Where You Are: Home > CAB Research > 2006 Research Snapshots

Ad-Supported Cable Scored a Milestone This 05/06 Official Season - Outperforming the Broadcast Seven Networks Among Adults 18-49

With the conclusion of 05/06 Official Broadcast Season (9/19/05-5/24/06), Ad-Supported Cable set a record by outperforming the Broadcast Seven among advertisers most coveted target, A18-49, for the first time. Ad-Supported Cable's triumph was experienced across all measures as Cable surpassed Broadcast by an impressive 237,000 viewers, a 0.2 rating point and a 0.6 share point among A18-49. Broadcast continued to lose grasp of its core audience with viewership down more than 400,000 viewers; rating reducing a 0.3 point and share tumbling a point versus year ago. Broadcasts' vast loss was driven chiefly by NBC's (-351,000) and CBS's (-288,000) weak performances this season versus last year. In contrast, Ad-Supported Cable experienced a 232,000 viewership jump with this vital target.

2005/06 OFFICIAL PRIMETIME BROADCAST SEASON
A18-49 (OOO)
	A18-49			A18-49			A18-49
	AA(000)	(+/-)		US AA%	(+/-)		US SHR	(+/-)
	05/06	v. YAG		05/06	v. YAG		05/06	v. YAG
AD SUPPORTED CABLE	20,087	232		15.5	0.2		41.4	0.4
7-NET WEIGHTED GROSS	19,850	-402		15.3	-0.3		40.8	-1.0
IND BROADCAST	1,901	-1,216		1.5	-0.9		3.9	-2.5
ALL OTHER CABLE	1,539	117		1.2	0.1		3.2	0.3
PREMIUM PAY	2,157	-172		1.7	-0.1		4.4	-0.4
PBS	587	-20		0.5	0.0		1.2	-0.1
UNIVISION AFFILS	2,079	n/a		1.6	n/a		4.3	n/a
TELEMUNDO AFFILS	572	n/a		0.4	n/a		1.2	n/a

Source: CAB analysis of Nielsen data. Live+SD for 05.06 starting in 1/06.
7 NET GROSS - ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, & WB PGM LEVEL DATA

Not only is Broadcast losing its clasp on its principal spectators, Broadcasts' programming continues to garner low ratings with 89% of its regularly scheduled programming earning below a 5.0 rating among A18-49. In today's TV world, Broadcast programming chiefly dominates the lowest rating cell.

Number of Prime Broadcast Shows (Regular Pgm) In Each Rating Group

	# OF A18- 49 PGMS	% OF TOTAL
15+	0	0%
10-15	2	2%
5-10	16	10%
0-5	144	89%
TOTAL	162	100%

Source: CAB analysis Nielsen Galaxy's Official Season. 05.06 Live+ SD.
Regular pgm = Broadcast seven net pgms greater or equal to nine telecasts.

On a household level, Ad-Supported Cable surpassed the Broadcast Seven for the third consecutive Official Broadcast Season. Ad-Supported Cable continued to capture the hearts of viewers as viewership soared more than a million homes from last year's level, surpassing the Broadcast Seven by an impressive 5.3 million homes. Cable's quality edgy programming widened the gap with Broadcast even further this season as eight share points now separate the two mediums. While Cable continues to experience growth across all measures, Broadcast manages to gain only 74,000 viewers from last year thanks mainly to ABC's strong programming. In fact, five out of the total seven nets experienced declines this season.

2005/06 OFFICIAL PRIMETIME BROADCAST SEASON
HOUSEHOLDS (OOO)
	HH			HH			HH
	AA(000)	(+/-)		US AA%	(+/-)		US SHR	(+/-)
	05/06	v. YAG		05/06	v. YAG		05/06	v. YAG
AD SUPPORTED CABLE	36,225	1,059		32.9	0.8		53.1	1.1
7-NET WEIGHTED GROSS	30,954	74		28.1	-0.1		45.1	-0.3
IND BROADCAST	2,592	-1,557		2.4	-1.4		3.8	-2.3
ALL OTHER CABLE	3,789	486		3.4	0.4		5.6	0.7
PREMIUM PAY	3,050	-223		2.8	-0.2		4.5	-0.3
PBS	1,698	-183		1.5	-0.2		2.5	-0.3
UNIVISION AFFILS	2,139	n/a		1.9	n/a		3.1	n/a
TELEMUNDO AFFILS	608	n/a		0.6	n/a		0.9	n/a

Source: CAB analysis of Nielsen data. Live+SD for 05.06 starting in 1/06.
7 NET GROSS - ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, & WB PGM LEVEL DATA

Top of Page