Benefitting from some Sarah Palin/Tina Fey magic, NBC’s 30 Rock gained 1.372 milion adults 18-49 since Fall 2007 and is one of only 20 English broadcast prime-time shows to have increased its demo adults 18-49 audience (on a “Most Current” basis, see below) through the 10th week of the broadcast season vs. last season. The top 10 shows for increasing their demo audiences were How I Met Your Mother, Saturday Night Football, Gossip Girl, 60 Minutes, The OT, Supernatural, Saturday Night Football Pre-Game, The Big Bang Theory and Two and A Half Men. Most shows have lost audience, some have lost significant numbers of viewers. Fox’s House lost 2.902 million adults 18-49 since last season to lead the losers. The other shows in the top 10 for most 18-49 audience losses were Private Practice, Samantha Who?, Pushing Daisies, Without A Trace, Grey’s Anatomy, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
While I post the broadcast prime-time network season to date averages and their changes from last season on a weekly basis, I decided to take a look at the results for individual fall shows vs. last season. It’s a partially manual process that may have left out some shows from last fall. If you notice any omissions or possible errors please leave a comment. To be on these lists shows must have aired prior to week 11 both this season and last season.
Which shows on these lists surprised you? I’ve got to admit that as immersed in TV numbers as I am that Supernatural being one of the few shows to have increased surprised me. It gets no PR love from the CW.
Update: Your eyes are not playing tricks on you if you read this post immediately after it was posted. Originally, I used Live+SD numbers, but after rethinking my methods after Rob R’s comment, I changed the numbers to “Most Current” DVR numbers, which include Live+7 viewing when available. The shows on the list were little changed, the magintudes of the gains were a bit more and the losses a bit less, demonstrating the increased use of DVRs from last season to this season.
Top 20 Shows For Adults 18-49 Audience Gain through Season Week 10, 2008 vs. 2007
| Rank | Programs | Net | 2008 PERSONS 18-49 (Most Current) (000) | 2007 PERSONS 18-49 (Most Current) (000) | Increase/ Decrease (000) | Increase/ Decrease % |
| 1 | 30 ROCK | NBC | 5,640 | 4,268 | 1,372 | 32.1% |
| 2 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 5,576 | 4,544 | 1,032 | 22.7% |
| 3 | SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL | ABC | 3,585 | 2,696 | 889 | 33.0% |
| 4 | GOSSIP GIRL | CW | 2,331 | 1,706 | 625 | 36.6% |
| 5 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 4,549 | 3,966 | 583 | 14.7% |
| 6 | OT, THE | FOX | 6,112 | 5,700 | 412 | 7.2% |
| 7 | SUPERNATURAL | CW | 2,127 | 1,724 | 403 | 23.4% |
| 8 | SAT NIGHT FTBL PRE-GAME | ABC | 2,038 | 1,672 | 366 | 21.9% |
| 9 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 5,033 | 4,756 | 277 | 5.8% |
| 10 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 6,971 | 6,760 | 211 | 3.1% |
| 11 | NCIS | CBS | 5,253 | 5,070 | 183 | 3.6% |
| 12 | GHOST WHISPERER | CBS | 3,898 | 3,779 | 119 | 3.1% |
| 13 | 20/20-FRI | ABC | 2,687 | 2,578 | 109 | 4.2% |
| 14 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 5,772 | 5,663 | 109 | 1.9% |
| 15 | MY THURSDAY NIGHT MOVIE | MNT | 677 | 576 | 101 | 17.5% |
| 16 | JAIL 2 | MNT | 840 | 799 | 41 | 5.1% |
| 17 | OFFICE | NBC | 6,990 | 6,957 | 33 | 0.5% |
| 18 | FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2 | NBC | 2,496 | 2,467 | 29 | 1.2% |
| 19 | JAIL | MNT | 799 | 783 | 16 | 2.0% |
| 20 | BONES | FOX | 4,736 | 4,723 | 13 | 0.3% |
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“Bottom” 20 Shows For Adults 18-49 Audience Loss through Season Week 10, 2008 vs. 2007
| Rank | Programs | Net | 2008 PERSONS 18-49 (Most Current) (000) | 2007 PERSONS 18-49 (Most Current) (000) | Increase/ Decrease (000) | Increase/ Decrease % |
| 1 | HOUSE | FOX | 7,666 | 10,568 | (2,902) | -27.5% |
| 2 | PRIVATE PRACTICE | ABC | 4,149 | 6,225 | (2,076) | -33.3% |
| 3 | SAMANTHA WHO? | ABC | 3,998 | 6,054 | (2,056) | -34.0% |
| 4 | PUSHING DAISIES | ABC | 2,819 | 4,796 | (1,977) | -41.2% |
| 5 | WITHOUT A TRACE | CBS | 3,881 | 5,674 | (1,793) | -31.6% |
| 6 | GREY’S ANATOMY-THU 9PM | ABC | 9,560 | 11,038 | (1,478) | -13.4% |
| 7 | HEROES | NBC | 6,441 | 7,897 | (1,456) | -18.4% |
