FOX, Not CBS, is the Most-Watched Network
3/2 Update: Now, the LA Times gets in on the action. Probably after they read it here first 
If you spend any time watching CBS you'll hear them celebrate the fact that CBS is the most watched network. It's no longer true though. FOX is the most watched network in primetime and its lead is growing. Neither Bill Gorman or myself believe that 6-8 weeks of new scripted dramas and comedies coming from CBS down the road will allow it to overtake FOX either in total viewers, or ANY of the demographics.
FOX's lead in total viewers keeps growing and there's too much American Idol left. American Idol may have peaked, but it's still the golden goose. FOX's lead in overall viewers (currently less than a million viewers) will continue to grow and CBS will not be able to stop it. And Big Brother and Jericho (nothing against these shows or its fans, we love you all) aren't helping.
But it's the demographics where CBS is getting crushed. It's getting whipped by more than a million viewers on average in the 18-49 and 18-34 demos, and FOX's lead in the 25-54 demo is on a trajectory to be more than a million perhaps by as soon as next week.
CBS can certainly proclaim "The MOST watched network among people age 55 and over!", but outside of that, Les Moonves and the crew at the Eye network have nothing to crow about.
Please excuse the chart for being less pretty than normal. Bill was on vacation and couldn't create it on his normal setup. Nonetheless, it's prettier than what I could've come up with, so I am including it. If you're interested to track how FOX has grown through the year, you can check out the previous season-to-date postings.
Brigitte, without AI on Fox, CBS would still be most watched still this season, but that’s sort of like saying “Without the 3 CSI’s, where would CBS be?”
This doesn't take into account any of the New Media out there on the Internet. This is a judgment call based on those antiquated nielsens again. How long has the Fox on demand online been around? I'm thinking that is a new feature for them, I don't remember them having that. CBS' innertube has been around for awhile and their audiences seem to have heavy Internet presence which negates what the nielsens report half the time.
So I think CBS has the upper hand when all is said & done, but it's up to them to stick with their dual network/new media shows to be able to grow further.
Bill,
Yeah, you do have a point, still what I wanted
to say was CBS has more depth or variety (CBS wants to appeal to all kind of viewer not just the 18-49 group, according to the article in the LA Times) than FOX and in the long run that should help CBS.
I think that CBS does have a problem in the reality shows department. Survivor isn’t doing as well as it us to be and Big Brother isn’t cutting it. So if CBS wants to beat FOX it should be looking at a new reality show that will bring the type of viewer who like that kind of show back to CBS.
Karen, first of all CBS's claim to be “Most Watched” was based on Nielsen measured viewers, so Fox's new claim would have the same basis.
As for new media success, we're ready to report any numbers as soon as we see/get them. So far, they've been pretty sparse, which leads me to believe they're not material yet.
This doesn’t take into account any of the New Media out there on the Internet. This is a judgment call based on those antiquated nielsens again. How long has the Fox on demand online been around? I’m thinking that is a new feature for them, I don’t remember them having that. CBS’ innertube has been around for awhile and their audiences seem to have heavy Internet presence which negates what the nielsens report half the time.
So I think CBS has the upper hand when all is said & done, but it’s up to them to stick with their dual network/new media shows to be able to grow further.
Karen, first of all CBS’s claim to be “Most Watched” was based on Nielsen measured viewers, so Fox’s new claim would have the same basis.
As for new media success, we’re ready to report any numbers as soon as we see/get them. So far, they’ve been pretty sparse, which leads me to believe they’re not material yet.