Week 21 of the 2002/03 Season (2/10-2/16/03)

Primetime:

For the third consecutive week, Ad Supported Cable surpassed the Big 4, up 1.8 share points over the Broadcast nets. Compared to year ago, Cable experienced significant gains while Broadcast’s viewership continued to erode this week during February sweeps. Cable’s delivery rose by 4.0 million homes while the seven nets audience fell more than 2 million. Cable’s rating was up 3.5 healthy points at the same time Broadcast’s rating fell 2.4 points. Also Cable’s share rose 5.1 points while Broadcast’s declined 4.1 points. Broadcast’s collective seven net decline was primarily driven by NBC which was down considerably due to Winter Olympic telecasts last season. Even reality programming such as Joe Millionaire and The Bachelorette couldn’t offset Broadcast’s loss this week.

Cable is performing great this February sweeps to date (1/30-2/16/03) as all audience measures are up considerably. Delivery is up more than 2 million homes and rating and share have grown 1.5 and 4.8 points, respectively. Broadcast on the other hand is eroding due to telecast’s of Winter Olympics last season on NBC. Fox and UPN are the other two networks to experience share declines this sweeps period as well.

To date this season, Cable is experiencing healthy gains delivering 30.2 million homes, garnering a 28.3 HH rating, and earning a 46.1 share. Broadcast on the other hand is down across all audience measures. The seven networks have lost 641,000 viewers so far and are experiencing rating and share losses compared to last year’s levels. In fact, three out of the total seven networks are down in share compared to same period a year.

Cable is performing fantastic this First Quarter 2003 as Cable’s delivery is up almost two million homes vs year ago. Cable’s HH rating and share are also up considerably, up 1.5 and 2.0 points, respectively. Conversely, Broadcast ratings are eroding as audience measures are down vs year ago. Broadcast’s loss is fueled by NBC as the network aired the Winter Olympics same period a year ago.

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Total Day:

Ad Supported Cable rose to 18.5 million homes this week, an increase of 2.6 million viewers from last year on a Total Day basis. Cable’s ratings increased to a 17.3, up 2.2 points from last year and the share increased 4.4 points to finish at 49.7. Cable’s share was once again greater than that of the Broadcast Networks (4 Net.), with the difference being 10.1 points.

Cable, to date, in the first quarter, ended with a 49.6 share, 10.2 points above Broadcast’s level. Cable ratings were up 1.4 points to finish at 17.3, and its share increased 2.6 points from last year. The Broadcast Networks have experienced a decline in viewership.

For this season, cable rose to 17.5 million homes, up 999,000 homes from last year. Cable’s rating increased by 0.7 points to end at 16.4 and its share increased to finish at 48.9, an increase of 1.5 points from last year. The broadcast networks continued to experience rating decreases from last year. Ratings were down 0.4 to end at 13.3 and share was down 1.9 points to 39.4.

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Source: Nielsen Galaxy.