| 8 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 8,706 | 10,143 | (1,437) | -14.2% |
| 9 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. | ABC | 5,036 | 6,435 | (1,399) | -21.7% |
| 10 | SMARTER THAN 5TH GRADER | FOX | 1,873 | 3,249 | (1,376) | -42.4% |
| 11 | DIRTY SEXY MONEY | ABC | 3,074 | 4,335 | (1,261) | -29.1% |
| 12 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 5,396 | 6,646 | (1,250) | -18.8% |
| 13 | LIFE | NBC | 2,675 | 3,924 | (1,249) | -31.8% |
| 14 | DEAL OR NO DEAL-FRI | NBC | 1,717 | 2,940 | (1,223) | -41.6% |
| 15 | DEAL OR NO DEAL-WED | NBC | 2,648 | 3,804 | (1,156) | -30.4% |
| 16 | PRISON BREAK | FOX | 3,492 | 4,637 | (1,145) | -24.7% |
| 17 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-7P | ABC | 3,066 | 4,176 | (1,110) | -26.6% |
| 18 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | 6,045 | 7,152 | (1,107) | -15.5% |
| 19 | DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS | FOX | 2,085 | 3,029 | (944) | -31.2% |
| 20 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 5,289 | 6,212 | (923) | -14.9% |
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Our tables shows broadcast network prime-time shows season to date average adults 18-49 viewership for the 2008-9 season compared to the 2007-8 season through week 10 (11/30/08, 12/02/07). “Most Current” is a combination of Live+7 viewing data when available and Live+SD viewing for more recent weeks.
Nielsen TV Ratings Data: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved.
Remember that as the percentage of homes with DVRs increases, it will affect these statistics, although less likely to affect the rankings. Before we conclude, for example, that the Desperate Housewives audience has eroded 22.7%, we must remember that this statistic only shows the erosion in the live/same day audience. It is likely that the TOTAL audience erosion, when one includes everyone who delayed their viewing in 2007 and the likely larger number of people who delayed their viewing in 2008, the erosion percentage might be dramatically less.
In football’s case I think it had more to do with better match ups this season than last season. The BIG12 provided ABC with a lot of drama and some extremely fun teams to watch. OU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Texas were fun to watch fight it out.
Rob, you’re right about the comparison, but I bet you’re not right about the magnitude. I’m going to redo the post with “Most Current” DVR numbers which are a combination of Live+SD and Live+7. I will take the post down until I redo it.
The post has now been redone to use “Most Current” DVR numbers instead of “Live+SD” numbers. They take into account the full extent of DVR viewing that Nielsen currently measures. The magnitudes of the gains were increased somewhat and the magnitudes of the losses were reduced. Originally, only 8 shows had gains for Live+SD, 20 have gains using Most Current DVR numbers. House had lost 3.2 million adults 18-49 using Live+SD numbers, it loses only 2.9 million using Live+7 numbers.
Good to see 30 Rock and even The Office up, sad to see Pushing Daisies down.
House however has a semi-excuse in being moved to a lower HUT level time and facing stronger competition. It’s obviously losing big, but most of the other shows in the top 10 seem to have lost without any outside changes.
Pish posh, my 2 favs (The Big Bang Theory and NCIS) are winners, so why am I trying to dress up House’s numbers?
DVR viewing has become the new ” demo. ” That’s fine. I’m beginning to realize people actually make millions based on this. This is as fascinating to me as watching cobras behind a glass cage. Watching Ugly Betty for the first time, and saw a Kay jewelry ad, so I was right about Kay jewelry being a female oriented ad. Anyway, wonderful numbers to look at up there – precise, to the point. 18-49 deserting ABC like a sinking ship. But the only debate is about how much DH and GA can charge for their ads. I feel like being privledged to view tv from the perspective of the Internet is like watching Rome disintegrate from the shores of an Irish island. The detachment from the videodrome is all I ask for. I even had the savvy to find out ESPN has a Mafia style monopoly on Sports Bars. Next: get copies of these contracts – they have to be in the public domain. Having a quasimonoply on restaurants can’t hurt Disney’s overall bottom line.
