It
seemed like NBC had landed one of summer’s biggest gets when Katie
Couric nudged out all others for the first interview with
so-called Runaway Bride Jennifer Wilbanks.
Actually, people were even less interested in
Wilbanks’ wedding plans than she was. The “Dateline” special on the
Georgia gal who faked her kidnapping in the midst of preparing for
her wedding averaged a mere 2.7 adults 18-49 rating and 9 share.
Though that ranked a decent No. 19 among broadcast shows for the week
ended June 19, it was well off the averages for big gets of the
past.
ABC’s “Primetime Live” interview with Brad Pitt just a few
weeks ago averaged a 4.2 18-49 rating. Jennifer Lopez and Ben
Affleck’s “Dateline” chat in summer 2003 averaged a 5.1.
Even compared with lesser-celebrity chats, Wilbanks didn’t fare
well. A “Dateline” two summers ago with Laci
Peterson’s parents averaged a 4.8 rating.
The special got lots of hype, including unfounded speculation
that NBC had paid for the interview after it was referenced as part
of a package put together by Wilbanks’ agent. NBC clearly expected
it to be a big event.
But maybe the lesser tune-in shouldn't be a surprise.
After Wilbanks' odd deception was uncovered, most Americans were
disgusted, not intrigued. Even amidst the summer doldrums, people
won't go out of their way to watch something unappealing. And
Wilbanks certainly seemed clueless.
Here’s
how she described her kidnapping lie:
“Maybe
I watched too many cops-and-robbers movies. ... It is scary that it
came so easy for me. That scares me to death. And I'm trying to
figure out why it was so easy for me."
All that said, the show wasn't a total bomb. “Dateline”
was up 17 percent compared with the same night a year ago, when
reality snoozer “Next Action Star” aired. And it was a 23
percent improvement on last year’s Friday edition of “Dateline”
during the same week.
NBC
said the show improved its summer Tuesday 8 p.m. timeslot average by
nearly 70 percent.
In other broadcast ratings for the week ended June 26:
Among adults 18-49, ABC came in first with a 2.6
rating and 8 share. Tied at second were Fox and CBS with 2.1/7.
fourth was NBC with 2.0/6, UPN fifth with 1.1/4 and the WB sixth
with 0.9/3.
Among adults 18-34, Fox was No. 1 with a 2.2/8,
followed by ABC with a 2.1/8. NBC was third with 1.5/5, CBS fourth
with 1.4/5, UPN fifth with 1.1/4 and the WB sixth with 0.9/3.
Among adults 25-54, ABC comfortably took first place
with a 3.0 rating and 9 share. In second place was CBS with 2.6/8.
NBC was third with a 2.4/7, Fox fourth with a 2.0/6, UPN fifth with
1.0/3 and the WB sixth with 0.9/3.
Top five (18-49s): 1. ABC’s NBA Finals (Game 7)
7.6; 2. ABC’s NBA Finals (Game 6) 5.3; 3. ABC’s “Dancing With
the Stars” 4.4; 4. Fox’s “Family Guy” 3.8; 5. CBS’s
“CSI” 3.6
Top five (total viewers):
1. ABC’s NBA Finals (Game 7) 19 million; 2. ABC’s “Dancing
With the Stars” 15.5 million; 3. ABC’s NBA Finals (Game 6) 13.5
million; 4. CBS’s “CSI” 12.3 million; 5. CBS’s “Two and a
Half Men” 10.9 million
Bottom five (18-49s): 108. WB’s “Steve
Harvey Big Time” 0.7; 109. WB’s “What I Like About You” 0.7;
110. UPN’s “Veronica Mars” 0.6; 111. WB’s “Charmed”
(Sunday) 0.5; 112. WB’s “One Tree Hill” 0.4
Bottom five (total viewers):
108. UPN’s “All of Us” (Tuesday) 1.7 million; 109. WB’s
“Charmed” 1.58 million; 110. WB’s “What I Like About You”
1.55 million; 111. WB’s “Charmed” (Sunday) 1.32 million; 112.
WB’s “One Tree Hill” 1.3 million
Show on the rise: NBA Finals, ABC. A weak finals
between the Detroit Pistons and the San Antonio Spurs at least ended
stronger when the series extended to Games 6 and 7. Game 6 on
Tuesday night averaged 13.5 million total viewers and averaged a 5.3
adults 18-49 rating. Thursday night’s Game 7 averaged 19.0 million
total viewers and rated a 7.6 among 18-49s. It was the
second-highest-rated series-ending game since 2000, behind 2004’s
final game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons.
