Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 11/07/07

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

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 15.93 million, CBS: 11.52, Fox: 6.40, NBC: 6.32, CW: 3.79

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 5.4 rating/14 share, CBS: 3.1/ 8, Fox: 2.6/ 7, NBC: 2.5/ 7, CW: 1.8/ 5

----------

-Yesterday’s Winners:
The 41st Annual Country Music Association Awards (ABC), America’s Next Top Model (CW), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Kid Nation (CBS), Phenomenon (NBC), Back To You (Fox), ‘Til Death (Fox), Bionic Woman (NBC), Gossip Girl (CW), Life (NBC)

----------

Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Also, since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 9 percent in early 2006-07 to approximately 20 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

----------

-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC got over “the Wednesday hump” in winning fashion, with the 41st Annual Country Music Association Awards at a healthy 15.93 million viewers and a 5.4 rating/14 share from 8-11 p.m. Comparably, last year’s CMA Awards averaged an almost duplicate 15.96 million viewers, with a 5.4 rating/13 share in the demo.

CBS finished second overall in both total viewers and adults 18-49 on the strength of Criminal Minds (Viewers: #2, 14.54 million; A18-49: #2, 3.8/ 9) and CSI: NY (Viewers: #2, 12.87 million; A18-49: #2, 3.5/10) from 9-11 p.m. But 8 p.m. occupant Kid Nation (Viewers: #2, 7.16 million; A18-49: #4, 2.1/ 6) remains the weak link. One year earlier, former occupant Jericho averaged 9.68 million viewers and a 3.0/ 8 among adults 18-49 from 8-9 p.m. Was Kid Nation really so “special” that it needed to air on the fall schedule?

Fox finished third overall care of mid-level sitcoms Back To You (Viewers: #3, 6.38 million; A18-49: #2t, 2.2/ 6) and ‘Til Death (Viewers: #3, 6.48 million; A18-49: #3, 2.4/ 6, and Kitchen Nightmares (Viewers: #4, 6.37 million; A18-49: #3, 2.9/ 7). Comparatively, Kitchen Nightmares outdelivered the year-ago Wednesday 9 p.m. telecast of The O.C. (Viewers: 3.73 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 4 on Nov. 8, 2006) by a hefty 2.64 million viewers and 81 percent among adults 18-49. But year-ago 8 p.m. occupant Bones was considerably strong than the comedies, with 7.52 million viewers and a 2.8/ 8 in the demo.

NBC, which sunk to fourth in both total viewers and adults 18-49, opened the evening with week three of reality/competition Phenomenon at a less-than-phenomenal 6.10 million viewers (#4) and a 2.2/ 6 in the demo (#4) at 8 p.m. That led into fading Bionic Woman at a series-low 6.44 million viewers (#3) and a 2.7/ 7 among adults 18-49 (#3) at 9 p.m., followed by Life at a last-place 6.41 million viewers and a 2.6/ 7 in the demo at 10 p.m. Keep in mind that Bionic Woman opened with 13.91 million viewers and a 5.7/14 among adults 18-49 on Sept. 26. As predicted, it is fading fast.

The CW also came in at typical midweek levels with its line-up of golden child America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 5.07 million; A18-49: #2, 2.5/ 7), which was close to solid year-ago levels, and Gossip Girl (Viewers: #5, 2.51 million; A18-49: #5, 1.2/ 3). Compared to former 9 p.m. occupant One Tree Hill (Viewers: 3.56 million; A18-49: 1.6/ 4 on Nov. 8, 2006), Gossip Girl dipped by 1.05 million viewers and 25 percent among adults 18-49. As I always say, serialized dramas need time to find an audience. But, as I now so, the current writers strike will not help the situation.

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Wow, Pushing Daisies did a LOT better this week. The name and format change are working wonders.

So Chuck is now officially NBC's most successful new show?!

alright well i know with the strike, this is not probable but im going to give my views anyway.

