AdWeek has published its annual survey of the actual prices advertisers agreed to pay in the Upfronts for 30-second spots in the network primetime line-ups, and as usual, it’s filled with fascinating information.  It helps, though, to keep the following in mind: A typical network hour contains about 20 30-second national ad spots.  The […]

  BROADCAST FINALS:  ABC:  Reruns at 0.39/0.32. CBS:  Reruns at 0.19/0.20/0.23. NBC:  Reruns at 0.20/0.19. FOX:  WWE SMACKDOWN lost 0.04 to 0.49. CW:  After a rerun PENN & TELLER: FOOL US at 0.04, DYNASTY was steady at 0.03. TELEMUNDO:  CASA DE FAMOSAS dropped 0.06 to 0.29, AMOR VALIENTE ticked up to 0.23, and INFIEL was […]

>Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol opened with a narrow 425-theater preview domestically this weekend, but the fourth M:I opened in over two-thirds of the international markets this weekend and already has taken in $68 million overseas.  The other domestic openers this weekend had fairly limited international bookings the first weekend.  Sherlock Holmes: A Game of […]

WORLDWIDE STUDIO SCORECARD.  Here is an updated look at the 2018 film slates by studio. The studio totals also include 2018 dollars for films released in late 2017. YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE. Looking at North American box office, 2018 to date is now +7% above last year and now +8% above the average for this point […]

> All the buzz and acclaim for Showtime’s HOMELAND started to pay off in the ratings for its season finale, which climbed from the show’s usual 0.4-0.5 level to a 0.7.  That’s still no blockbuster, but in the mostly tiny world of pay-cable ratings, an increase of 40-50% is no small deal.  The show also […]

The Christmas and New Year’s holidays will cause delays for daily national ratings (live+same day cable and broadcast) for several days.  This is how the ratings should roll out the next two weeks. Friday Dec 21 nationals available Wednesday Dec 26 afternoon Saturday Dec 22 nationals available Thursday Dec 27 morning Sunday Dec 23 nationals available Thursday Dec 27 morning Monday […]

  The World Series had surprisingly little meaningful effect on the other networks. FOX:  WORLD SERIES GAME 5 had a preliminary 3.8, which probably won’t go much beyond a 4 in final numbers.  There hasn’t been a 5th World Series game in a couple of years, but this looks to be around even with the […]

  BROADCAST FINALS ABC:  After a rerun AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS at 0.39, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD gained 0.06 to 0.56.  The rest of the line-up swapped timeslots, with THE $100,000 PYRAMID up 0.08 to 0.45, and THE FINAL STRAW down 0.13 to 0.26. CBS:  Sandwiched between reruns at 0.38/0.20/0.20, BIG BROTHER jumped 0.15 to 0.83. […]