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Ad-Supported Cable Ties the Big Four Broadcast Networks in Primetime Viewership During October
Cable Achieves Record October Audience Levels While All But One of the Seven National Broadcast Networks Lose Primetime Share
October 31, 2003
In a month when it was up against broadcasters new season programming and the baseball playoffs/World Series, ad-supported cable still managed to record its best-ever October primetime viewership and equal the combined audience of the four largest national broadcast networks. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for October 1-28, ad-supported cable had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of 30.8 million homes (+6.2 percent compared to the same period last year); a 28.4 rating (+4.4 percent); and a 46.2 share (+4.1 percent).
Collectively in October, the four largest national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of 30.8 million homes (1.0 percent); 28.4 rating (2.6 percent); and 46.5 share (2.7 percent). When UPN, WB and PAX are added to the mix, all seven national broadcast networks together were down 2.6 percent in delivery, 4.2 percent in rating; and 4.3 percent in share.
The seven broadcast networks aggregate 34.3 million primetime delivery, 31.7 rating and 51.7 share are their lowest ever for the first full month of a new TV season. Individually, all but one of the seven national broadcast networks lost primetime audience share in the month of October. NBC experienced the largest absolute declines in all three audience measures, while PAX had the largest percentage declines.
MONTH OF OCTOBER PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP |
2003 vs. 2002 |
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AD-SUPPORTED CABLE VIEWERSHIP VS. BROADCAST |
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Primetime=Mon thru Sat 811pm/Sun 711pm |
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U.S. HH DELIVERY (000) |
U.S. HH RATING |
U.S. HH SHARE |
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2003 |
2002 |
%Diff |
2003 |
2002 |
%Diff |
2003 |
2002 |
%Diff |
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Ad-Supported Cable |
30,755 |
28,972 |
+ 6.2 |
28.4 |
27.2 |
+ 4.4 |
46.2 |
44.4 |
+ 4.1 |
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ABC |
6,637 |
6,545 |
+ 1.4 |
6.1 |
6.1 |
NC |
10.0 |
10.1 |
1.0 |
CBS |
8,987 |
9,152 |
1.8 |
8.3 |
8.6 |
3.5 |
13.5 |
14.0 |
3.6 |
NBC |
7,682 |
8,651 |
11.2 |
7.1 |
8.1 |
12.3 |
11.6 |
13.3 |
12.8 |
FOX |
9,995 |
7,901 |
+26.5 |
9.2 |
7.4 |
+24.3 |
15.2 |
12.3 |
+23.6 |
UPN |
3,086 |
3,251 |
5.1 |
2.8 |
3.0 |
6.7 |
4.5 |
4.8 |
6.3 |
WB |
2,561 |
2,770 |
7.5 |
2.4 |
2.6 |
7.7 |
3.7 |
4.1 |
9.8 |
PAX |
671 |
922 |
27.2 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
33.3 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
28.6 |
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4 Bdcst Nets* |
30,798 |
31,112 |
1.0 |
28.4 |
29.2 |
2.6 |
46.5 |
47.8 |
2.7 |
Weighted Gross |
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7 Bdcst Nets** |
34,324 |
35,250 |
2.6 |
31.7 |
33.0 |
4.2 |
51.7 |
54.0 |
4.3 |
Weighted Gross |
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* ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX |
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** ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX |
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Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 10/1/03-10/28/03 vs. 10/1/02-10/28/02 |
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