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Highlights of Week #22 (2/16-2/22) Primetime TV Viewership

February 25, 2004

For the the third full week of the February sweep period, ad-supported cable virtually tied the combined primetime U.S. household share of the seven national broadcast networks. Ad-supported cable recorded a 48.0 share to the broadcast networks’ collective 48.9.

• Compared to the same period a year ago, ad-supported cable gained 2.6 million homes (+8.9 percent); 2.0 rating points (+7.2 percent); and 4.2 share points (+9.6 percent).

• Together, the seven broadcast networks were down in primetime viewership by almost 2.9 million homes (–8.0 percent); 3.1 rating points (–9.4 percent); and 3.8 share points (–7.2 percent).

  WEEK #22 OF TV SEASON PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP
  2003/04 vs. 2002/03
  AD-SUPPORTED CABLE VIEWERSHIP VS. BROADCAST
  Primetime=Mon thru Sat 8–11pm/Sun 7–11pm
  	U.S. HH DELIVERY (000)			U.S. HH RATING			U.S. HH SHARE
  	03/04	02/03	%Diff	03/04	02/03	%Diff	03/04	02/03	%Diff
  Ad-Supported Cable	32,357	29,708	+ 8.9	29.8	27.8	+ 7.2	48.0	43.8	+ 9.6
  ABC	6,491	7,001	– 7.3	6.0	6.6	– 9.1	9.6	10.3	– 6.8
  CBS	9,482	10,487	– 9.6	8.7	9.8	–11.2	14.1	15.5	– 9.0
  NBC	8,816	8,634	+ 2.1	8.1	8.1	NC	13.1	12.7	+ 3.1
  FOX	6,295	9,301	–32.3	5.8	8.7	–33.3	9.2	13.4	–31.3
  UPN	2,850	2,467	+15.5	2.6	2.3	+13.0	4.1	3.5	+17.1
  WB	3,004	2,588	+16.1	2.8	2.4	+16.7	4.3	3.7	+16.2
  PAX	844	890	– 5.2	0.8	0.8	NC	1.3	1.3	NC
  4 Bdcst Nets*	29,224	32,464	–10.0	27.0	30.4	–11.4	43.3	47.7	– 9.2
  Weighted Gross
  7 Bdcst Nets**	33,139	36,004	– 8.0	30.6	33.7	– 9.4	48.9	52.7	– 7.2
  Weighted Gross
  * ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX
  ** ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX
  Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 2/16/04-2/22/04 vs. 2/17/03-2/23/03