(click image for full sized chart)
The top 5 English Broadcast Networks have lost 6.6% of their total viewers, 7.9% of their adults 18-49 viewers, 9.0% of their adults 18-34 viewers and 7.2% of their adults 25-54 viewers compared to last season through week two of the 2008-9 season.
The news is not universally bad, however. Both Fox and the CW show some gains compared to the first two weeks of last season. CW is up 3.3% for adults 18-49, up 12.9% for adults 18-34, and up 0.8% for adults 25-54. Although we're well known CW skeptics, I've got to say so far, so good. Fox's results were also mostly positive. Fox's viewership is effectively flat, but it's up 2.8% in adults 18-49, and up 5.4% in adults 25-54, while being down 2.2% for adults 18-34. On balance, they can be relatively happy.
On the downside, NBC is in free fall, losing 15.7% of its viewers, 16.7% of its adults 18-49, 15.8% of its adults 18-34, and 16.5% of its adults 25-54. Let the Ben Silverman pink slip watch intensify!
ABC and CBS had losses nearly as severe as NBC's dropping 4-6% of their viewers and even higher percentages of their desirable adult demo audiences.
Univision stands in sharp contrast to the overall trend, up in every category, sharply up in both viewers (14.1%) and adults 18-34 (13.1%).
Our chart shows broadcast network prime-time season to date average prime-time viewership for the 2008-9 season compared to the 2007-8 season.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
I’m really shocked with Univision.
With the strike, increased DVR usage, and increased internet viewing, I suppose a drop isn’t all that surprising. Actually, with the Monday and the Wednesday comedies DOA, House down significantly, and the failure of the Friday shows, I’m surprised FOX so close to last years’ levels.
Wopa, the English media tends to ignore them figuring they’re not in competition with the English language networks, so their progress in growing their audience over the last several years has been largely hidden.
We figure that they’re the fifth largest broadcast network in the US, we get their numbers, so we’re going to include them.
Interestingly for Fox and CW, they seem to each have lost more older viewers while increasing younger viewers, while NBC, CBS and ABC have lost relatively more younger viewers so far.
it’s funny b/c although Univision continues growing and gaining market share (among viewers), their monetary market share isn’t growing accordingly. Advertisers need to start realizing that the not only does the hispanic population and media keep growing, but so does its purchasing power.
I’m not surprised. DVR/internet viewing is increasing and it’s going to have a direct negative impact for the 18-45 demo. I’m pretty sure if you add DVR viewing and internet viewing shows like Heroes and Prison Break aren’t doing worse than before.
Martin, this chart includes Live+Same Day DVR viewing. Based on our experience that includes about 50% of DVR viewing.
I’ll probably do some posts later in the season with the Live+7 day DVR viewing in the numbers, but its too much trouble to do them every week considering the limited traffic they get. However, my guess is that the % declines will likely be very similar.
Plus, and some in the industry still have their heads in the sand about this, DVR viewers don’t watch commercials, so adding back all those DVR viewers doesn’t add back the lost commercial viewing opportunities.
I understand DVR viewing and online viewing isn’t printing money for networks but if they can’t find a way to capitalize from those viewers they are in for a rough ride in the coming years. The market (mainly younger viewers) is still there but it seems current business models are slowly becoming unable to grab those people.
Overall most networks could end up dropping their expensive scripted shows for more reality TV and family oriented stuff. This is something I wouldn’t like to see.
If they want to lure/cash in with online viewers why not just offer the shows for download as soon as they air on tv but leave the commercials in there? If they offered that they could easily track the amount of people who download each show and by leaving the commercails in there shouldn’t be an impact on dvd sales either. Sure people can skip the commercials but I mute them when I watch TV so what’s the difference?
UNI is up because of the huge influx of illegal aliens from Mexico and points south.
1982, I bet that’s what Apple does with iTunes. Their internal marketing data on who is downloading TV shows and purchasing the most Apple products probably gives them a huge advantage in knowing what networks and TV shows to target for ads.
“DVR viewers don’t watch commercials”
I guess I’m one of those people with his head in the sand. I’ve seen multiple studies indicating that DVR viewers are at least as likely, if not more likely, to remember commercials because the fast-forwarding keeps their eyes focused on the screen.
ES POSIBLE QUE EN 10-15 AÑOS AMERICA
OFICIALMENTE SERÁ UN PAÍS BILINGÜE
COMO CANADÁ. ¡VIVE LA RECONQUISTA!
I agree with Mikey, at least with regard to the ads that run before the program returns. I’d be interested to see what retention is of ads in the middle pod. You have to forgive Bill and I as we are NOT typical DVR users. We have programmed our remotes with a 30 second skip key, but as this is rarely a default setting I imagine almost none of the DVR population had done this. Most rely on fast-forward, a very different experience than how either Bill or I usually view. We don’t believe the skip button is the network’s friend.
Is it just me, or is NBC going to have simply throw darts at the schedule in order to figure out what to cancel? I mean, they can’t cancel everything, can they? Aside from L & O, pretty much every show they have is getting what used to be cancellation numbers. At so point are networks going to have to move to a model where they try and build an show over the course of years, rather than just putting on another new flop every six weeks?
In this environment, Cheers and Seinfeld would likely have never made it past 13 episodes, so maybe there is something to be said for going back in time with their business model rather than looking to the future with it.
Whoa, I’m confused. I thought CBS had grown in viewers vs. last year. I don’t believe those numbers.
Andrea, Most the shows have grown in numbers, but the lack of Thursday shows, low ratings for debate coverage, and weaker Sundays all have an effect.
Holly makes a good point. The debates have introduced a factor into this seasons ratings that makes them a bit harder to compare directly to last year.
Because of all the media bias- people like me- are staying away from their open-in your face liberal bias.
and of course Univision is gaining viewer due to the millions illegal crossing from mexico
jlopez,
These aren’t news ratings, they’re prime-time ratings. What is the political position of the CW?
And illegals/Univision? My guess is that there aren’t many illegal immigrant Nielsen families.