This year’s finals averaged 12.5 million total viewers,
second-worst in NBA history after the 2003 finals. That series drew
9.9 million viewers. Among 18-49s, the 2005 finals averaged a 5.1
rating.
Show on the decline: “Psychic Detectives,”
NBC, Wednesday 8 p.m. The summer move to NBC has not been good for
the popular Court TV show. NBC turned eight half-hour episodes into
one-hour shows, and they’ve been tanking. “Detectives”
premiered on broadcast June 8 with a 1.8 18-49 rating and had slid
17 percent through last week.
PRIMETIME
AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending June 26 |
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults
18-49 |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
CBS |
5.2 |
5750 |
10 |
2.7 |
7510 |
8 |
2.1 |
2730 |
7 |
ABC |
4.8 |
5210 |
9 |
2.6 |
7190 |
8 |
2.6 |
3320 |
8 |
NBC |
4.3 |
4740 |
8 |
2.2 |
6020 |
6 |
2.0 |
2540 |
6 |
FOX |
3.2 |
3490 |
6 |
1.7 |
4850 |
5 |
2.1 |
2720 |
7 |
UPN |
1.8 |
1930 |
3 |
1.0 |
2670 |
3 |
1.1 |
1390 |
4 |
WB |
1.5 |
1640 |
3 |
0.8 |
2160 |
2 |
0.9 |
1170 |
3 |
PAX |
0.4 |
410 |
1 |
0.2 |
520 |
1 |
0.1 |
160 |
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 June 26 |
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
Adults
18-49 |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
Rtg% |
(000) |
Shr |
CBS |
8.0 |
8800 |
13 |
4.4 |
12340 |
12 |
3.8 |
4930 |
10 |
NBC |
6.3 |
6900 |
10 |
3.4 |
9390 |
9 |
3.4 |
4380 |
9 |
ABC |
6.3 |
6850 |
10 |
3.5 |
9650 |
9 |
3.6 |
4650 |
10 |
FOX |
5.8 |
6400 |
10 |
3.4 |
9500 |
9 |
3.9 |
5070 |
11 |
WB |
2.2 |
2360 |
3 |
1.2 |
3220 |
3 |
1.3 |
1720 |
4 |
UPN |
2.2 |
2430 |
4 |
1.2 |
3280 |
3 |
1.3 |
1730 |
4 |
PAX |
0.4 |
460 |
1 |
0.2 |
600 |
1 |
0.1 |
170 |
0 |
*
Each rating point is equivalent to 1.096
million homes
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
NETWORK
TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending June 26 |
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS
2+ |
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM
7(S) |
ABC |
11.9 |
22 |
13061 |
1 |
6.8 |
18997 |
2 |
DANCING WITH THE STARS |
ABC |
10.4 |
18 |
11360 |
2 |
5.6 |
15522 |
3 |
NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM
6(S) |
ABC |
8.8 |
15 |
9630 |
3 |
4.8 |
13471 |
4 |
CSI |
CBS |
8.5 |
15 |
9345 |
4 |
4.4 |
12280 |
5 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN |
CBS |
7.4 |
12 |
8073 |
5 |
3.9 |
10853 |
5 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
7.4 |
13 |
8077 |
7 |
3.7 |
10264 |
7 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
7.3 |
12 |
7994 |
6 |
3.8 |
10424 |
8 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
7.0 |
12 |
7686 |
9 |
3.4 |
9472 |
9 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
6.9 |
11 |
7572 |
8 |
3.6 |
10061 |
10 |
DATELINE:K COURIC
SPL6/21(S) |
NBC |
6.4 |
11 |
6964 |
13 |
3.1 |
8691 |
11 |
60 MINUTES |
CBS |
6.2 |
13 |
6836 |
10 |
3.2 |
9026 |
12 |
AFI 100 YEARS 100
QUOTES(S) |
CBS |
6.1 |
10 |
6732 |
10 |
3.2 |
9001 |
12 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
6.1 |
10 |
6677 |
14 |
3.0 |
8450 |
14 |
COLD CASE |
CBS |
5.6 |
10 |
6150 |
14 |
3.0 |
8270 |
14 |
EXTRM MAKEOVER:HM
ED-6/26(S) |
ABC |
5.6 |
9 |
6107 |
10 |
3.2 |
8887 |
16 |
CROSSING JORDAN |
NBC |
5.5 |
9 |
5995 |
19 |