What’s funny that in season 1 of how I met your mother the show was close to cancellation but the network did something smart. They released the dvd’s right away and pushed fans to recruit new viewers and we have making HIMYM a success. Other networks could learn a lesson from this. Grow the audience with good writing and the show will be a success.
According to Wikipedia (but it can be wrong, so if there is another source, post it), the DVD of HIMYM season 1 was released November 21 2006, 6 months after the season finale. Hardly straight away. But i’m glad the show is a success. It’s one of my favorites.
I’m also glad that BBT and HIMYM are doing so good. They are the two best laugh track sitcoms I have seen since Seinfeld.
Yay for Supernatural, HIMYM and 30 Rock ! They deserve it so much !
I’m very happy to see Supernatural going up. Of course Gossip Girl was going to go up, with all the promotion and magazine covers, it would be a failure if it didn’t. But SPN went up solely on quality. Imagine how much it would have gone up if it got half the promotion GG does.
Plus good job to HIMYM and BBT!
I’m really pleased to see how well Supernatural has done. It’s well deserved considering the excellent quality of this season so far, and is pretty astonishing given the fact that it gets practically no promotion from the CW.
Supernatural has really loyal fans, so possibly their word of mouth finally has shown in its viewers — lord knows it does not get the PR it deserves from the CW, or the budget (they don’t even have a second unit anymore and that crew worked their asses off for us fans from day one).
I’m so glad to see an increase in the media pointing out the amazing product that SPN is giving its fans, and how in the fourth season it hasn’t gotten stale or wrapped up in a confusing mythology.
I’m hoping it keeps going up and the increase means that the CW will give it an early Season Five pick up!
Wow, this is great for Supernatural. Just think what gains it could have made if the CW had made ANY effort to promote it.
Richard, it’s a Fox production. CBS has nothing to do with the DVDs. And as for doing anything smart with it, 20th Home Entertainment released the first season — broadcast in HD — with 4×3 transfers. That’s dumb. If I want to watch a show with the left and right sides hacked off, I’ll… well, I’ll watch CBS in lo-def. But I digress, because I don’t want to watch “How I Met Your Mother” in any format.
“30 Rock” has grown audience every season it’s been on. Great. It deserves it. Could never really figure out why people seemed to go out of their way to avoid that when it first premiered, since it took all of about 2 episodes to gel into one of the funniest sitcoms on TV. Although it probably helps that it follows a sitcom which I’m not sure is even attempting to be funny anymore.
Thanks for the shout out to Supernatural. The ONLY reason the viewership has gone up is because it has amazing fans who do ALL the promotion.
I’d like to see how it would do if the CW actually put $10 toward advertising it.
It is wonderful to see people starting to take notice of Supernatural. This gem of a show deserves so much more credit than it receives. Believe me, there is a passionate fanbase out there that has been spreading the word to anyone who will listen. That is a tremendous part of why the ratings are up. The other reason is the sheer staying power and quality of this show. If you haven’t seen it, you are really missing out!
Gossip Girl deserves to be up because it’s a great show. I’m one of its “new” viewers beginning with this season. I watched the pilot last year and kept meaning to see the other episodes but didn’t get around to it until summer. I’m sorry I waited so long. This season, I watch the show “live” every week. The shows I watch live are the ones I love. The ones I tape are the less important programs–if I like them enough, I sure don’t want to wait to see what happens!
I quit Supernatural starting with this season, though. As it went on, It felt like almost the same episode every week and I lost interest.
I was just looking at the list to see if competition in the hour/night was having an impact — for example — Grey’s is down and Supernatural and The Office and 30Rock are up. Where does CSI fall in the hunt?
Dancing with the Stars down HIMYM, Two & a Half Men, Gossip Girl up.
I echo what’s been said above — Supernatural is a great show — more people should be watching!
Supernatural is the absolute best show on television and once you become a fan of it, it will completely own you. It continues to happily suprise me every season by getting better and better and adding more depth to the story as time goes along instead of becoming boring and repetitive like other shows in their later seasons.
My friend just wrote an article about the lack of promotion on the CW for spn vs how GG is shoved down our throats once you turn the friggin channel on.
here’s the link
ugo.com
Mel, CSI was neither in the top or the bottom 20, here are its numbers (same column headings as above):
CSI CBS 8,135 8,628 (493) -5.7%
Losing only 5.7% is above the median (of about -10%) for returning shows.
I watch CSI, Dexter, NCIS, Pushing daisies and Samantho who? and they’re all great and I love them but Supernatural is just the best show on Television. Maybe I would even watch other CW shows if the CW would show a little bit more love for Supernatural.
