Driven by WWE Raw and a pile of NCIS repeats, USA topped ESPN for top average primetime cable viewership for the week. ESPN, hurt by lackluster Monday Night Football ratings (49ers/Cards), still won the weekly primetime cable ratings for adults 18-49.
Nickelodeon remains, as always, on the top of the total day average viewership. No surprise, it was 2009's total day top cable network for average viewership.
Prime-time Average Viewers (Live+SD) Week of December 14-20, 2009
| Network | (000s) |
| USA | 2,972 |
| ESPN | 2,877 |
| DSNY | 2,359 |
| NFLN | 2,261 |
| FOXN | 2,128 |
| FAM | 2,062 |
| TNT | 1,979 |
| A&E | 1,895 |
| NAN | 1,746 |
| TBSC | 1,737 |
| HALL | 1,582 |
| FX | 1,459 |
| TOON | 1,412 |
| LIFE | 1,385 |
| HIST | 1,314 |
| DISC | 1,242 |
| HGTV | 1,203 |
| AMC | 1,190 |
| TLC | 1,133 |
| SYFY | 1,131 |
| TRU | 1,119 |
| SPK | 1,049 |
| CMDY | 1,023 |
| FOOD | 981 |
| LMN | 917 |
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Adults 18-49 Primetime Average (Live+SD)
| Network | (000s) |
| ESPN | 1,392 |
| USA | 1,377 |
| NFLN | 1,183 |
| TBSC | 1,030 |
| FAM | 928 |
| A&E | 862 |
| FX | 787 |
| TNT | 746 |
| DISC | 666 |
| DSNY | 623 |
| HIST | 589 |
| TLC | 580 |
| CMDY | 570 |
| TRU | 556 |
| SYFY | 556 |
| AMC | 550 |
| SPK | 544 |
| EN | 543 |
| NAN | 490 |
| FOOD | 480 |
| MTV | 474 |
| HGTV | 414 |
| BRAV | 391 |
| VH1 | 386 |
| TOON | 385 |
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Total Day Average Viewers (Live+SD)
| Network | (000s) |
| NICK | 2,327 |
| NAN | 1,605 |
| DSNY | 1,596 |
| USA | 1,430 |
| TNT | 1,284 |
| FOXN | 1,198 |
| ESPN | 1,191 |
| ADSM | 1,127 |
| FAM | 1,109 |
| TOON | 1,024 |
| TBSC | 911 |
| A&E | 898 |
| HALL | 880 |
| LIFE | 808 |
| FX | 767 |
| TRU | 742 |
| HIST | 720 |
| SPK | 688 |
| DISC | 684 |
| FOOD | 656 |
| HGTV | 628 |
| AMC | 626 |
| TVLD | 560 |
| SYFY | 555 |
| CMDY | 553 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
