In New Season Crossover Week When Broadcast Networks Began Fall Launches, Cable Still Dominated Primetime

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In New Season Crossover Week When Broadcast Networks Began Fall Launches, Cable Still Dominated Primetime

Ad-Supported Cable Records A 51.6 Share, Topping Broadcast By More Than 8 Points

September 24, 2003

NEW YORK—Even during a week in which the broadcast networks launched 19 Fall series, ad-supported cable continued to dominate primetime viewership. According to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data for September 15–21, ad-supported cable had an average primetime U.S. household delivery of 33.1 million homes (+8.7 percent compared to the same period the year before) versus 27.9 million homes (–3.5 percent) for the seven national broadcast networks combined. In other primetime audience measures for the week, cable posted a 30.6 rating (+7.0 percent) and 51.6 share (+6.4 percent) versus the broadcast networks’ collective 25.7 rating (–5.0 percent) and 43.4 share (–5.2 percent).

All told, ad-supported cable outperformed the broadcast networks by 5.2 million homes, 4.9 rating points and 8.2 share points. Individually, six of the seven national broadcast networks experienced across-the-board audience declines during the week, with NBC posting the largest absolute losses.

For the 2003 calendar year-to-date, cable has topped a 50 primetime share of viewing in 22 of 37 weeks—an all-time record for the medium.

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 33,130 30,482 + 8.7 30.6 28.6 + 7.0 51.6 48.5 + 6.4

ABC 6,829 7,091 – 3.7 6.3 6.6 – 4.5 10.7 11.3 – 5.3

CBS 7,214 6,590 + 9.6 6.7 6.2 + 8.1 11.3 10.5 + 7.6

NBC 6,121 7,140 –14.3 5.6 6.7 –16.4 9.5 11.3 –15.9

FOX 5,706 5,802 – 1.7 5.3 5.4 – 1.9 8.8 9.1 – 3.3

UPN 2,868 3,181 – 9.8 2.6 3.0 –13.3 4.4 4.9 –10.2

WB 2,551 2,631 – 3.0 2.4 2.5 – 4.0 3.9 4.1 – 4.9

PAX 715 993 –28.0 0.7 0.9 –22.2 1.1 1.6 –31.3

4 Bdcst Nets* 24,341 24,843 – 2.0 22.5 23.3 – 3.6 37.9 39.5 – 4.1

Weighted Gross

7 Bdcst Nets** 27,910 28,931 – 3.5 25.7 27.1 – 5.0 43.4 45.8 – 5.2

Weighted Gross

* ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX

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

Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 9/15/03-9/21/03 vs. 9/16/02-9/22/02

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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	33,130	30,482	+ 8.7	30.6	28.6	+ 7.0	51.6	48.5	+ 6.4

ABC	6,829	7,091	– 3.7	6.3	6.6	– 4.5	10.7	11.3	– 5.3
CBS	7,214	6,590	+ 9.6	6.7	6.2	+ 8.1	11.3	10.5	+ 7.6
NBC	6,121	7,140	–14.3	5.6	6.7	–16.4	9.5	11.3	–15.9
FOX	5,706	5,802	– 1.7	5.3	5.4	– 1.9	8.8	9.1	– 3.3
UPN	2,868	3,181	– 9.8	2.6	3.0	–13.3	4.4	4.9	–10.2
WB	2,551	2,631	– 3.0	2.4	2.5	– 4.0	3.9	4.1	– 4.9
PAX	715	993	–28.0	0.7	0.9	–22.2	1.1	1.6	–31.3

4 Bdcst Nets*	24,341	24,843	– 2.0	22.5	23.3	– 3.6	37.9	39.5	– 4.1
Weighted Gross

7 Bdcst Nets**	27,910	28,931	– 3.5	25.7	27.1	– 5.0	43.4	45.8	– 5.2
Weighted Gross

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

Source: Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, 9/15/03-9/21/03 vs. 9/16/02-9/22/02