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August 27, 2012
 

Broadcast Weekly & Summer Averages through August 26

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Written by: Mitch Metcalf
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CBS is looking like a 1.50 rating for the week of August 20-26, enough for a share of first place this week but down 10% from the same week last year.  The NFL preseason games last year were a 2.0 on Friday (GB at IND) and 1.8 on Saturday (NE at DET), while this year is a preliminary 1.7 on Friday (CHI at NYG) and 1.8 on Saturday (HOU at NO).  Big Brother remains a solid but declining force on multiple nights.

CBS programs at a 2.0 Adult 18-49 rating or higher

This week: Big Brother Wed 8-9 (2.1), Big Brother Thu 9-10 (2.3), Big Bang Theory Thu 8-8:30 (2.0), Big Brother Sunday 8-9 (2.5), NFL Preseason Saturday Houston at New Orleans (2.0 in the 10:00 half hour)

Same week last year: Big Brother Wed 8-9 (2.9), Big Brother Thu 9-10 (3.1), Big Brother Sunday 8-9 (2.9), NFL Preseason Friday 8-11 Green Bay at Indianapolis (2.0 for the entire three hours)

NBC is headed for a virtually identical 1.49 rating for the week, down 16% from last year.  America’s Got Talent continues to lag well behind last year’s pace, and even the Sunday NFL preseason game was down slightly from last year.

NBC programs at a 2.0 Adult 18-49 or higher

This week: America’s Got Talent Tue 8-10 (2.5), America’s Got Talent Wed 9-10 (2.3), Sunday Night Football Preseason Carolina at NY Jets Sun 8-11 (2.9)

Same week last year: America’s Got Talent Tue 9-11 (3.3), America’s Got Talent Wed 9-10 (2.9), Sunday Night Football Preseason New Orleans at Oakland Sun 8-11 (3.2)

 

Adult 18-49 Rating by Network
This Week vs Last Year ABC CBS FOX NBC 4-Net
August 22-28, 2011 1.45 1.67 1.17 1.77 6.04
August 20-26, 2012 1.14 1.50 1.43 1.49 5.55
 % change -21% -10% +22% -16% -8%
Summer to Date
May 30-Aug 28, 2011 1.62 1.27 1.52 1.55 5.96
May 28-Aug 26, 2012 1.36 1.09 1.37 2.94 6.76
 % change -16% -15% -10% +90% +13%

FOX (without prime time preseason NFL action this week) is headed for a respectable 1.43 rating for the week, up a very impressive 22% from last year.  More Gordon Ramsay is on the schedule this summer, and FOX even lucked out Sunday night with the late afternoon NFL preseason game running past 7 pm into prime time.

FOX programs at a 2.0 rating or higher

This week: Hotel Hell Mon 8-9 (2.0), Hell’s Kitchen Mon 9-10 (2.6), MasterChef Tue 9-10 (2.4), NFL Runover Sun 7:00-7:30 (2.0), Family Guy repeat Sun 9:00-9:30 (2.0)

Same week last year: Hell’s Kitchen Mon 8-10 (2.6)

ABC is looking like a 1.14 for the week, down 21% from the same week last year and down to fourth place.

ABC programs at a 2.0 Adult 18-49 rating or higher

This week:  none

Same week last year: Wipeout Tue 8-9 (2.0)

 

For the week, the broadcast networks combined for an 8% loss in audience among Adults 18-49 in prime time, a little better than the 10% drop we saw last week.  Since January 1, the broadcasters are also down 8% collectively if the Olympic weeks are excluded.  When the new season starts in just a few weeks, look at year-to-year differences in broadcast ratings — anything worse than 8% could spell trouble for TV viewing this season on the networks, while a decline closer to 5% would be considered more normal.

Adult 18-49 Rating (4 Nets)
2011-12 2010-11 % Change This Year’s Dates Week #
This Week 5.55 6.04 -8% (Aug 20-26) 49
Summer to date 6.76 5.96 +13% (May 28-Aug 26) 37-49
Season to date 8.59 8.75 -2% (Sep 19-Aug 26) 1-49


About the Author

Mitch Metcalf
MITCH METCALF has been tracking every US film release of over 500 screens (over 2300 movies and counting) since the storied weekend of May 20, 1994, when Maverick and Beverly Hills Cop 3 inspired countless aficionados to devote their lives to the art of cinema. Prior to that, he studied Politics and Economics at Princeton in order to prepare for his dream of working in television. He has been Head of West Coast Research at ABC, then moved to NBC in 2000 and became Head of Scheduling for 11 years.