Our chart has been updated with the data for the 2007-2008 season. Among English broadcast networks only Fox recorded an increase and the trend for the rest continued downward, helped by, but not exclusively caused by, the WGA writer's strike last season.
I anticipate further overall losses by the broadcast prime-time networks this season. And in the first week of the season we just learned that while the English broadcast networks were down 3% year to year, ad supported cable was up 13%. Cable continues to eat broadcast share, and I don't think its going to stop anytime soon.
Looks like the all time peak for a network was CBS during the heyday of Dallas.
I was just having a discussion about the reasons for the decline in ratings and I’m solidly in the blame cable camp. Do you have any data on the decline in shares vs the decline in ratings on English-language broadcast TV? Mostly just to prove my point to those who are all “It’s the internet that’s killing ratings!”
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/04/16/where-did-the-primetime-broadcast-audience-go/3362
Julia, that’s likely what you want. We don’t yet have the numbers for the 2007-8 season, but should have them soon.
Also, just for the first week of this season, this report has lots of good data.
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/10/01/tv-ratings-report-for-week-1-of-the-2008-9-season/5464
Thanks!