2.7 |
7567 |
16 |
HOUSE |
FOX |
5.5 |
9 |
6047 |
14 |
3.0 |
8378 |
16 |
LAW AND ORDER WED 9PM |
NBC |
5.5 |
9 |
6081 |
17 |
2.8 |
7709 |
16 |
LAW AND ORDER:CRIM
INTENT |
NBC |
5.5 |
9 |
6030 |
19 |
2.7 |
7629 |
20 |
20/20-FRI |
ABC |
5.4 |
10 |
5949 |
17 |
2.8 |
7767 |
21 |
CSI: NY |
CBS |
5.2 |
9 |
5667 |
19 |
2.7 |
7421 |
21 |
MEDIUM |
NBC |
5.2 |
9 |
5661 |
24 |
2.6 |
7350 |
23 |
STILL STANDING SPCL(S) |
CBS |
5.1 |
9 |
5561 |
19 |
2.7 |
7400 |
24 |
I WANT TO BE A HILTON |
NBC |
5.0 |
8 |
5506 |
29 |
2.4 |
6754 |
24 |
NBA GAMETIME
FINALS-G7(S) |
ABC |
5.0 |
10 |
5465 |
19 |
2.7 |
7508 |
1 |
NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM
7(S) |
ABC |
11.9 |
22 |
13061 |
1 |
6.8 |
18997 |
Source: Nielsen Media
Research
|
TOP 25
PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending June 26 |
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM
7(S) |
ABC |
7.6 |
9864 |
2 |
NBA FINALS ON ABC-GM
6(S) |
ABC |
5.3 |
6855 |
3 |
DANCING WITH THE STARS |
ABC |
4.4 |
5650 |
4 |
FAMILY GUY |
FOX |
3.8 |
4942 |
5 |
CSI |
CBS |
3.6 |
4701 |
6 |
EXTRM MAKEOVER:HM
ED-6/26(S) |
ABC |
3.5 |
4600 |
6 |
SIMPSONS-SUN 8:30P |
FOX |
3.5 |
4499 |
8 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN |
CBS |
3.3 |
4251 |
9 |
AMERICAN DAD |
FOX |
3.2 |
4159 |
9 |
CSI: MIAMI |
CBS |
3.2 |
4149 |
9 |
HELL'S KITCHEN |
FOX |
3.2 |
4168 |
9 |
HOUSE |
FOX |
3.2 |
4130 |
13 |
SIMPSONS |
FOX |
3.1 |
4037 |
13 |
WITHOUT A TRACE |
CBS |
3.1 |
4016 |
15 |
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND |
CBS |
3.0 |
3892 |
16 |
AFI 100 YEARS 100
QUOTES(S) |
CBS |
2.8 |
3644 |
16 |
LAW AND ORDER |
NBC |
2.8 |
3645 |
16 |
NBA GAMETIME
FINALS-G7(S) |
ABC |
2.8 |
3643 |
19 |
DATELINE:K COURIC
SPL6/21(S) |
NBC |
2.7 |
3458 |
19 |
LAW AND ORDER:SVU |
NBC |
2.7 |
3570 |
21 |
20/20-FRI |
ABC |
2.5 |
3271 |
21 |
HIT ME BABY ONE MORE
TIME |
NBC |
2.5 |
3210 |
21 |
I WANT TO BE A HILTON |
NBC |
2.5 |
3223 |
21 |
MEDIUM |
NBC |
2.5 |
3276 |
25 |
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES |
ABC |
2.4 |
3062 |
25 |
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM
ED-8P |
ABC |
2.4 |
3156 |
Source: Nielsen Media
Research
|
CABLE
TV
Ranked on Households
Week Ending June 26 |
BASIC
CABLE |
# |
PROGRAM
NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons
2+ |
(000) |
Rtg % |
(000) |
1 |
CLOSER, THE |
TNT |
4152 |
3.8 |
5569 |
2 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE
RAW ZONE) |
SPIKE |
3618 |
3.3 |
5216 |
3 |
WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE
RAW) |
SPIKE |
3324 |
3.0 |
4466 |
4 |
REAL WORLD XVI |
MTV |
2984 |
2.7 |
3723 |
5 |
INTO THE WEST(S)-06/24/2005 |
TNT |
2968 |
2.7 |
4145 |
6 |
RWRR CHALLENGE INFERNO
II |
MTV |
2875 |
2.6 |
3649 |
7 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
2819 |
2.6 |
3450 |
8 |
4400, THE |
USA |
2792 |
2.5 |
4117 |
9 |
INTO THE WEST(S)-06/26/2005 |
TNT |
2768 |
2.5 |
3922 |
10 |
MLB SUNDAY NIGHT L
(METS/YANKEES) |
ESPN |
2716 |
2.5 |
3625 |
11 |
LAW & ORDER: SVU |
USA |
2698 |
2.5 |
3464 |
12 |
FAIRLY ODD PARENTS |
NICK |
2697 |
2.5 |
3428 |
13 |
SPONGEBOB |
NICK |
2655 |
2.4 |
3640 |
14 |
DRAKE & JOSH |
NICK |
2645 |
2.4 |
3320 |
15 |
LAW & ORDER: SVU |
USA |
2601 |
2.4 |
3237 |
PAY CABLE |
# |
PROGRAM
NAME |
NET |
Households |
Persons
2+ |
(000) |
