|
Last summer it seemed
just
about any reality show on broadcast attracted viewers, no matter how low
concept, like “Last Comic Standing” or “Trading Spouses.”
This
year viewers are a lot more discriminating when it comes to reality shows.
They are watching less of them, and they are tuning out sooner once they
realize a show's a stinker. Case in point: Fox’s recent launch “So You Think You Can Dance,” which dropped right after its debut.
The result: The Big Four networks are down a collective 8 percent
among adults 18-49 compared with last summer, from a 9.3 average rating
since late May to an
8.6. And they’re off even more, 13 percent, among 18-34s, from an 8.0 to a
7.0.
Last year at this time there were eight shows that averaged a
3.6 adults 18-49 rating or above. This past week, the week ended July 31,
only three shows were at a 3.6 or above, and two of them were “CSI”
repeats.
Last year eight reality shows made the weekly top 10. That
number is down to four.
Does that mean that reality TV is over? No, but it does mean
the networks will no longer be able to greenlight anything without a
script and expect viewers to tune in.
Viewer turnoff should hardly comes as a
surprise, considering the cookie cutter quality of what's on this
summer--the contest, the bickering asides, the weekly vote-off, the tears
and bitterness among the losers, the often pompous nattering of the
moderator.
But certainly another factor is the sheer number of reality
shows across both broadcast and cable, and now there's even Fox Reality, a
cable channel devoted
to the genre.
All this is hurting even those reality shows that have been
around for some time. "Big Brother,” for example, is struggling this
season. Its Tuesday and Thursday episodes last week averaged a 3.4 and a 2.8, well off
the 3.7 and 3.6 for the same week last year.
This summer, in fact, there were only two new reality
shows with any heft to speak of, ABC's big breakout hit “Dancing
With the Stars” and the just concluded “Hell’s Kitchen” on Fox,
and the latter averaged
only a 3.6 last week.
Meanwhile, in other broadcast ratings for the week ended July
31:
Among adults 18-49,
Fox and CBS tied for first with a 2.2 rating and 7 share, followed by NBC
at 1.8/6, ABC at 1.7/6, UPN at 1.1/4 and the WB at 0.7/2.
Among adults 18-34,
Fox finished first with a 2.3/9, followed by CBS at 1.6/6, ABC at 1.3/5,
NBC at 1.4/5, UPN at 1.1/4 and the WB at 0.7/2.
Among adults 25-54,
CBS was first at 2.7/8, followed by Fox at 2.2/7, NBC at 2.2/6, ABC at
2.1/6, UPN at 1.0/3 and the WB at 0.7/2.
Top five (18-49s):
1. “CSI” (CBS) 4.2; 2. “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox), “CSI: Miami”
(CBS) 3.6; 4. “Without a Trace” (CBS) 3.5; 5. “Big Brother” (CBS) 3.4.
Top five (total viewers):
1. “CSI” (CBS) 13.4 million; 2. “Without a Trace” (CBS) 11.3
million; 3. “CSI: Miami” (CBS) 10.3 million; 4. “Two and a Half Men”
(CBS) 9.6 million; 5. “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (NBC) 9.0
million
Bottom five (18-49s):
109. WB Sunday Movie, “Blue Collar TV” (WB), “One Tree Hill”
(WB-Wednesday), “Veronica Mars” (UPN) 0.6; 115. “Everwood” (WB)
0.5
Bottom five (total viewers):
111. “Veronica Mars” (UPN) 1.5 million; 112. “Charmed” (WB) 1.4
million; 113. “Summerland” (WB) 1.38 million; 114. “One Tree Hill”
(WB) 1.2 million; 115. “Everwood” (WB) 1.05 million
Show on the rise:
“Veronica Mars,” CBS, Friday 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Special airings of the
UPN cult favorite on Viacom sister network CBS more than doubled its UPN
average last week among total viewers and 18-49s.
