Articles

January 4, 2016
 

UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY’s Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Update: 12.31.2015

 

 
NETWORK UPDATE:  There were no changes from the preliminary New Year’s Eve numbers.

Broadcast Official Nationals Program Ratings Chart  

Finals Bcast 2015 Dec THU.31

 

CABLE HIGHLIGHTS:  ESPN owned December 31 on cable, with 9 of the day’s Top 10 shows, but it was still bittersweet for the network.  Last year’s COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS aired on January 1 rather than New Year’s Eve, but contractual issues with the specific bowls which rotate the CFP games prevented that this year, and as a result, the games were at 5.51/4.70, compared to last year’s 8.94/8.33.  (On the other hand, last year’s New Year’s Eve Orange Bowl was at only 2.64, so the Playoff certainly gave it an upgrade.)  The only other network to air a Top 10 show was CNN, although oddly it was the post-midnight NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE at 0.47 that slightly topped the earlier gala Anderson Cooper/Kathy Griffin telecast at 0.45.  (Fox News’s inevitably titled ALL AMERICAN NEW YEAR’S was at 0.26/0.20, although in keeping with its core demo, it dominated with the 50+ set at 1.89/1.36, and BET’s New Year’s show was at 0.21.)   Syfy’s WWE was at 0.46.  BILLY ON THE STREET (Tru) appears to have aired the lone non-sports, non-New Year’s episodes of the night at 0.10/0.09. 

Top 50 Original Cable Telecasts with Demographic Detail

Finals Cable 2015 Dec THU.31

Top 150 Original Cable Telecasts
To search for a show: type Ctrl-F and type your show title in the search box.

