
CABLETELEVISION ADVERTISING BUREAU
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Primetime:
Week after week cable continues to set records. In its 45th week of the 03/04 season – Cable hit a record high 59.9 share level and continued to outperform Broadcast by an honorable 29.0 share points. As the spread widens, once again Cable continues to dominate this summer season. Not only is Cable outpacing Broadcast significantly – it continues to experience yearly gains as Cable'’s viewership has jumped an amazing 3.2 million homes; its rating climbed a healthy 2.6 points and its share level soared an impressive 3.3 points from year ago. Conversely, Broadcast ratings declined from same period a year ago as share level slipped to a 30.9.
Cable is sizzling this Third Quarter 2004 as it commands 59% of total TV viewing. Broadcast on the other hand is struggling with its reality programming as it only captures 34% of total TV viewing. Compared to year ago, Cable experiences healthy gains whereas Broadcast levels fall off to record lows.
Not only is Cable setting records week after week, Cable continues to demand more than half of total TV viewing to date this season. In addition, Cable continues to outpace Broadcast week after week and on a season basis Broadcast continues to fall 6.7 share points behind Cable. The spread is only going to grow as we progress into the summer season where Cable dominates.
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Total Day:
Ad-Supported Cable delivered 20.2 million homes in the 45th week of the 03/04 Season, representing an increase of 2.0 million viewers from last year on a Total Day basis. Cable's household ratings were up by 1.6 points from last year to end at 18.7 and the share was up by 3.9 points to end at 57.9. Cable's share was once again greater than that of the Broadcast Networks (4 Net.), with the difference being a solid 27.9 points. Cable's share represents an all-time high on a weekly basis and the difference between cable’s and broadcast’s share is also a record. The broadcast networks saw a decrease in all audience measures.
Cable, to date, in the third quarter, has a very strong lead over the broadcast networks. It ended with a 57.4 share, 26.0 points above Broadcast's level. Ratings increased by 1.3 to end at 18.3, and share increased 3.4 points from last year. The Broadcast Networks have experienced a decrease in all audience measures.
For this season, cable rose to 19.1 million homes, up 1.0 million homes from last year. Cable's ratings increased by 0.7 points to end at 17.6 and its share rose to 52.7, an increase of 1.7 points from last year. The broadcast networks experienced an increase in impressions, ratings decreased and share declined by 0.7 points to end at 36.8.
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Source: Nielsen Galaxy.
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Content © 2004 by Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (www.onetvworld.org). Reprinted with Permission.