Rtg % |
(000) |
1 |
SIX FEET UNDER |
HBO |
1493 |
1.4 |
1919 |
2 |
CATHOUSE: THE SERIES |
HBO |
1060 |
1.0 |
1298 |
3 |
ENTOURAGE |
HBO |
1053 |
1.0 |
1461 |
4 |
SEX AND THE CITY(S)-06/20/2005 |
HBO |
997 |
0.9 |
1198 |
5 |
SOPRANOS, THE-06/26/2005 |
HBO |
822 |
0.8 |
1079 |
* 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 June 19 |
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
US Rtg% |
(000) |
1 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE |
KIN |
6.9 |
7579 |
2 |
JEOPARDY |
KIN |
5.8 |
6393 |
3 |
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN
(AT) |
KIN |
5.7 |
6251 |
4 |
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW (AT) |
KIN |
5.6 |
6154 |
5 |
SEINFELD (AT) |
SPT |
5.4 |
5895 |
6 |
CSI-SYN (AT) |
KIN |
4.6 |
5076 |
6 |
FRIENDS (AT) |
WB |
4.6 |
5072 |
6 |
SEINFELD-WKND (AT) |
SPT |
4.6 |
4998 |
9 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT) |
PRM |
4.4 |
4775 |
10 |
JUDGE JUDY (AT) |
PRM |
4.3 |
4720 |
11 |
DR. PHIL SHOW |
KIN |
4.1 |
4540 |
12 |
LIVE WITH REGIS AND
KELLY |
BV |
3.4 |
3696 |
13 |
WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND |
KIN |
3.1 |
3417 |
14 |
JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT) |
PRM |
3 |
3336 |
14 |
INSIDE EDITION |
KIN |
3 |
3325 |
16 |
MILLIONAIRE (AT) |
BV |
2.9 |
3224 |
16 |
MALCOLM IN-MIDDLE SYN(AT) |
2/T |
2.9 |
3142 |
16 |
EVBDY LVS RAYMOND-WKD-SYN |
KIN |
2.9 |
3129 |
19 |
MAURY (AT) |
NBU |
2.8 |
3063 |
19 |
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
WKD |
PRM |
2.8 |
3058 |
19 |
KING OF THE HILL-SYN(AT) |
2/T |
2.8 |
3026 |
22 |
THAT 70S SHOW-MF-SYN
(AT) |
2/T |
2.7 |
2945 |
23 |
WARNER BROS. VOL 36 |
WB |
2.6 |
2892 |
23 |
PEOPLE'S COURT (AT) |
WB |
2.6 |
2888 |
23 |
BUENA VISTA V |
BV |
2.6 |
2823 |
Source: Nielsen Media
Research
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE
TELEVISION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending June 26 |
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
NHTI |
(000) |
1 |
MADRASTRA M-F |
UNI |
24.6 |
2687 |
2 |
APUESTA POR UN AMOR M-F |
UNI |
22.8 |
2492 |
3 |
INOCENTE DE TI M-F |
UNI |
21.3 |
2318 |
4 |
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA-WE |
UNI |
20.4 |
2231 |
5 |
CRISTINA-MON |
UNI |
20.2 |
2207 |
6 |
CASOS VIDA R: ED. ESP
TUE |
UNI |
16.4 |
1790 |
7 |
HOSPITAL EL PAISA FRI |
UNI |
15.8 |
1721 |
8 |
AQUI Y AHORA-THU |
UNI |
15.3 |
1665 |
9 |
SABADO GIGANTE-SAT |
UNI |
13.5 |
1476 |
10 |
GRAN ESTRENO ESTELAR
6/26(S)-06/26/2005 |
UNI |
13.1 |
1431 |
10 |
PAR DE ASES FRI |
UNI |
13.1 |
1426 |
12 |
PARODIA-SUN |
UNI |
8.9 |
975 |
13 |
ASI ES GILBERTO GLESS
SAT |
UNI |
7.2 |
783 |
14 |
MUJER EN EL ESPEJO M-F |
TEL |
6.5 |
713 |
15 |
AMARTE ASI M-F |
TEL |
5.0 |
540 |
16 |
PLATEADOS M-F |
TEL |
4.9 |
537 |
17 |
ACADEMIA, LA |
AZA |
4.8 |
520 |
17 |
DECISIONES M-F |
TEL |
4.8 |
518 |
19 |
CINE LAS ESTREL2 SUN |
TF |
3.7 |
405 |
20 |
SIN FRONTERAS |
TEL |
3.5 |
379 |
21 |
CINE LAS ESTREL2 SAT |
TF |
3.3 |
363 |
22 |
SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER |
TF |
3.0 |
327 |
22 |
CINE LAS ESTREL1 M-THU |
TF |
3.0 |
324 |
24 |
CINE LAS ESTREL1 SUN |
TF |
2.8 |
305 |
24 |
CINE LAS ESTREL1 SAT |
TF |
2.8 |
303 |
* Nielsen Hispanic
Television Index; ratings based on 9.7 million Hispanic TV
homes.
