Broadcast Network Rankings through January 6 — Football Still King

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THE WEEK.  For the recently completed week ending Sunday (December 31, 2012-January 6, 2013), NBC maintained first place with a preliminary 2.75 adult 18-49 rating in prime time.  The week was supported by NBC’s final NFL game of the season (an NFL Wild Card game on Saturday night, which should go up to a 10.6 rating).  But the network also had a very solid Sunday, with the strong return of Biggest Loser (2.9 rating from 9-11 pm for a special preview).  Also, Wednesday was a highlight.  The only network with original programming on January 2, NBC saw a season high for Chicago Fire at 10 pm (2.4 rating), building of a decently-rated SVU at 9 pm (2.2 rating).

FOX remained in second place with a 2.26 rating for the week, jumping from a 1.37 last week.  Most of the schedule was in repeats, but football saved the week: college on Friday (the Cotton Bowl between Oklahoma and Texas A&M with an adjusted fast national rating of about a 3.4) and NFL early evening Sunday (an adjusted fast national of about 14.0 at 7:00 and 8.8 at 7:30 for the end of the Seattle-Washington Wild Card game).

CBS will average a 1.58 rating for the week, also up from last week (1.27).  CBS had one night working this week: its now very reliable Thursday, highlighted by a stellar 6.1 rating for Big Bang Theory.  Two and a Half Men was not too shabby with a 4.5 rating, while Person of Interest (3.4) and Elementary (2.6) paled in comparison at nevertheless solid ratings.

ABC is headed for a 1.44 weekly rating, up sharply from last week (1.09).  ABC’s Monday was exceptionally high (3.1 rating from 8-11 pm) because of New Year’s Eve programming, while it had an okay Sunday (1.8 rating for the night) with the return of Once Upon a Time (3.1 rating at 8 pm) and Revenge (2.3 rating at 9 pm).  The comedies at 10 pm bombed like they normally do in that hour on broadcast networks (1.0 for Happy Endings and 0.9 for Don’t Trust the B– in Apt 23, both original episodes).

SEASON TO DATE through 15 weeks (with adjusted fast national ratings for the last three nights):

NBC is still averaging a 2.70 adult 18-49 rating in prime time (up 20% from the same period last year).

CBS is in second place with a 2.18 (down 16%).

FOX is in third place with a 2.07 (down 21%).

ABC is in fourth with a 1.87 (down 11%).

Collectively, the four networks total an 8.83 rating (down 8% from 9.60 the same period last year).

The CW is averaging a 0.55 in prime so far this season (down 11%).