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Ad-Supported Cable Scores 3-Point Primetime Share Gain Against Baseball Playoffs in Third Week of New Season
The Primetime Audiences of ABC, CBS and NBC Have Diminished Weekly Since the Official Launch of the 2003/2004 Season
October 16, 2003
Ad-supported cable recorded its third consecutive week of significant primetime audience gains in the new 2003/2004 television season despite a surge in viewership of the baseball playoffs, according to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for the October 612 reporting period. At the same time, ABC, CBS and NBC have experienced diminishing viewership levels from week-to-week since the season officially began on September 22nd.
Ad-supported cables average primetime U.S. household share for Week #3 of the 03/04 season was 46.5, up 7.4 percent from the same time last year. Its U.S. household delivery was almost 31 million homesup 2.7 million homes (+9.5 percent versus 02/03); and its rating climbed 2 points to 28.5 (+7.5 percent). Collectively for the week, the seven national broadcast networks were down 2.5 percent in share, 0.5 percent in delivery and 2.1 percent in rating.
Individually, six of the seven broadcast networks recorded across-the-board audience declines in Week #3, with NBC having the largest absolute losses for the third straight week. FOX was the only broadcast network that was ahead of last year, thanks largely to its coverage of baseballs league championships.
Since the 2003/2004 seasons opening week, ABC and CBS have each lost 11 percent in weekly delivery; and NBCs delivery has declined by 14 percent.
THIRD WEEK OF NEW TV SEASON: |
PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP 2003/2004 vs. 2002/2003 |
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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 |
30,922 |
28,243 |
+ 9.5 |
28.5 |
26.5 |
+ 7.5 |
46.5 |
43.3 |
+ 7.4 |
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ABC |
6,739 |
6,802 |
0.9 |
6.2 |
6.4 |
3.1 |
10.2 |
10.5 |
2.9 |
CBS |
8,999 |
9,459 |
4.9 |
8.3 |
8.9 |
6.7 |
13.5 |
14.5 |
6.9 |
NBC |
7,767 |
8,818 |
11.9 |
7.2 |
8.3 |
13.3 |
11.7 |
13.6 |
14.0 |
FOX |
9,159 |
7,149 |
+28.1 |
8.4 |
6.7 |
+25.4 |
14.0 |
11.3 |
+23.9 |
UPN |
3,167 |
3,438 |
7.9 |
2.9 |
3.2 |
9.4 |
4.6 |
5.1 |
9.8 |
WB |
2,666 |
2,795 |
4.6 |
2.5 |
2.6 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
4.2 |
7.1 |
PAX |
672 |
997 |
32.6 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
33.3 |
1.0 |
1.5 |
33.3 |
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4 Bdcst Nets* |
31,720 |
31,413 |
+ 1.0 |
29.3 |
29.4 |
0.6 |
48.0 |
48.5 |
1.0 |
Weighted Gross |
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7 Bdcst Nets** |
35,536 |
35,730 |
0.5 |
32.8 |
33.5 |
2.1 |
53.6 |
55.0 |
2.5 |
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, 10/6/03-10/12/03 vs. 10/7/02-10/13/02 |
THE PRIMETIME AUDIENCES OF THE 3 LARGEST BROADCAST NETWORKS HAVE DECLINED EVERY WEEK SINCE THE START OF THE 03/04 TV SEASON |
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U.S. HH DELIVERY (000) |
U.S. HH RATING |
U.S. HH SHARE |
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Wk1 |
Wk 2 |
Wk3 |
Wk1 |
Wk 2 |
Wk3 |
Wk1 |
Wk 2 |
Wk3 |
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ABC |
7,577 |
7,037 |
6,739 |
7.0 |
6.5 |
6.2 |
11.5 |
10.6 |
10.2 |
CBS |
10,085 |
9,446 |
8,999 |
9.3 |
8.7 |
8.3 |
15.2 |
14.2 |
13.5 |
NBC |
9,058 |
8,033 |
7,767 |
8.4 |
7.4 |
7.2 |
13.7 |
12.1 |
11.7 |
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Source: |
Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 10/6/03-10/12/03; 9/29/03-10/5/03; 9/22/03-9/28/03 |
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