Ad-Supported Cable Ties the Big Four Broadcast Networks in Primetime Viewership During October

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Ad-Supported Cable Ties the Big Four Broadcast Networks in Primetime Viewership During October

Cable Achieves Record October Audience Levels While All But One of the Seven National Broadcast Networks Lose Primetime Share

October 31, 2003

In a month when it was up against broadcasters’ new season programming and the baseball playoffs/World Series, ad-supported cable still managed to record its best-ever October primetime viewership and equal the combined audience of the four largest national broadcast networks. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for October 1-28, ad-supported cable had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of 30.8 million homes (+6.2 percent compared to the same period last year); a 28.4 rating (+4.4 percent); and a 46.2 share (+4.1 percent).

Collectively in October, the four largest national broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of 30.8 million homes (–1.0 percent); 28.4 rating (–2.6 percent); and 46.5 share (–2.7 percent). When UPN, WB and PAX are added to the mix, all seven national broadcast networks together were down 2.6 percent in delivery, 4.2 percent in rating; and 4.3 percent in share.

The seven broadcast networks’ aggregate 34.3 million primetime delivery, 31.7 rating and 51.7 share are their lowest ever for the first full month of a new TV season. Individually, all but one of the seven national broadcast networks lost primetime audience share in the month of October. NBC experienced the largest absolute declines in all three audience measures, while PAX had the largest percentage declines.

MONTH OF OCTOBER 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 30,755 28,972 + 6.2 28.4 27.2 + 4.4 46.2 44.4 + 4.1

ABC 6,637 6,545 + 1.4 6.1 6.1 NC 10.0 10.1 – 1.0

CBS 8,987 9,152 – 1.8 8.3 8.6 – 3.5 13.5 14.0 – 3.6

NBC 7,682 8,651 –11.2 7.1 8.1 –12.3 11.6 13.3 –12.8

FOX 9,995 7,901 +26.5 9.2 7.4 +24.3 15.2 12.3 +23.6

UPN 3,086 3,251 – 5.1 2.8 3.0 – 6.7 4.5 4.8 – 6.3

WB 2,561 2,770 – 7.5 2.4 2.6 – 7.7 3.7 4.1 – 9.8

PAX 671 922 –27.2 0.6 0.9 –33.3 1.0 1.4 –28.6

4 Bdcst Nets* 30,798 31,112 – 1.0 28.4 29.2 – 2.6 46.5 47.8 – 2.7

Weighted Gross

7 Bdcst Nets** 34,324 35,250 – 2.6 31.7 33.0 – 4.2 51.7 54.0 – 4.3

Weighted Gross

* ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX

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

Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 10/1/03-10/28/03 vs. 10/1/02-10/28/02

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MONTH OF OCTOBER 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	30,755	28,972	+ 6.2	28.4	27.2	+ 4.4	46.2	44.4	+ 4.1

ABC	6,637	6,545	+ 1.4	6.1	6.1	NC	10.0	10.1	– 1.0
CBS	8,987	9,152	– 1.8	8.3	8.6	– 3.5	13.5	14.0	– 3.6
NBC	7,682	8,651	–11.2	7.1	8.1	–12.3	11.6	13.3	–12.8
FOX	9,995	7,901	+26.5	9.2	7.4	+24.3	15.2	12.3	+23.6
UPN	3,086	3,251	– 5.1	2.8	3.0	– 6.7	4.5	4.8	– 6.3
WB	2,561	2,770	– 7.5	2.4	2.6	– 7.7	3.7	4.1	– 9.8
PAX	671	922	–27.2	0.6	0.9	–33.3	1.0	1.4	–28.6

4 Bdcst Nets*	30,798	31,112	– 1.0	28.4	29.2	– 2.6	46.5	47.8	– 2.7
Weighted Gross

7 Bdcst Nets**	34,324	35,250	– 2.6	31.7	33.0	– 4.2	51.7	54.0	– 4.3
Weighted Gross

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

Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 10/1/03-10/28/03 vs. 10/1/02-10/28/02