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Ad-Supported Cable Leads Broadcast in Primetime for the First Three-Quarters of 2002/03 TV Season
Cable has the Edge in Delivery, Rating and Share for the Season-To-Date
June 26, 2003
Nine months through the 2002/2003 TV season, ad-supported cable is leading the seven national broadcast networks combined in all primetime audience measures—with cable’s edge expected to further widen during the summer viewing period. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for the 2002/2003 season-to-date (September 23, 2002–June 22, 2003), ad-supported cable’s average primetime U.S. household delivery is 31.1 million homes (+5.7 percent versus the same period a year ago) compared to the broadcast networks’ collective 30.7 million homes (–2.0 percent).
In other primetime measures for the first three quarters of the 02/03 season, ad-supported cable topped the seven national broadcast networks in U.S. household rating: 29.1 to 28.8; and in share: 48.1 to 47.3. Cable’s rating and share rose 4.3 percent and 3.7 percent respectively versus last year, while broadcasters’ rating and share declined 3.1 percent and 4.1 percent.
A year ago, the seven broadcast networks led cable in primetime through the first three quarters of the season by 1.9 million homes, 1.8 rating points and 2.9 share points—only to be outperformed on a season-long basis after ad-supported cable recorded 16 consecutive weeks of 50+ shares during the 2002 summer viewing period.
“With ad-supported cable already averaging a 54 primetime share through the first four weeks of Summer 2003, we expect cable to have an even more substantial lead than last year over broadcast for the total TV season,” said CAB President & CEO Sean Cunningham.
FIRST NINE MONTHS OF TV SEASON |
PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP: 2002/03 vs. 2001/02 |
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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 |
31,102 |
29,411 |
+ 5.7% |
29.1 |
27.9 |
+ 4.3% |
48.1 |
46.4 |
+ 3.7% |
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ABC |
6,499 |
6,387 |
+ 1.8 |
6.1 |
6.1 |
NC |
10.1 |
10.1 |
NC |
CBS |
8,530 |
8,295 |
+ 2.8 |
8.0 |
7.9 |
+ 1.3 |
13.2 |
13.1 |
+ 0.8 |
NBC |
7,993 |
8,998 |
–11.2 |
7.5 |
8.5 |
–11.8 |
12.4 |
14.2 |
–12.7 |
FOX |
6,231 |
5,764 |
+ 8.1 |
5.8 |
5.5 |
+ 5.5 |
9.6 |
9.0 |
+ 6.7 |
UPN |
2,678 |
2,523 |
+ 6.1 |
2.5 |
2.4 |
+ 4.2 |
4.0 |
3.9 |
+ 2.6 |
WB |
2,379 |
2,732 |
–12.9 |
2.2 |
2.6 |
–15.4 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
–14.3 |
PAX |
863 |
932 |
– 7.4 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
–11.1 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
–13.3 |
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4 Bdcst Nets* |
27,157 |
27,657 |
– 1.8 |
25.5 |
26.2 |
– 2.9 |
42.0 |
43.6 |
– 3.7 |
Weighted Gross |
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7 Bdcst Nets** |
30,693 |
31,331 |
– 2.0 |
28.8 |
29.7 |
– 3.1 |
47.3 |
49.3 |
– 4.1 |
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, 9/23/02-6/22/03 vs. 9/24/01-6/23/02 |
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