
CABLETELEVISION ADVERTISING BUREAU
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Primetime:
Ad Supported Cable surpassed the Big 4’s share level this week by a healthy 4.9 points. Cable continued to experience rating gains this week while Broadcast eroded. Compared to year ago, Cable’s audience grew 1.6 million homes; its rating jumped 1.2 points; and the share climbed 1.8 points to a 47.4. Conversely, Broadcast’s delivery fell half a million homes; its rating dropped 0.8 points; and its share declined 1.7 points to a 48.2. Five out of the total seven network’s experienced share declines this week with NBC driving the loss.

To date this season, Cable is experiencing healthy gains delivering 30.2 million homes, garnering a 28.3 HH rating, and earning a 46.1 share. Broadcast on the other hand is down across all audience measures. The seven networks have lost 656,000 viewers so far and are experiencing rating and share losses compared to last year’s levels. In fact, four out of the total seven networks are down in share compared to same period a year.
Cable is performing great this First Quarter 2003 as Cable’s delivery is up more than two million homes vs year ago. Cable’s HH rating and share are also up considerably, up 1.6 and 2.2 points, respectively. Conversely, Broadcast ratings are eroding as audience measures are down significantly vs year ago. Broadcast’s loss is fueled by NBC as the network aired the Winter Olympics same period a year ago.
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Total Day:
Ad Supported Cable rose to 18.5 million homes this week, an increase of 1.5 million viewers from last year on a Total Day basis. Cable’s ratings increased to a 17.3, up 1.2 points from last year and the share increased 1.8 points to finish at 50.2. Cable’s share was once again greater than that of the Broadcast Networks (4 Net.), with the difference being 11.1 points.
Cable, to date, in the first quarter, ended with a 49.6 share, 10.1 points above Broadcast’s level. Cable ratings were up 1.5 points to finish at 17.3, and its share increased 2.6 points from last year. The Broadcast Networks have experienced a decline in viewership.
For this season, cable rose to 17.6 million homes, up 1.1 million homes from last year. Cable’s rating increased by 0.8 points to end at 16.5 and its share increased to finish at 49.0, an increase of 1.6 points from last year. The broadcast networks continued to experience rating decreases from last year. Ratings were down 0.4 to end at 13.3 and share was down 1.9 points to 39.5.
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Source: Nielsen Galaxy.
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Content © 2004 by Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (www.onetvworld.org). Reprinted with Permission.