Show on the decline:
“Everwood,” WB, Thursday 9 p.m. The show’s new timeslot was not
kind. In its return from a summer hiatus, “Everwood” finished last for
the week among 18-49s and total viewers, which doesn’t bode well for
fall.
|
PRIMETIME
AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 31 |
|
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
CBS |
4.8 |
5260 |
9 |
2.5 |
6990 |
8 |
2.2 |
2900 |
7 |
|
NBC |
4.2 |
4550 |
8 |
2.1 |
5800 |
6 |
1.8 |
2350 |
6 |
|
ABC |
3.6 |
3910 |
7 |
1.9 |
5230 |
6 |
1.7 |
2260 |
6 |
|
FOX |
3.3 |
3670 |
6 |
1.8 |
5080 |
6 |
2.2 |
2860 |
7 |
|
UPN |
1.9 |
2060 |
3 |
1.0 |
2780 |
3 |
1.1 |
1400 |
4 |
|
WB |
1.2 |
1290 |
2 |
0.6 |
1650 |
2 |
0.7 |
920 |
2 |
|
PAX |
0.5 |
560 |
1 |
0.3 |
700 |
1 |
0.1 |
190 |
0 |
|
* Each rating point is
equivalent to 1.096 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SEASON-TO-DATE
PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 31 |
|
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
|
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
|
CBS |
7.7 |
8410 |
13 |
4.2 |
11750 |
11 |
3.6 |
4690 |
10 |
|
NBC |
6.1 |
6640 |
10 |
3.2 |
8990 |
9 |
3.2 |
4160 |
9 |
|
ABC |
6.0 |
6560 |
10 |
3.3 |
9210 |
9 |
3.4 |
4410 |
9 |
|
FOX |
5.6 |
6100 |
9 |
3.2 |
9020 |
8 |
3.7 |
4830 |
10 |
|
UPN |
2.2 |
2370 |
3 |
1.2 |
3200 |
3 |
1.3 |
1690 |
4 |
|
WB |
2.1 |
2260 |
3 |
1.1 |
3070 |
3 |
1.3 |
1640 |
3 |
|
PAX |
0.4 |
460 |
1 |
0.2 |
610 |
1 |
0.1 |
180 |
0 |
|
* Each
rating point is equivalent to 1.096 million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
NETWORK TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 31 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
CSI |
CBS |
9.0 |
16 |
9916 |
1 |
4.8 |
13397 |
|
2 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
7.7 |
13 |
8394 |
2 |
4.1 |
11278 |
|
3 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
6.9 |
11 |
7541 |
3 |
3.7 |
10310 |
|
4 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN |
CBS |
6.5 |
11 |
7142 |
4 |
3.5 |
9629 |
|
5 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
6.1 |
10 |
6634 |
9 |
3.0 |
8336 |
|
5 |
NCIS |
CBS |
6.1 |
11 |
6668 |
5 |
3.2 |
8961 |
|
7 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
6.0 |
10 |
6604 |
5 |
3.2 |
9022 |
|
8 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
5.9 |
10 |
6466 |
15 |
2.8 |
7825 |
|
8 |
PRIMETIME |
ABC |
5.9 |
10 |
6487 |
11 |
2.9 |
8120 |
|
10 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
5.8 |
10 |
6361 |
8 |
3.1 |
8498 |
|
11 |
COLD CASE |
CBS |
5.7 |
10 |
6301 |
9 |
3.0 |
8408 |
|
11 |
LAW AND ORDER WED 9PM |
NBC |
5.7 |
10 |
6253 |
15 |
2.8 |
7877 |
|
13 |
60 MINUTES |
CBS |
5.5 |
11 |
6027 |
15 |
2.8 |
7782 |
|
13 |
BRAT CAMP |
ABC |
5.5 |
9 |
5977 |
5 |
3.2 |
8893 |
|
13 |
CROSSING JORDAN |
NBC |
5.5 |
10 |
6068 |
11 |
2.9 |
8029 |
|
16 |
BIG BROTHER 6-TUE |