Top 150 Original Cable Telecasts: Thursday December 31, 2015 P18-49 P2+
Rank Program Net Start Mins Rating (000s)
1 CFP SEMIFINAL  L: MICHIGAN STATE/ALABAMA ESPN 8:20 PM 191 5.51 18,552
2 COLL FTBL BOWL STUDIO L ESPN 8:08 PM 12 5.45 18,090
3 CFP SEMIFINAL  L: OKLAHOMA/CLEMSON ESPN 4:10 PM 231 4.70 15,640
4 CFP SEMIFINAL SUST L ESPN 11:31 PM 14 3.61 11,609
5 COLL FTBL BOWL STUDIO L ESPN 3:59 PM 11 2.67 9,779
6 COLL FTBL BOWL STUDIO L ESPN 11:45 PM 14 2.14 6,645
7 PEACH BOWL  L: HOUSTON/FLORIDA STATE ESPN 11:58 AM 236 1.60 5,604
8 SPORTSCENTER 12AM  L ESPN 11:59 PM 76 1.06 2,883
9 SPORTSCENTER 1AM        L ESPN 1:15 AM 60 0.69 1,607
10 NEW YEARS EVE LIVE CNN 12:38 AM 28 0.47 1,753
11 WWE SMACKDOWN: 123115 SYFY 8:00 PM 120 0.46 1,658
12 NEW YEARS EVE LIVE W/ AC: N/A CNN 8:00 PM 278 0.45 1,623
13 COLLEGE GAMEDAY         L: N/A ESPN 9:00 AM 170 0.38 1,020
14 ALL AMERICAN NEW YEARS FOX NEWS CHANNEL 12:00 AM 30 0.26 2,089
15 106 & PARTY 2015: N/A BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV 11:00 PM 120 0.21 561
16 ALL AMERICAN NEW YEARS FOX NEWS CHANNEL 11:00 PM 60 0.20 1,778
17 SPORTSCENTER AM      L: N/A ESPN 7:00 AM 120 0.20 491
18 CNN NEWSROOM CNN 3:00 PM 60 0.18 1,029
19 TNNK TOP 10 NICK-AT-NITE 8:00 PM 60 0.17 809
20 MYTHBUSTERS HOLIDAY MA SCIENCE 7:00 PM 60 0.17 376
21 SITUATION ROOM CNN 5:00 PM 60 0.17 757
22 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 11:00 AM 60 0.16 342
23 JOHN WICK HBO PRIME 9:00 PM 101 0.16 485
24 LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER CNN 4:00 PM 60 0.15 791
25 AMERICAS NEWSROOM FOX NEWS CHANNEL 9:00 AM 60 0.15 1,460
26 SITUATION ROOM CNN 6:00 PM 60 0.14 681
27 CNN NEWSROOM CNN 2:00 PM 60 0.14 896
28 HAPPENING NOW FOX NEWS CHANNEL 11:00 AM 60 0.14 1,331
29 DIVERGENT SERIES:INSURGEN HBO PRIME 5:15 PM 118 0.14 322
30 FOX AND FRIENDS FOX NEWS CHANNEL 8:00 AM 60 0.14 1,202
31 HBO FIRST LOOK HBO PRIME 10:45 PM 12 0.14 300
32 WOLF CNN 1:00 PM 60 0.13 750
33 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 12:00 PM 60 0.13 282
34 RED EYE NEW YEARS SPECIAL FOX NEWS CHANNEL 12:30 AM 30 0.13 892
35 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 10:00 AM 60 0.13 277
36 COUNTDOWN TO 2016 FOX NEWS CHANNEL 10:00 PM 60 0.12 1,248
37 AMERICAS NEWSROOM FOX NEWS CHANNEL 10:00 AM 60 0.12 1,450
38 OUTNUMBERED FOX NEWS CHANNEL 12:00 PM 60 0.12 1,307
39 FIVE, THE SPCL FOX NEWS CHANNEL 5:00 PM 60 0.12 1,667
40 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 7:00 AM 60 0.12 333
41 HAPPENING NOW FOX NEWS CHANNEL 1:00 PM 60 0.12 1,368
42 SPECIAL RPT W/BRET BAIER FOX NEWS CHANNEL 6:00 PM 60 0.11 1,689
43 YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, T POP 7:00 PM 60 0.11 387
44 REAL STORY W/G.CARLSON FOX NEWS CHANNEL 2:00 PM 60 0.11 1,319
45 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 6:00 AM 60 0.11 339
46 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 2:00 PM 60 0.11 277
