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Ad-Supported Cable Tops 55 Weekly Primetime Share for the Fifth Time this Summer
Cable Surpasses the Seven Broadcast Networks by 20 Share Points for the Second Consecutive Week
August 13, 2003
NEW YORK—For the fifth time this summer, ad-supported cable has recorded a weekly primetime share of viewing exceeding 55 points. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for the August 4-10 (Week #46) reporting period, ad-supported cable had an average primetime U.S. household share of 55.5, a gain of 2.4 share points (+4.5 percent) from the same period the year before. Cable outdistanced the collective primetime share of the seven national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX) by 20.1 points—the second week in a row it has achieved this margin.
In other primetime measures for Week #46, ad-supported cable posted an average U.S. household delivery of 32.1 million homes— up 1.8 million (+6.0 percent) from the year before; and a rating of 30.1—up 1.4 points (+4.9 percent). Cable topped the seven broadcast networks combined by 11.7 million homes and 10.9 rating points.
Compared to the same period last year, the seven broadcast networks together were down 3.1 percent in delivery, 4.2 percent in rating, and 4.6 percent in share. Individually, five of the seven broadcast networks experienced audience declines in Week #46, with NBC posting the largest losses.
This is the 27th consecutive summer week (dating back to the beginning of the 2002 summer season) that ad-supported cable’s primetime share has exceeded 50 points.
WEEK #46 PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP: 2002/03 vs. 2001/02 |
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE VIEWERSHIP VS. BROADCAST |
Primetime=Mon thru Sat 8–11pm/Sun 7–11pm |
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U.S. HH DELIVERY (000) |
U.S. HH RATING |
U.S. HH SHARE |
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02/03 |
01/02 |
%Diff |
02/03 |
01/02 |
%Diff |
02/03 |
01/02 |
%Diff |
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Ad-Supported Cable |
32,138 |
30,310 |
+ 6.0 |
30.1 |
28.7 |
+ 4.9 |
55.5 |
53.1 |
+ 4.5 |
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ABC |
4,681 |
4,452 |
+ 5.1 |
4.4 |
4.2 |
+ 4.8 |
8.1 |
7.8 |
+ 3.8 |
CBS |
5,661 |
5,698 |
– 0.6 |
5.3 |
5.4 |
– 1.9 |
9.8 |
10.0 |
– 2.0 |
NBC |
5,008 |
5,695 |
–12.1 |
4.7 |
5.4 |
–13.0 |
8.6 |
10.0 |
–14.0 |
FOX |
3,705 |
3,746 |
– 1.1 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
– 2.8 |
6.4 |
6.6 |
– 3.0 |
UPN |
1,839 |
1,664 |
+10.5 |
1.7 |
1.6 |
+ 6.3 |
3.1 |
2.9 |
+ 6.9 |
WB |
1,854 |
1,932 |
– 4.0 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
– 5.6 |
3.2 |
3.3 |
– 3.0 |
PAX |
667 |
874 |
–23.7 |
0.6 |
0.8 |
–25.0 |
1.2 |
1.5 |
–20.0 |
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4 Bdcst Nets* |
17,834 |
18,399 |
– 3.1 |
16.7 |
17.4 |
– 4.2 |
30.9 |
32.3 |
– 4.3 |
Weighted Gross |
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7 Bdcst Nets** |
20,472 |
21,135 |
– 3.1 |
19.2 |
20.0 |
– 4.2 |
35.4 |
37.1 |
– 4.6 |
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, 8/4/03-8/10/03 vs. 8/5/02-8/11/02 |
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