CBS |
5.4 |
9 |
5882 |
11 |
2.9 |
8160 |
|
17 |
KING OF QUEENS |
CBS |
5.2 |
9 |
5647 |
18 |
2.7 |
7427 |
|
17 |
SO YOU THINK YOU CN DANCE |
FOX |
5.2 |
9 |
5657 |
11 |
2.9 |
8024 |
|
19 |
20/20-FRI |
ABC |
5.1 |
10 |
5598 |
22 |
2.6 |
7092 |
|
19 |
BIG BROTHER 6-THU |
CBS |
5.1 |
10 |
5561 |
18 |
2.7 |
7387 |
|
19 |
HOUSE |
FOX |
5.1 |
8 |
5629 |
18 |
2.7 |
7501 |
|
22 |
CSI: NY |
CBS |
4.9 |
8 |
5349 |
22 |
2.6 |
7357 |
|
23 |
HELL'S KITCHEN |
FOX |
4.8 |
8 |
5264 |
18 |
2.7 |
7416 |
|
24 |
CBS SUNDAY MOVIE |
CBS |
4.7 |
8 |
5114 |
24 |
2.4 |
6650 |
|
25 |
48 HOURS MYSTERY |
CBS |
4.6 |
9 |
5023 |
29 |
2.3 |
6421 |
|
25 |
DATELINE FRI |
NBC |
4.6 |
9 |
5043 |
31 |
2.2 |
6163 |
|
25 |
MEDIUM |
NBC |
4.6 |
8 |
5005 |
24 |
2.4 |
6687 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
TOP 25
PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending July 31 |
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
CSI |
CBS |
4.2 |
5431 |
|
2 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
3.6 |
4622 |
|
2 |
HELL'S KITCHEN |
FOX |
3.6 |
4620 |
|
4 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
3.5 |
4494 |
|
5 |
BIG BROTHER 6-TUE |
CBS |
3.4 |
4389 |
|
6 |
BRAT CAMP |
ABC |
3.3 |
4335 |
|
6 |
SIMPSONS-SUN 8:30P |
FOX |
3.3 |
4233 |
|
6 |
SO YOU THINK YOU CN DANCE |
FOX |
3.3 |
4301 |
|
6 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN |
CBS |
3.3 |
4224 |
|
10 |
FAMILY GUY |
FOX |
3.2 |
4217 |
|
11 |
ROCK STAR: INXS-TUE |
CBS |
3.0 |
3894 |
|
12 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
2.9 |
3737 |
|
12 |
SIMPSONS |
FOX |
2.9 |
3710 |
|
14 |
BIG BROTHER 6-THU |
CBS |
2.8 |
3665 |
|
15 |
AMERICAN DAD |
FOX |
2.6 |
3402 |
|
15 |
CSI: NY |
CBS |
2.6 |
3358 |
|
15 |
HOUSE |
FOX |
2.6 |
3318 |
|
15 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM INTENT |
NBC |
2.6 |
3360 |
|
19 |
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P |
ABC |
2.5 |
3300 |
|
19 |
MEDIUM |
NBC |
2.5 |
3227 |
|
19 |
PRIMETIME |
ABC |
2.5 |
3242 |
|
22 |
20/20-FRI |
ABC |
2.4 |
3084 |
|
22 |
KING OF QUEENS |
CBS |
2.4 |
3112 |
|
22 |
ROCK STAR: INXS-MON |
CBS |
2.4 |
3161 |
|
25 |
ACCORDING TO JIM 9PM |
ABC |
2.3 |
2929 |
|
25 |
CROSSING JORDAN |
NBC |
2.3 |
2935 |
|
25 |
LAS VEGAS |
NBC |
2.3 |
3007 |
|
25 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
2.3 |
3034 |
|
25 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
2.3 |
3048 |
|
25 |
NANNY 911 |
FOX |
2.3 |
2995 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
|
CABLE TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 31 |
|
BASIC CABLE |
|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
(000) |
Rtg % |
(000) |
|
1 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
3888 |
3.5 |
5205 |
|
2 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW ZONE) |
SPIKE |
3487 |
3.2 |
4893 |
|
3 |
PRIME MOVIE (DIVE FROM CLAUSENS