47 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 3:00 PM 45 0.11 277
48 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 9:00 AM 60 0.11 267
49 SPORTSCENTER AM      L ESPN2 1:00 PM 60 0.11 222
50 I LOVE KELLIE PICKLER CMT 10:00 PM 30 0.11 290
51 FOX AND FRIENDS FOX NEWS CHANNEL 7:00 AM 60 0.11 973
52 COLL FTBL BOWL STUDIO L ESPN2 3:45 PM 11 0.10 342
53 BILLY ON THE STREET TRUTV 10:30 PM 31 0.10 242
54 MSNBC LIVE W/K.SNOW: DUBAI HIGH-RISE HOTEL ON FIRE MSNBC 3:00 PM 120 0.10 511
55 DIVERGENT: DIVERGENT HBO PRIME 2:50 PM 139 0.10 238
56 LEGAL VIEW CNN 12:00 PM 60 0.09 594
57 AT THIS HOUR CNN 11:00 AM 60 0.09 625
58 BILLY ON THE STREET TRUTV 11:01 PM 30 0.09 186
59 YOUR WORLD W/NEIL CAVUTO FOX NEWS CHANNEL 4:00 PM 60 0.09 1,183
60 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 8:00 AM 60 0.09 328
61 FOX AND FRIENDS FOX NEWS CHANNEL 6:00 AM 60 0.09 733
62 SHEPARD SMITH REPORTING FOX NEWS CHANNEL 3:00 PM 60 0.09 1,188
63 UFC RELOADED: 189:MENDES/MCGREGOR FOX SPORTS 1 8:00 PM 180 0.09 316
64 COUNTDOWN TO 2016 FOX NEWS CHANNEL 9:00 PM 60 0.09 969
65 THAT 70S SHOW POP 5:30 PM 30 0.09 179
66 DIVERGENT SERIES:INSURGEN HBO PRIME 12:00 AM 118 0.08 244
67 THAT 70S SHOW POP 5:00 PM 30 0.08 190
68 MSNBC LIVE W/ T. ROBERTS: DUBAI HIGH-RISE HOTEL ON FIRE MSNBC 1:00 PM 120 0.08 467
69 CNN NEWSROOM CNN 10:00 AM 60 0.08 583
70 MIKE & MIKE IN THE MORN L: N/A ESPN2 6:00 AM 180 0.08 210
71 THAT 70S SHOW POP 4:30 PM 30 0.08 213
72 NEW DAY CNN 8:00 AM 60 0.08 442
73 HARDBALL YEAR ENDER MSNBC 7:00 PM 60 0.08 630
74 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 9:00 AM 60 0.07 272
75 MTP DAILY MSNBC 5:00 PM 60 0.07 402
76 LAST WORD YEAR ENDER MSNBC 6:00 PM 60 0.07 488
77 DISTURBIA HBO PRIME 7:15 PM 104 0.07 179
78 ANDREA MITCHELL REPORTS MSNBC 12:00 PM 60 0.07 413
79 NEW DAY CNN 6:00 AM 60 0.07 349
80 700 CLUB ABC FAMILY 11:00 PM 60 0.07 176
81 GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY: N/A HBO PRIME 8:30 AM 120 0.07 148
82 CNN NEWSROOM CNN 9:00 AM 60 0.07 513
83 MSNBC LIVE W/ JD BALART: N/A MSNBC 9:00 AM 120 0.06 377
84 MSNBC LIVE W/ T.HALL MSNBC 11:00 AM 60 0.06 401
85 YO-KAI WATCH DISNEY XD 5:00 PM 30 0.06 388
86 THAT 70S SHOW POP 4:00 PM 30 0.06 189
87 BREAKFAST WITH FEDOR: FED: 1 SPIKE TV 10:00 AM 168 0.06 141
88 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 10:00 AM 60 0.06 245
89 NEW DAY CNN 7:00 AM 60 0.06 344
90 HOME & FAMILY: N/A HALLMARK CHANNEL 10:00 AM 120 0.05 256
91 MORNING JOE-SPC MSNBC 6:00 AM 60 0.05 276
92 NHL WC ALUMNI GAME L: MONTREAL/BOSTON NBC SPORTS NETWORK 3:30 PM 151 0.05 133
93 50 STATES 50 STORIES HLN 9:00 PM 60 0.05 300
94 PAY IT FORWARD: PAY IT FORWARD HBO PRIME 11:00 AM 123 0.05 158
95 MSNBC LIVE MSNBC 8:00 AM 60 0.05 372
96 DAYS OF OUR LIVES POP 8:00 PM 60 0.05 209
97 JUPITER ASCENDING: JUPITER ASCENDING MAXPRIME 12:00 AM 128 0.05 109