It’s a shame that the CW doesn’t promote SPN. I know it might not be their favorite “teeny” show but imagine what the ratings could be with decent promotion. So far it’s just the fans spreading the word. I understand that the CW loves GG, OTH and 90210 but showing a little support and appreciation for Supernatural would also be NICE!!!!!!!
What I find interesting is that Supernatural is gaining on the most competitive night and time of the week. I have been a fan since day one but know many people who have only started watching it this season. They are all getting season one DVDs for Christmas to help them catch up. CW needs to give this show and Smallville the promotion they deserve.
Funny, I heard a radio report on “Wall Street Journal this Morning” on the drive to work today. The report touted “Big Bang Theory” as a surprise hit and discussed what gives it such appeal. Quite a lot of fuss was made over how it’s gained in the ratings, so I checked your list here. It’s up, but 277,000 / 5.8% is’nt one of the top boosts. I don’t know how much it’s up in total viewers (older viewers?). Anyway, somebodys doing some great marketing for BBT
”It’s a shame that the CW doesn’t promote SPN. I know it might not be their favorite “teeny” show but imagine what the ratings could be with decent promotion. So far it’s just the fans spreading the word. I understand that the CW loves GG, OTH and 90210 but showing a little support and appreciation for Supernatural would also be NICE!!!!!!!”
Its not like they go all out for ONE TREE HILL?? (how has that done in the table by the way???)
Wonder what the cause for loss in Grey’s Anatomy was? I quit watching that after middle of S3, but I’m surprised it’s lost even that much since it’s still touted as Thursday night’s big hit.
Course, CSI gave it some stiff competition this year with all the gasp-worthy character changes. We’ll see how much fight CSI has left in it now that Petersen is gone.
Also wonder if Bones’ gain is because it basically has NO competition on Wed night anymore. Hmm.
clutz, by the standards of Fall 2008, BBT’s increases for adults 18-49 are big. Top 10 for both percentage and absolute 18-49 gain, and there are *only* 20 gainers. Considering the marketing claims I see everyday, saying it’s a “hit” doesn’t seem unreasonable at all.
Mel, if you figure that the median returning show was off 10%, Grey’s is pretty much just following the trend at 13%. I don’t think any extraordinary reason is necessary for that level of decline.
josh, One Tree Hill wasn’t aired last fall, so I don’t have 2007 numbers to compare it to.
I am so glad to see my favorite show on television, Supernatural, on the list!
** claps loudly **
It is, hands down, my favorite show on TV today. And, it is also on my list of favorites of all time.
I believe if the CW would give Supernatural more promotion the numbers would have been even higher.
I have been an avid fan since day 1. The show has everything going for it, except for backing from the network.
Gorgeous leads….humor…depth…darkness…strong family ties…scares…solid writing…engaging stories…heartfelt moments….continuity…shocking revelations…realistic relationships…amazing chemistry…incredible acting…
I could go on and on….
And, it is one of the few shows that has actually gotten better, as time has worn on…which is highly unusual. It was really good in Season 1…but it is even better in Season 4.
The CW has a gold mine with that show, so I don’t understand why they can’t see it. The show’s ratings are decent even in reruns.
On another note; Robert, I am glad you are a fan of Supernatural.
Oh. Sorry Bill. I need to thank you for being a fan of Supernatural. SORRY.
Joan, though Bill did pen the post above, it is I who am the Supernatural fan…
Besides Football, NBC had two shows, 30 Rock by a lot, and The Office.
ABC had only one, 20/20 Friday.
Of course ABC and NBC both dominated the biggest falls list. I knew NBC had it rough but when you put down like those numbers ABC is hanging on by DWTS and one or two aging hits.
I’d like to jump in here and also give a shout-out to the parent company, WB, for taking a bold lead this year and lending a hand in the promotion dept. for Supernatural, while CW was too busy focusing on Gossip Girl and 90210. When WB made the bold move and sent out the first 3 episodes of season 4 in advance of their airing to prominent blog sites, it allowed the quality of the show to sell itself. Those bloggers could not deny what they were seeing and they properly raved on their sites, giving SN some much-deserved attention. Add to that the full-force grassroots fan promotion machine that went into action during the summer following promises by the creator on the direction the show would be taking, and voila! — much-deserved attention leading to a much-deserved ratings increase. While most of the other shows went down, SN went UP!
))
Hi Robert.
I thought you were the Supernatural fan. Glad to know I am in good company.
Thanks so much for all of your support and positive comments about the show.
It is a truly awesome show, isn’t it?
Thanks
PS. I stumbled across this website and I really enjoy it.
