for rumored ABC to be putting this on its schedule next season.

The 9 p.m. hour featured the return of the battle of CBS’ CSI and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC in originals. Take a look at the results:

Thursday 9 p.m.
CSI (CBS)
Viewers: 16.74 million (#1), A18-49: 4.6/11 (#2)

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Viewers: 16.02 million (#2), A18-49: 6.3/16 (#1)

Now take a look at the considerable erosion for both dramas from the year-ago evening:

CSI (CBS)
4/26/07 - Viewers: 20.02 million, A18-49: 5.9/15
4/24/08 - Viewers: 16.74 million; A18-49: 4.6/11
Percent Change – Viewers: -16, A18-49: -22

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
4/26/07 – Viewers: 20.08 million, A18-49: 8.4/21
4/24/08 – Viewers: 16.02 million, A18-49: 6.3/16
Percent Change – Viewers: -20, A18-49: -25

When two competing shows drop at similar significant levels, there is indeed cause for concern.

Also in the 9 p.m. hour was the second half of the expanded edition of Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Viewers: #3, 8.95 million; A18-49: #4, 2.5/ 6), NBC’s The Office (Viewers: #4, 7.56 million; A18-49: #3, 3.9/10) and relocated 30 Rock (Viewers: #4, 5.54 million; A18-49: #3, 2.8/ 7), and Supernatural on the CW (Viewers: #5, 2.27 million; A18-49: #5, 1.0/ 2). Worth noting for The Office was growth out of Scrubs of a hefty 62 percent among adults 18-49. But new lead-out 30 Rock dipped by 28 percent in the demo at 9:30 p.m.

As for The Office, I watched it again last night and really enjoyed it. For more of my thoughts, listen to today’s PIPodcast at www.marcberman.tv.
ABC’s relocated Lost and CBS’ Without a Trace shared leadership at 10 p.m. as follows:

Thursday 10 p.m.
Without a Trace (CBS)
Viewers: 13.50 million (#1), A18-49: 3.3/ 9 (#2)

Lost (ABC)
Viewers: 12.33 million (#2), A18-49: 4.8/13 (#1)

Third was NBC’s veteran ER at 7.35 million viewers and a 2.9/ 8 among adults 18-49. Yes, times have certainly changed!

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

I'll say it first: the erosion for both CSI and Grey's Anatomy is alarming.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
I'll say it first: the erosion for both CSI and Grey's Anatomy is alarming.

Yes Csi won.

Definitely a season low for SN. But I am not worried about the rest of the season, the ratings I mean. I think it will rebound next week.

And I do not know if the writers strike has anything to do with this at all. I mean the show was gaining momentum for they aired Jus in Bello, so who knows. And the DVR's have an certain effect on the ratings, so it will be interesting to see the DVR numbers in about a month.

Peace!

Lost did better than expected, but I think Grey's overrun by 2 minutes. Shouldn't affect it too much though.

Lots of stuff to talk about.

CBS: Survivor did well. Without a Trace's demo is getting a bit concerning.

NBC: What a mess. Office got hit hard, but that's the least of their concerns.

ABC: Ugly Better came back with very mediocre results. The Grey's/Lost duo did well, but I thought it would do even better.

FOX: Fifth Grader was down a lot.

CW: Yikes at Supernatural.

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
I'll say it first: the erosion for both CSI and Grey's Anatomy is alarming.

Yes Csi won.

But mot by alot

SN will end up with under 2 million for final numbers think to Chicago. Not to mention that it is easily already a series low for the show. With several reruns outperforming it this season.

quote:

Yes Csi won.

Not in the demo.

Seems like EVERYTHING was down last night. Too bad The Office is saddled between two fairly unfunny and poorly performing shows.

Sorry Walter--as unwatchable as Greys has become for me, it still whomped CSI's butt last night. I'm no devotee of the "demo is everything" school of thought, but a tiny lead in total viewers is decisively outweighed by a huge lead in 18-49 viewers.

Greys is really beyond redemption now--but CSI has likewise lost its mojo. They knocked each other out, I guess.

I think that should say something to Kripke and company. I applaud them for trying something new, but it did not work; the concept they tried. It just did not work and I think that reflects in the ratings.

Peace!

Damn, those Ugly Betty results are, well...ugly! Too bad, because the episode was REALLY good yesterday, but the promo seemed to be lacking considerably. Hope the show rebounds back into the 3s at least :\

Marc

Could you put out the half hours on SN. I am really curious if it had a higher then normal half hour drop off due to 2 factors.

1. The switch in NBC's programming at 9:30.
2. The fact that the first 12 minutes didn't feature a single regular character.

CSI's numbers are very shocking.

CSI's last original episode (2 weeks ago):
20.09M 5.9

Grey's last original episode (3 months ago):
17.86 M 7.1

Season to season Ugly Betty is not down by much, but the show is already showing age. I think I might be agreeing with pisher on this one. How long can the concept really last?

Then again, maybe the idea is to be a full satire of Dallas/Dynasty-esque soaps and just ride it into the ground for 9+ seasons... not that it could/would ever last that long.