98 OPRAH: WATN EXTRA OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK 10:00 PM 60 0.05 199
99 BRINGING UP BATES UP 8:00 PM 60 0.04 154
100 HOW TO WIN H2 11:00 PM 60 0.04 131
101 MORNING EXPRESS W/ MEADE HLN 11:00 AM 60 0.04 181
102 RUMOR HAS IT HBO PRIME 6:45 AM 96 0.04 90
103 BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, T POP 6:30 PM 30 0.04 190
104 FOX COLLEGE HOOP BRIDGE L FOX SPORTS 1 2:04 PM 10 0.04 143
105 HOW TO WIN H2 7:00 PM 60 0.04 110
106 MSNBC LIVE MSNBC 7:00 AM 60 0.04 280
107 LUCY MAXPRIME 8:30 PM 89 0.04 130
108 HOW TO WIN H2 8:00 PM 60 0.04 110
109 BREAK HBO PRIME 1:03 PM 12 0.04 97
110 COLL BSKTBL: BIG EAST L: XAVIER/VILLANOVA FOX SPORTS 1 12:00 PM 124 0.04 113
111 FAST MONEY HALFTIME RPRT CNBC 12:00 PM 60 0.04 229
112 WEATHER CENTER LIVE THE WEATHER CHANNEL 10:00 AM 60 0.04 287
113 SPORTSCENTER:           L ESPN2 7:55 PM 15 0.04 177
114 SQUAWK ON THE STREET: N/A CNBC 9:00 AM 120 0.03 213
115 POWER LUNCH: N/A CNBC 1:00 PM 120 0.03 227
116 HOW TO WIN H2 6:00 PM 60 0.03 96
117 NYE OPEN BAR PARTY FUSE 10:00 PM 60 0.03 58
118 TEENNICK TOP 10 TEENNICK 8:00 PM 60 0.03 124
119 HOW TO WIN H2 10:00 PM 60 0.03 96
120 THIS IS IMPACT POP 1:00 AM 60 0.03 78
121 BOY NEXT DOOR, THE MAXPRIME 3:40 PM 91 0.03 105
122 AMHQ THE WEATHER CHANNEL 7:00 AM 60 0.03 195
123 ANNABELLE MAXPRIME 5:15 PM 99 0.03 60
124 CLOSING BELL: N/A CNBC 3:00 PM 120 0.03 195
125 PERFECT MURDER, A MAXPRIME 1:50 PM 107 0.03 89
126 BEST OF BELLATOR MMA 2015 SPIKE TV 9:00 AM 60 0.03 58
127 NYE OPEN BAR PARTY FUSE 9:00 PM 60 0.03 67
128 HOW TO WIN H2 9:00 PM 60 0.03 98
129 CENTRAL FOX US FOX DEPORTES 11:00 PM 60 0.03 58
130 AMHQ THE WEATHER CHANNEL 6:00 AM 60 0.03 141
131 WEATHER CENTER LIVE THE WEATHER CHANNEL 11:00 AM 60 0.03 237
132 COLL BSKTBL: BIG EAST L: CREIGHTON/ST. JOHNS FOX SPORTS 1 2:14 PM 131 0.03 137
133 NBA ACTION NBA-TV 3:00 PM 30 0.03 59
134 SQUAWK ALLEY CNBC 11:00 AM 60 0.03 226
135 FAST MONEY CNBC 5:00 PM 60 0.03 151
136 DRACULA UNTOLD  (2014) MAXPRIME 6:55 PM 92 0.03 86
137 NFL HQ: NFL HQ NFL NETWORK 8:00 AM 120 0.03 74
138 FOX SPORTS LIVE L FOX SPORTS 1 11:00 PM 60 0.03 96
139 WEATHER CENTER LIVE THE WEATHER CHANNEL 9:00 AM 60 0.02 294
140 CFP SEMI MEGACAST  L: MICHIGAN ST/ALABAMA ESPN2 8:10 PM 223 0.02 89
141 OPRAH: WATN EXTRA OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK 9:00 PM 60 0.02 185
142 NFL FANTASY LIVE NFL NETWORK 5:00 PM 60 0.02 64
143 PRIMERO NOTICIAS: N/A GALAVISION 6:55 AM 188 0.02 49
144 SMOKIN ACES MAXPRIME 12:00 PM 109 0.02 60
145 AROUND THE NFL NFL NETWORK 6:00 PM 60 0.02 99
146 COLL FTBL BOWL GAME: USC/WISCONSIN ESPNU 1:00 AM 120 0.02 64
147 COLLEGE BKBL REG SSN    L: BYU/SAINT MARYS ESPNU 11:00 PM 120 0.02 64
148 NBA GAMETIME LIVE: NBA GAMETIME LIVE NBA-TV 8:00 PM 240 0.02 79
149 TMZ SPORTS FOX SPORTS 1 12:00 AM 30 0.02 59
150 NYE OPEN BAR PARTY FUSE 11:00 PM 60 0.02 51

###



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.