Bill, I may have been unclear in my thoughts on BBT. I have no doubt it’s a “hit,” and deservedly so. It’s just that the WSJTM report was touting a story about this huge breakout sitcom as if it were some brand-new thing. When I look at your chart, I see eight shows with double-digit increases. To me, 30 Rock is more of a “breakout” sitcom than BBT. Just depends on who’s doing the marketing I guess
It is clear that we Supernatural fans (along with some help from the WB) carry the show, as was stated by Mousitsa, 1967Chevy, Joan, Josh, Stacy, Cassi, Sara, KathyB, Rachel, LindaH and Adrienne.
I’m not certain we NEED the CW’s help. We’re finally doing well on our own.
Congrats to Supernatural. The cast and crew deserve some bloody praise for all the work they’ve done over these past few years in creating a really awesome show on such a small budget. CW are lucky they’ve got shows like it. They should really start promoting it as much as they do for Gossip Girl, and then maybe we’d be breaking the 4 million barrier.
As a supernatural fan ,I so want to say “I Told you so”. We’ve known since day 1 what a gem this show is,and now it’s starting to get the respect it deserves. Just imagine how much better we would be doing if the CW gave it even just a tad of PR Love. Go Supernatural!!!!
I just have to add my voice to the chorus of support and praise for Supernatural. It’s my favourite show of all time and I’d agree with Lindsay, we fans are doing a pretty damn good job promoting the show.
Go Supernatural!
Ugh enough with supernatural every do all 200fans really need to post the exact same thing over and over we get it your bitter about gossip girl but in reality you should be rooting for it too cuz it’s the show that keeps the CW ship from sinking
Ah they beauty of having the freedom to post our opinions.
If you don’t like our opinions Jg you could just ignore them.
Supernatural for the win by the way!
Quite a few fans of Supernatural enjoy Gossip Girl as well, Jg_nycchop, myself included. I don’t think the fans feel bitterness so much as they do a desire to see Supernatural get a fair shot. It’s come close to cancellation almost every year, so it’s nice to see some improvement.
Thanks, Bill. I’m curious to see how CSI does in the PostPetersen era
To Jg_nycchop: reading over all the comments I don’t see where there is any bitterness against Gossip Girl as a show. As for my comment, I simply said that while CW was busy promoting GoGi and 90210, the parent company, WB, gave some promo help to Supernatural. We don’t want GoGi and 90210 to do badly because then the network would fail and we would lose one hell of a quality show. If we’re bitter about anything it’s the fact that SN had its budget cut drastically (using the money to promo those other two). CW doesn’t want to do any extra effort in the promo tasks? fine, we’ll do as much of the work for them as we can. But the cuts in the budget are just ridiculous, especially in light of reports that CW was spending extra money so that the GoGi stars could “live the life of Gossip Girl” in NY. Seriously? you mean they’re not getting paid enough already? That’s what we’re bitter about.
I am glad to see Supernatural on the top!! Some of my coworkers think that Heroes is better. I have been a Supernatural fan since day one. I do have to DVR it since I have been on second shift. I have to say that this season is awesome!!!
Nice to see bones is on the up. season 4 has been great so far, im pleased its getting great viewing figures this year.
i read the comments on here a lot and hardly ever post but i need to say mel give it a rest! ok you dislike bones, every comment you make on it is negative. well get over it, the numbers are up, the fans are enjoying it. if you dislike it don’t watch it, the numbers speak for themselves, your bitter jibes and sad excuses as to why its improving only speak for your ignorance.
clutz,
30 rock was given the best possible time slot (and it’s still not great) behind the office, hence the higher ratings this year (and still hardly a hit).
BBT was moved to the earlier 8PM timeslot, so to be up even 6% in a timeslot with lower HUT levels is a major accomplishment. that said, himym is way up from last year because of the boost it’s getting from having a strong lead in and being in a later time slot with higher HUT levels.
Looking at the revised numbers I saw all three ABC hits were down around 16% in the demo. That’s hardly a coincidence. Those shows’ fans (to that uniform degree ) have clearly found other shows to watch and if trends for that demo in the past two or three years hold they will not be back. But still, 16% is not as bad as House’s slide. Personally I thought it was the best scripted show in 2005 and 2006 and maybe 2007, but it’s unwatchable now. I don’t know if others feel the same, or if that is relevant, since artistic taste has little to do with advertising rates, but some tangible reasons have to explain it.
Jay, I’m all for exaggeration and even hyperbole, but realistically there is a huge (vast, gargantuan!) difference between “less watchable” and “unwatchable”. The numbers clearly point to the former and nowhere near the latter.