As the WGA strike grinds on, 8 of the top 20 current season to date TV ratings leaders for adults 18-49 will continue unaffected by the WGA writer’s strike. And that doesn’t take into account the 2 American Idol airings, yet to begin, that are certain to be at or near the top of the season’s final ratings. So, effectively half of the top 20 shows will remain untouched.
It seems to me that the writer’s strike position is(was?) weakened by the fact that only 11 of the top 20 (although 5 of the top 6) shows are being shut down early by the strike. NBC Sunday Night Football is going away normally. You might add 24 to that list, depending upon what happens to it.
Season to Date Average Adult Viewers 18-49 Through January 6, 2008
| RANK | PROGRAMS | Network | # OF Persons 18-49 (LIVE+SD) (000) | New Episodes Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 9,606 | 0 episodes |
| 2 | HOUSE | FOX | 9,329 | 3 episodes |
| 3 | GREYS ANATOMY | ABC | 8,696 | Last on 1/10 |
| 4 | NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | 8,299 | Done |
| 5 | HEROES | NBC | 8,062 | 0 episodes |
| 6 | CSI | CBS | 7,601 | Last on 1/10 |
| 7 | DANCING W/THE STARS-MON | ABC | 7,192 | Restarts 3/17 |
| 8 | SURVIVOR: CHINA | CBS | 6,680 | Restarts 2/7 |
| 9 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 6,436 | 0 episodes |
| 10 | OFFICE | NBC | 6,434 | 0 episodes |
| 11 | DANCING W/STARS RESULT-TU | ABC | 6,397 | Restarts 3/17 |
| 12 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 6,362 | Last on 1/14 |
| 13 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. | ABC | 6,321 | 12? episodes |
| 14 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 6,316 | 3 episodes |
| 15 | FAMILY GUY | FOX | 6,170 | 12 episodes |
| 16 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 6,008 | 2 episodes |
| 17 | APPRENTICE | NBC | 5,924 | Celebrity Apprentice airing |
| 18 | SIMPSONS | FOX | 5,844 | 14 episodes |
| 19 | BIGGEST LOSER | NBC | 5,732 | New version began 1/8 |
| 20 | SAMANTHA WHO? | ABC | 5,730 | 3 episodes |
Check out the show by show status of all your favorite broadcast shows.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 Nielsen Media Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
I'm as big a fan of The Simpsons as can be, but really, using the 18-49 demo for this list is once again a spin by whomever disseminated it (probably the networks) to make the WGA look irrelevant.
I wonder how many real Top 20 shows still have episodes because almost half this list is not an audience Top 20.
I’m as big a fan of The Simpsons as can be, but really, using the 18-49 demo for this list is once again a spin by whomever disseminated it (probably the networks) to make the WGA look irrelevant.
I wonder how many real Top 20 shows still have episodes because almost half this list is not an audience Top 20.
It wasn't disseminated by anyone. I just pulled the data myself this morning.
I'll take a look at the STD viewers and see what the differences are.
Ok, here's the Top 20 Season to Date shows ranked by average viewers [excuse the bad formatting]:
5 of those 20 shows [as opposed to 8 of the 18-49 list] survive the strike. And again, one is NBC Sunday Night Football.
DANCING W/THE STARS-MON ABC
DANCING W/STARS RESULT-TU ABC
CSI CBS
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC
HOUSE FOX
NCIS CBS
GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM ABC
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC
CSI: MIAMI CBS
SURVIVOR: CHINA CBS
CRIMINAL MINDS CBS
WITHOUT A TRACE CBS
60 MINUTES CBS
TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. ABC
CSI: NY CBS
LAW AND ORDER NBC
HEROES NBC
COLD CASE CBS
SAMANTHA WHO? ABC
It wasn’t disseminated by anyone. I just pulled the data myself this morning.
I’ll take a look at the STD viewers and see what the differences are.
Ok, here’s the Top 20 Season to Date shows ranked by average viewers [excuse the bad formatting]:
5 of those 20 shows [as opposed to 8 of the 18-49 list] survive the strike. And again, one is NBC Sunday Night Football.
DANCING W/THE STARS-MON ABC
DANCING W/STARS RESULT-TU ABC
CSI CBS
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC
HOUSE FOX
NCIS CBS
GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM ABC
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC
CSI: MIAMI CBS
SURVIVOR: CHINA CBS
CRIMINAL MINDS CBS
WITHOUT A TRACE CBS
60 MINUTES CBS
TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS
EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. ABC
CSI: NY CBS
LAW AND ORDER NBC
HEROES NBC
COLD CASE CBS
SAMANTHA WHO? ABC
Thanks Bill!! It's very much appreciated as usual.
By the way… Isn't NCIS' amazing ratings climb the Greatest Story Never Told on the season?
Thanks Bill!! It’s very much appreciated as usual.
By the way… Isn’t NCIS’ amazing ratings climb the Greatest Story Never Told on the season?