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Ad-Supported Cable's Primetime Momentum Builds in the 2nd Week of New Season, While the Broadcast Networks Slip
Even When Broadcast Schedules were Filled with New Series and Baseball Playoffs, Cable Still Commanded Almost Half the Primetime
October 8, 2003
In its strongest-ever new season start, ad-supported cable commanded almost half the primetime audience share in Week #2 and gained viewership versus Premiere Week, while the three largest broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) were down significantly from the week before. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for September 29October 5, ad-supported cables average primetime U.S. household share was 48.1up 8.3 percent from the same period the year before and a gain of 1.3 percent from Premiere Week. The collective primetime share of the seven national broadcast networks for Week #2 was 50.6, down 3.4 percent from last year; with the shares of ABC, CBS and NBC down 7.8 percent, 6.6 percent and 11.7 percent respectively from their Premiere Week levels.
In other primetime audience measures for Week #2, ad-supported cables U.S. household delivery was 32 million homes (+12.1 percent compared to the same period last year); and its rating was 29.6 (+10.4 percent). Together, the seven broadcast networks posted an average delivery of 33.7 million homes (0.2 percent) and rating of 31.1 (1.8 percent).
Individually, five of the seven national broadcast networks recorded primetime share losses in the second week of the 2003/2004 season, with NBC posting the largest absolute declines for the second consecutive week.
SECOND WEEK OF NEW TV SEASON: |
PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP |
2003/2004 vs. 2002/2003 |
AD-SUPPORTED CABLE VIEWERSHIP VS. BROADCAST |
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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03/04 |
02/03 |
%Diff |
03/04 |
02/03 |
%Diff |
03/04 |
02/03 |
%Diff |
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Ad-Supported Cable |
32,044 |
28,580 |
+12.1 |
29.6 |
26.8 |
+10.4 |
48.1 |
44.4 |
+ 8.3 |
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ABC |
7,037 |
6,599 |
+ 6.7 |
6.5 |
6.2 |
+ 4.8 |
10.6 |
10.3 |
+ 2.9 |
CBS |
9,446 |
9,403 |
+ 0.5 |
8.7 |
8.8 |
1.1 |
14.2 |
14.6 |
2.7 |
NBC |
8,033 |
8,914 |
9.9 |
7.4 |
8.4 |
11.9 |
12.1 |
13.8 |
12.3 |
FOX |
6,932 |
5,820 |
+19.1 |
6.4 |
5.5 |
+16.4 |
10.5 |
9.1 |
+15.4 |
UPN |
3,274 |
3,401 |
3.7 |
3.0 |
3.2 |
6.3 |
4.8 |
5.1 |
5.9 |
WB |
2,471 |
2,799 |
11.7 |
2.3 |
2.6 |
11.5 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
14.3 |
PAX |
719 |
790 |
9.0 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
NC |
1.1 |
1.2 |
8.3 |
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4 Bdcst Nets* |
29,930 |
29,660 |
+ 0.9 |
27.6 |
27.8 |
0.7 |
45.0 |
46.2 |
2.6 |
Weighted Gross |
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7 Bdcst Nets** |
33,722 |
33,796 |
0.2 |
31.1 |
31.7 |
1.8 |
50.6 |
52.4 |
3.4 |
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, 9/29/03-10/5/03 vs. 9/30/02-10/6/02 |
COMPARED TO THE FIRST WEEK OF 2003/04 SEASON, CABLE WAS UP |
AND THE THREE LARGEST BROADCAST NETWORKS WERE DOWN |
IN PRIMETIME IN WEEK #2 |
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U.S. HH DELIVERY (000) |
U.S. HH RATING |
U.S. HH SHARE |
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Wk 2 |
Wk 1 |
%Diff |
Wk 2 |
Wk 1 |
%Diff |
Wk 2 |
Wk 1 |
%Diff |
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Ad-Supported Cable |
32,044 |
31,437 |
+ 1.9 |
29.6 |
29.0 |
+ 2.1 |
48.1 |
47.5 |
+ 1.3 |
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ABC |
7,037 |
7,577 |
7.1 |
6.5 |
7.0 |
7.1 |
10.6 |
11.5 |
7.8 |
CBS |
9,446 |
10,085 |
6.3 |
8.7 |
9.3 |
6.5 |
14.2 |
15.2 |
6.6 |
NBC |
8,033 |
9,058 |
11.3 |
7.4 |
8.4 |
11.9 |
12.1 |
13.7 |
11.7 |
Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 9/29/03-10/5/03 vs. 9/22/03-9/28/03
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