Source: Nielsen Media Research
|
NETWORK
SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Households
Week Ending June 19 |
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Episode |
Households |
Persons
2+ |
US Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
(000) |
1 |
NBA FINALS ON
ABC-GM 5(S)-6/19 |
ABC |
SAN ANT.
AT DET |
8.4 |
15 |
9168 |
13091 |
2 |
NBA FINALS ON
ABC-GM 3(S)-6/14 |
ABC |
SAN ANT.
AT DET |
7.2 |
13 |
7859 |
10633 |
3 |
NBA FINALS ON
ABC-GM 4(S)-6/16 |
ABC |
SAN ANT.
AT DET |
7.2 |
13 |
7889 |
10917 |
4 |
US OPEN GOLF
SUN(S)-6/19 |
NBC |
|
5.6 |
15 |
6093 |
7964 |
5 |
FOX NASCAR
NEXTEL CUP |
FOX |
PRESNTD BY AOL |
4.7 |
12 |
5141 |
7399 |
6 |
US OPEN GOLF-
SAT(S)-06/18 |
NBC |
|
4.0 |
12 |
4401 |
5396 |
7 |
NBA GAMETIME
FINALS-G5(S)-6/19 |
ABC |
|
3.6 |
7 |
3980 |
5646 |
8 |
NBA GAMETIME
FINALS-G4(S)-6/16 |
ABC |
|
3.5 |
7 |
3815 |
4944 |
9 |
WWE SMACKDOWN! |
UPN |
|
3.4 |
6 |
3675 |
5321 |
10 |
NBA GAMETIME
FINALS-G3(S)-6/14 |
ABC |
|
3.1 |
6 |
3402 |
4158 |
11 |
FOX NASCAR
NEXTEL PRE |
FOX |
|
3.1 |
9 |
3365 |
4706 |
12 |
US OPEN GOLF
FRI(S)-6/17 |
NBC |
|
2.6 |
8 |
2847 |
3355 |
13 |
US OPEN GOLF
THU(S)-6/16 |
NBC |
|
2.1 |
6 |
2313 |
2635 |
14 |
FOX SAT.
BASEBALL |
FOX |
VAR,
TEAMS
AND TIMES |
1.8 |
5 |
2015 |
2439 |
15 |
WIMBLEDON TENNIS
PREVIEW(S)-6/19 |
NBC |
|
1.1 |
3 |
1180 |
1343 |
16 |
NBA INSIDE
STUFF-ABC |
ABC |
|
0.7 |
2 |
752 |
922 |
17 |
NCAA OUTDR
TRCK & FLD
CHP(S)-6/18 |
CBS |
|
0.7 |
2 |
773 |
913 |
18 |
CBS SPORTS
SPEC.S)-06/18 |
CBS |
REBELS
ON RUN:
UNLV
BSKBL |
0.6 |
2 |
679 |
731 |
19 |
WEEK IN
BASEBALL |
FOX |
|
0.6 |
2 |
690 |
860 |
20 |
WNBA ON
ABC-SAT |
ABC |
PHNX
AT NY |
0.5 |
1 |
580 |
668 |
21 |
BRDGESTNE
CHAMP CAR
-SU(S)- 6/19 |
CBS |
GRND PRX
PRTLAND |
0.4 |
1 |
479 |
575 |
Source: Nielsen Media
Research |
|