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Ad-Supported Cable Tops The Seven Broadcast Networks By 10 Primetime Share Points For The Month Of December

Cable Dominates Holiday Season Primetime TV Viewing; Also Outperforms Broadcast By 6 Million Homes And 6 Rating Points

January 6, 2004

Ad-supported cable underscored its dominance of holiday season TV viewing by surpassing the combined primetime audience of the seven national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX) by 6.3 million homes, 5.9 rating points and 9.8 share points for the month of December 2003.

According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for December 1–31, ad-supported cable had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of almost 34 million homes (+8.3 percent from the same period the year before); a 31.4 rating (+6.8 percent); and a 52.8 share (+6.0 percent).

Collectively for the month of December, the seven broadcast networks recorded a primetime delivery of 27.7 million homes (–2.0 percent versus the previous year); a 25.5 rating (–3.8 percent); and a 43.0 share (–4.4 percent).

Among the seven broadcast networks, only CBS posted a primetime share gain—and that increase was only two-tenths of a point.

Helping to drive cable’s strong December performance was its substantial edge during Christmas week (December 22–28) when it averaged a 56.5 primetime share to the broadcast networks’ 38.7.

This marks the second consecutive month that ad-supported cable has surpassed the aggregate primetime audience levels of the seven broadcast networks.

MONTH OF DECEMBER: PRIMETIME VIEWERSHIP 2003 vs. 2002

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
	2003	2002	%Diff	2003	2002	%Diff	2003	2002	%Diff
Ad-Supported Cable	33,990	31,384	+ 8.3	31.4	29.4	+ 6.8	52.8	49.8	+ 6.0
ABC	6,301	6,183	+ 1.9	5.8	5.8	NC	9.8	9.9	– 1.0
CBS	8,314	8,023	+ 3.6	7.7	7.5	+ 2.7	12.9	12.7	+ 1.6
NBC	6,763	7,150	– 5.4	6.2	6.7	– 7.5	10.5	11.3	– 7.1
FOX	4,860	4,948	– 1.8	4.5	4.6	– 2.2	7.5	7.8	– 3.8
UPN	2,206	2,227	– 0.9	2.0	2.1	– 4.8	3.4	3.4	NC
WB	2,202	2,192	+ 0.5	2.0	2.1	– 4.8	3.4	3.4	NC
PAX	705	950	–25.8	0.6	0.9	–33.3	1.1	1.5	–26.7
4 Bdcst Nets*	24,607	24,943	– 1.3	22.7	23.4	– 2.9	38.3	40.0	– 4.3
Weighted Gross
7 Bdcst Nets**	27,677	28,229	– 2.0	25.5	26.5	– 3.8	43.0	45.0	– 4.4
Weighted Gross

Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 12/1/03-12/31/03 vs. 12/1/02-12/31/02

* ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX

** ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX

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Content © 2005 by Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (www.onetvworld.org). Reprinted with Permission.