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Week 23 of the 2003/04 Season (2/23-2/29/04)

Primetime:

Cable delivered 31.9 million homes, an increase of 483,000 from last year, during the fourth week of February Sweeps 2004. Ratings remained constant at 29.4 and share decreased by a slight 0.5 points to end at 46.9. The Broadcast networks (7-Net) had increases in all audience measures. Their growth was fueled by the Academy Awards and pre-Awards Countdown Show. It should be noted that this year’s awards ceremony was held at an earlier date than in years past. It should comes as no surprise that ABC, which hosted the show, saw increases in all audience measures.

Cable continues to outperform Broadcast seven nets this First Quarter 2004, as Cable’s share is over a point above Broadcast’s level. Compared to year ago, Cable’s share of total TV viewing has grown over three points whereas Broadcast’s has declined about two to a 48.0 level.

As the new 03-04 season continues to unfold - Cable continues to capture half of total TV viewing. In fact, Cable is outperforming Broadcast’s share level slightly to date whereas last season there existed over a three point share spread between the two. Cable’s niche programming continues to capture the hearts of viewers with rating gains across all of its audience measurements from year ago –delivering 2.5 million more homes; +1.9 HH rating points; and +3.0 HH share points.

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Total Day:

Ad Supported Cable delivered 18.8 million homes in the 23rd week of the 03/04 Season, representing an increase of 315,000 viewers from last year on a Total Day basis. Cable’s household ratings remained the same as last year at 17.3 and the share increased by 0.4 points to end at 50.6. Cable’s share was once again greater than that of the Broadcast Networks (4 Net.), with the difference being a solid 11.5 points. The broadcast networks had an increase in viewing, saw a decrease in ratings and share remained constant.

Cable, to date, in the first quarter, has a strong lead over the broadcast networks. It ended with a 51.6 share, 13.3 points above Broadcast’s level. Ratings were up 0.8 points to finish at 18.1, and share increased 2.0 points from last year. The Broadcast Networks have experienced a decrease in all audience measurements.

For this season, cable rose to 19.0 million homes, up 1.4 million homes from last year. Cable’s ratings increased by 1.0 point to end at 17.5 and its share rose to 51.0, an increase of 2.0 points from last year. The broadcast networks experienced an increase in impressions, ratings remained constant and share declined by 0.8 points to end at 38.7.

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Source: Nielsen Galaxy.