ABC- CMA's did well in the time slots even though i would never watch it
CBS- kid nation seems to be solid at those numbers but jericho did better
nbc- life and bionic women should be cancelled, dropping severly
fox- AVERAGE
cw- antm is a hit, gossip girl cancellation clock is ticking

Bionic Woman is still NBC's fourth highest rated drama.

BW should be canceled but it won't be. In fact NBC will try to relaunch it with a two episodes night. They are nuts if they think this show can rebound.

The CMA audience is scary loyal.

I'm actually somewhat encouraged by the Life number. It's probably not enough to re-open production after the strike, but obviously it's not completely tanking along with its lead-in. A lot of people chose not to come back to the Bionic Woman, apparently. Meanwhile, NBC needs to replace Phenomenon with Deal or No Deal and ship Phenomenon to Friday. Deal is still too strong to rot away on Friday at this point. Let's hope Criss Angel and Uri Geller will be OK with doing the live show two days later.

Kid Nation didn't really get its pre-Halloween demo audience back, at least in the demo.

I thought everything would do better last night with the CMAs on.

Any chance we can get a break down of the CMAs? At least by hour? Thanks.

quote:

BW should be canceled but it won't be. In fact NBC will try to relaunch it with a two episodes night. They are nuts if they think this show can rebound.

They probably don't think it can, but they have to try anyway. The show premiered very well, which makes it hard for them to give up on it. They still think all the changes they ordered can save it. Of course, they're just sinking it faster.

It's really a pity, as I've said elsewhere. There was genuine interest in this show. If they'd taken a bit more time developing it, given Glen Morgan a bit more room to maneuver, given Katee Sackhoff the lead role instead of whatsername, and just thought it through, things could have been different.

But you can't have a hit show without having a show. And they don't have a show. Just an idea for one. And a recycled idea at that.

What do you mean by this? The CMA Awards are ALWAYS a top-rated Awards show of the year, usually only trailing the Oscars and Golden Globes and standardly tying the Grammys. The Emmys sometimes beat the CMA Awards, but that's never a foregone conclusion.

Country Music is a viable commercial medium, and it always surprises me how many people are ignorant to that fact.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
I thought everything would do better last night with the CMAs on.

But people who watch ABC usually on Wednesday may not be fans of the CMAs and maybe want to watch scripted programming, so I thought some of those people would switch the channel.

quote:

Originally posted by Cory:
What do you mean by this? The CMA Awards are ALWAYS a top-rated Awards show of the year, usually only trailing the Oscars and Golden Globes and standardly tying the Grammys. The Emmys sometimes beat the CMA Awards, but that's never a foregone conclusion.

Country Music is a viable commercial medium, and it always surprises me how many people are ignorant to that fact.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
I thought everything would do better last night with the CMAs on.

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
But people who watch ABC usually on Wednesday may not be fans of the CMAs and maybe want to watch scripted programming, so I thought some of those people would switch the channel.

quote:

Originally posted by Cory:
What do you mean by this? The CMA Awards are ALWAYS a top-rated Awards show of the year, usually only trailing the Oscars and Golden Globes and standardly tying the Grammys. The Emmys sometimes beat the CMA Awards, but that's never a foregone conclusion.

Country Music is a viable commercial medium, and it always surprises me how many people are ignorant to that fact.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
I thought everything would do better last night with the CMAs on.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
They probably don't think it can, but they have to try anyway. The show premiered very well, which makes it hard for them to give up on it. They still think all the changes they ordered can save it. Of course, they're just sinking it faster.

The strong premiere viewership actually makes the situation worse, IMO. "Bionic Woman" reached its intended audience, that audience simply rejected it. NBC has a nearly impossible task in reversing that judgment.

The decline of Bionic Woman is not at all surprising to me, as I expected it to happen from the moment I saw the pilot.

By the way, Sackhoff is a negative on the show for me, not a positive.