Adults 18-49 ratings set the broadcast primetime advertising rates. Our weekly charts of the top broadcast shows indicate which shows had the highest 18-49 ratings, but since they necessarily treat 30 minute shows the same as longer hour shows, they don't reliably indicate which shows have grabbed the most advertising revenue.
While industry sources can estimate advertising rates after the fact, we can make a pretty good guess, by multiplying each broadcast show's adults 18-49 average ratings by their total telecast time so far this season, which shows have earned the most advertising revenue so far this season.
It's an interesting list to look at with a few caveats:
- It devalues shows that are still in progress adding to their season ad revenue (all shows except the 2 football shows and Biggest Loser
I'll do this again at the end of the season with commercial ratings if possible, to give the clearest picture for the season as a whole. - Since it uses Most Current program ratings, which are mostly Live+7 Day DVR viewing, it overvalues shows with lots of DVR viewing after the airdate which doesn't translate into lots more advertising revenue (like scripted shows), and undervalues sports and to a lesser extent unscripted shows.
- It doesn't take into account out of slot repeats or specials at all, which provide increased ad revenue but aren't included in the season average ratings.
- It doesn't estimate profitability, only revenue. For example, the conventional wisdom is that while Sunday Night Football is an advertising gold mine, its license fees and production costs eat up most if not all of that revenue. Forbes had some guesses as to 2009 show profitability.
Even with all those caveats, its interesting to note the high rating and duration magnitude of Sunday Night Football makes it an advertising magnet. And both regular American Idol nights will pass Grey's Anatomy and House in this list by the end of the season. Adding both "seasons" of Biggest Loser together give you an idea of the giant ad money NBC is getting from it.
| Show | Net | 18-49 rating avg. (Most Current) | Duration (min) | Relative Ad Revenue |
| NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 7.5 | 2,873 | 1.00 |
| American Idol-TUE | FOX | 10.3 | 786 | 0.38 |
| GREY'S ANATOMY | ABC | 5.4 | 1,279 | 0.32 |
| HOUSE | FOX | 5.2 | 1,272 | 0.31 |
| American Idol-WED | FOX | 9.5 | 692 | 0.31 |
| Biggest Loser 8 | NBC | 4.2 | 1,542 | 0.30 |
| NCIS | CBS | 4.3 | 1,440 | 0.29 |
| CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 3.8 | 1,500 | 0.26 |
| Desperate Housewives | ABC | 5.2 | 1,037 | 0.25 |
| Criminal Minds | CBS | 3.9 | 1,320 | 0.24 |
| NCIS: LOS ANGELES | CBS | 3.7 | 1,379 | 0.24 |
| THE Mentalist | CBS | 4.0 | 1,200 | 0.22 |
| SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL | ABC | 2.0 | 2,346 | 0.22 |
| The Bachelor | ABC | 4.3 | 1,087 | 0.22 |
| Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 3.9 | 1,187 | 0.21 |
| Private Practice | ABC | 3.7 | 1,241 | 0.21 |
| CSI: NY | CBS | 3.4 | 1,320 | 0.21 |
| CSI | CBS | 3.9 | 1,140 | 0.21 |
| The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 5.4 | 750 | 0.19 |
| Extreme Makeover:HM ED | ABC | 2.9 | 1,380 | 0.19 |
| THE Good Wife | CBS | 2.8 | 1,381 | 0.18 |
| Biggest Loser 9 | NBC | 4.0 | 965 | 0.18 |
| Two and a Half Men | CBS | 4.9 | 750 | 0.17 |
| Bones | FOX | 3.3 | 1,081 | 0.17 |
| BROTHERS & Sisters | ABC | 3.5 | 1,003 | 0.16 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Keep in mind that 9 pm CBS Monday is effectively number 3 on this list behind Idol, the ad revenue is simply split between 2 shows. Also keep in mind that WB is getting every penny they can out of CBS for these 2 hits, going as far as to sue them last year.
do you guys put the full list of seasonal ratings?
Do they make money off the reruns that's why we see so much of that in syndication and cable, when shows hit the 100 mark. I was wondering why we don't see classic TV anymore. Is it because they have to pay the stars residuals.(forgive the spelling wasn't sure). I'm sick of seeing reruns of shows and current shows that are still on the air and edited movies, that really ticks me off and when there on cable, not what I'm paying cable for.
I'm curious that Survivor isn't included in this list. It certainly beats Extreme Makeover HE being on Thursday nights and with much higher demo numbers. Are the duration numbers for Survivor lower?
yeah I wonder about Survivor as well….I would imagine it to be in the list, and high up for that matter! Can someone clarify please?
My guess is Survivor doesn't make the list because each season is treated as a different show and neither one generated enough revenue on its own.
Survivor 20 has aired like 4 episodes so far… that's why it's not on the list, and Survivor 19 was only 16 episodes long. The list is completely f'd up because the durations are all screwed up.
The durations are not all screwed up. They are as Nielsen reports them. The limitations of the list are quite clearly stated.
Survivor: Samoa (fall 2009) was would have been 33rd on this list. Only its regular Thursday episodes were averaged together, although its special Sunday episodes would also have made their share of advertising money.
It is inaccurate for them to use full season duration but only 3/4 of the season for the average rating, considering pretty much everything is trending down.
The durations are not all screwed up. They are as Nielsen reports them. The limitations of the list are quite clearly stated.
Survivor: Samoa (fall 2009) was would have been 33rd on this list. Only its regular Thursday episodes were averaged together, although its special Sunday episodes would also have made their share of advertising money.
It is inaccurate for them to use full season duration but only 3/4 of the season for the average rating, considering pretty much everything is trending down.