PIER) |
LIF |
3352 |
3.1 |
4232 |
|
4 |
MONK |
USA |
3338 |
3.0 |
4657 |
|
5 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW) |
SPIKE |
3205 |
2.9 |
4314 |
|
6 |
THATS SO RAVEN |
DSNY |
3131 |
2.9 |
4171 |
|
7 |
FAMILY GUY |
ADSM |
2950 |
2.7 |
4218 |
|
8 |
LAGUNA BEACH |
MTV |
2864 |
2.6 |
3603 |
|
9 |
LAW & ORDER |
TNT |
2821 |
2.6 |
3654 |
|
10 |
BEACH GIRLS |
LIF |
2818 |
2.6 |
3606 |
|
11 |
OVER THERE |
FX |
2812 |
2.6 |
4062 |
|
12 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2759 |
2.5 |
3691 |
|
13 |
FAMILY GUY |
ADSM |
2736 |
2.5 |
3502 |
|
14 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2723 |
2.5 |
3438 |
|
15 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2707 |
2.5 |
3372 |
|
PAY CABLE |
|
# |
PROGRAM NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
(000) |
Rtg % |
(000) |
|
1 |
SIX FEET UNDER |
HBO |
1875 |
1.7 |
2543 |
|
2 |
ENTOURAGE |
HBO |
1440 |
1.3 |
1938 |
|
3 |
CATHOUSE: THE SERIES |
HBO |
1178 |
1.1 |
1357 |
|
4 |
PAPARAZZI |
HBO |
1087 |
1.0 |
1388 |
|
5 |
ANACONDAS: HUNT FOR BLOOD |
HBO |
1083 |
1.0 |
1501 |
|
* Ratings based on 109.6 million
U.S. TV homes. One ratings point represents 1.096 million homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SYNDICATION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 24 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
|
US Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE |
KIN |
7.6 |
8293 |
|
2 |
JEOPARDY |
KIN |
6.6 |
7256 |
|
3 |
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
5.9 |
6491 |
|
4 |
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT) |
KIN |
5.5 |
6077 |
|
5 |
SEINFELD (AT) |
SPT |
5.3 |
5824 |
|
6 |
SEINFELD-WKND (AT) |
SPT |
5.1 |
5581 |
|
7 |
FRIENDS (AT) |
WB |
4.7 |
5168 |
|
7 |
JUDGE JUDY (AT) |
PRM |
4.7 |
5137 |
|
9 |
CSI-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
4.6 |
5034 |
|
10 |
DR. PHIL SHOW |
KIN |
4.4 |
4847 |
|
11 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT) |
PRM |
4.3 |
4713 |
|
12 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND |
KIN |
4.1 |
4443 |
|
13 |
LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY |
BV |
3.6 |
3905 |
|
14 |
EVBDY LVS RAYMOND-WKD-SYN |
KIN |
3.5 |
3857 |
|
15 |
JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT) |
PRM |
3.2 |
3518 |
|
15 |
MAURY (AT) |
NBU |
3.2 |
3469 |
|
17 |
MILLIONAIRE (AT) |
BV |
3.1 |
3451 |
|
17 |
BUENA VISTA V |
BV |
3.1 |
3424 |
|
17 |
INSIDE EDITION |
KIN |
3.1 |
3360 |
|
20 |
MALCOLM IN-MIDDLE SYN(AT) |
2/T |
2.9 |
3132 |
|
21 |
COPS-SYN (AT) |
2/T |
2.8 |
3070 |
|
21 |
KING OF THE HILL-SYN(AT) |
2/T |
2.8 |
3064 |
|
21 |
PEOPLE'S COURT (AT) |
WB |
2.8 |
3043 |
|
21 |
THAT 70S SHOW-MF-SYN (AT) |
2/T |
2.8 |
3042 |
|
25 |
DIVORCE COURT (AT) |
2/T |
2.7 |
2994 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE
