I'll get the game going with a first cut of my predictions, with rationale set out below:
My 2008 February Sweep Prediction is:
NET VIEWERS 18-49
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CBS 9.500 2.2
FOX 16.275 6.5
ABC 9.200 2.8
NBC 7.900 2.5
CW 2.150 1.0
MNT 1.350 0.7
My projected Sweep ranking on the young adult demo is: 1. FOX, 2. ABC, 3. NBC, 4. CBS, 5. CW, and 6. MNT.
FOX will reach an all-time network high in the February Sweep with its combo of American Idol and football, plus a schedule put together by Mr. Reilly that doesn't have a single weak spot in it. FOX will win every Tuesday and Wednesday, along with most of the Saturday night races.
ABC will come second driven by strong Thursday nights, a big Oscar number that will give it a Sunday night advantage once averaged over the whole month, and a small Monday improvement with the return of Samantha Who.
NBC will come third by winning Mondays and Fridays, and being the most (surprisingly) improved network.
CBS will come in fourth, controlling no nights, and with too much encore programming being overtaken by originals on the other networks.
The CW will come in fifth, eeking out a low 2 million viewership and 1.0 in the demo, hampered by weak Monday and Sunday numbers.
And finally, MyNetworkTV will get closer to CW territory, propelled by a few time period advantages over The CW on Monday nights, Tuesdays at 8-9 pm and Wednesdays at 9-10 pm.
Dumont,