TELEVISION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 31 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
NHTI |
(000) |
|
1 |
MADRASTRA M-F |
UNI |
26.0 |
2832 |
|
2 |
APUESTA POR UN AMOR M-F |
UNI |
22.7 |
2481 |
|
3 |
CRISTINA-MON |
UNI |
21.5 |
2344 |
|
4 |
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA-WE |
UNI |
21.0 |
2289 |
|
5 |
INOCENTE DE TI M-F |
UNI |
19.8 |
2158 |
|
6 |
AQUI Y AHORA-THU |
UNI |
17.7 |
1933 |
|
7 |
CASOS VIDA R: ED. ESP TUE |
UNI |
17.2 |
1878 |
|
8 |
CASA DE LA RISA FRI |
UNI |
16.9 |
1842 |
|
9 |
SABADO GIGANTE-SAT |
UNI |
14.3 |
1564 |
|
10 |
PAR DE ASES FRI |
UNI |
13.3 |
1456 |
|
11 |
HORA PICO-SUN |
UNI |
12.1 |
1319 |
|
12 |
VER PARA CREER-SUN |
UNI |
11.9 |
1303 |
|
13 |
CASOS FAMILIA ED ESP SAT |
UNI |
9.5 |
1041 |
|
14 |
PARODIA-SUN |
UNI |
8.8 |
963 |
|
15 |
CINE LAS ESTREL2 SUN |
TF |
6.0 |
658 |
|
16 |
AMARTE ASI M-F |
TEL |
5.3 |
577 |
|
17 |
CUERPO DEL DESEO M-F |
TEL |
5.2 |
569 |
|
18 |
DECISIONES M-F |
TEL |
5.0 |
548 |
|
19 |
PLATEADOS M-F |
TEL |
4.3 |
472 |
|
20 |
SIN FRONTERAS |
TEL |
3.9 |
428 |
|
21 |
CINEMUNDO DEL SABADO |
TEL |
3.6 |
391 |
|
22 |
RIPLEY'S SUN |
TEL |
3.5 |
385 |
|
23 |
FUTBOL LIGA MEX SAT |
TF |
3.3 |
365 |
|
24 |
CINEMUNDO PREMIER |
TEL |
3.2 |
354 |
|
25 |
RIPLEY'S SAT |
TEL |
2.8 |
304 |
|
* Nielsen Hispanic Television
Index; ratings based on 9.7 million Hispanic TV homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
NETWORK
SPORTS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending July 24 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Episode |
Households |
Persons
2+ |
|
US Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
(000) |
|
1 |
WWE SMACKDOWN! |
UPN |
|
3.2 |
6 |
3499 |
5006 |
|
2 |
FOX SAT.BASEBALL |
FOX |
VAR. TEAMS
AND TIMES |
2.9 |
8 |
3190 |
4210 |
|
3 |
CBS SPORTS
SPEC.-SU |
CBS |
TOUR DE
FRANCE |
2.0 |
5 |
2145 |
2660 |
|
4 |
GREATER MILW. OPEN-SU(S)-7/24 |
CBS |
US BANK
CHAMP |
1.8 |
4 |
1961 |
2405 |
|
5 |
SR. BRITISH
OPEN-SUN.(S)-7/24 |
ABC |
|
1.3 |
3 |
1403 |
1770 |
|
6 |
GREATER MILW.
OPEN-SA(S)-7/23 |
CBS |
US BANK
CHAMP |
1.3 |
4 |
1418 |
1669 |
|
7 |
CBS AUTO
RACING:FORM 1 |
CBS |
GRAND PRIX
OF GER |
1.1 |
3 |
1158 |
1429 |
|
8 |
NBC SPORTS SPEC.
7/24-B(S) |
NBC |
V-BALL |
1.1 |
2 |
1161 |
1344 |
|
9 |
SR. BRITISH OPEN-SAT.(S)-7/23 |
ABC |
|
1.0 |
3 |
1147 |
1435 |
|
10 |
WEEK IN
BASEBALL |
FOX |
|
1.0 |
3 |
1080 |
1447 |
|
11 |
NBC SPORTS
SPEC. 7/23-B(S) |
NBC |
V-BALL |
0.8 |
2 |
826 |
1049 |
|
12 |
WNBA ON
ABC-SAT |
ABC |
DET.
AT SEATTLE |
0.7 |
2 |
752 |
865 |
|
13 |
NBC SPORTS
SPEC. 7/24-A(S) |
NBC |
RCA TENNIS |
0.7 |
2 |
813 |
1045 |
|
14 |
NBA INSIDE
STUFF-ABC |
ABC |
|
0.6 |
2 |
666 |
870 |
|
15 |
TOPSPIN:USTA
KID'S SHOW |
CBS |
TENNIS
ANTH. |
0.6 |
2 |
666 |
710 |
|
16 |
NBC SPORTS
SPEC 7/23-A(S) |
NBC |
RCA TENNIS |
0.6 |
2 |
641 |
716 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media
Research |
|