CNN’s fourth place primetime finish during Tuesday’s off year election could perhaps be explained away because “nobody cared about it, but the Ft. Hood murders yesterday were the kind of big event that would typically send casual news viewers flocking to CNN. However, as the Ft. Hood news was unfolding, CNN found itself in a distant second place in the ratings.

Here’s a 3pm-12am time period slice of the data we don’t normally see:

3PM-12AM
FNC: 3,039,000 in P2+ (837,000 in 25-54)
CNN: 1,576,000 in P2+ (471,000 in 25-54)
MSNBC: 820,000 in P2+ (248,000 in 25-54)
HLN: 428,000 in P2+ (177,000 in 25-54)

Read the full story

Fastest syndication EVER?

After only seven weeks on the air, syndication rights for NCIS: LA have been bought by USA Network, which has already had a great syndication run with the original NCIS.

According to the Hollywood Reporter,  NCIS: LL Cool J LA is going for roughly $1.9 2.5 million per episode THR updated the story from their original report of 1.9 million).

The unusually quick deal is testament to the popularity of the “NCIS” brand — and the ability for top cable networks to capitalize on crime procedurals in syndication. In its seventh season, “NCIS” has grown to become the most-watched drama series on TV.

Update: Not quite as fast, but The Mentalist has been sold into syndication as well.

Live + Same Day Cable News Daily Ratings for November 3, 2009

P2+ Total Day
FNC – 1,672,000 viewers
CNN – 515,000 viewers
MSNBC –401,000 viewers
CNBC – 178,000 viewers
HLN –394,000 viewers

P2+ Prime Time
FNC – 4,043,000 viewers
CNN – 826,000 viewers
MSNBC –974,000 viewers
CNBC – a scratch w/99,000 viewers
HLN –842,000 viewers

Read the full story

While Monday Night Football kept ESPN on top of the prime time adults 18-49 cable ratings for the week of October 26 – November 1, 2009, USA’s new drama White Collar gave enough of a boost, along with WWE Raw to help it edge into first for average cable primetime viewership. With the baseball NLCS over, TBS fell well back from its recent results.

Nickelodeon, remained atop the total day average cable viewership.

Prime-time Average Viewers (Live+SD) Week of  October 26 – November 1, 2009

Read the full story

Over the weekend I posted about “Shark”  Robert Herjavec posting on his Twitter account that ABC had ordered additional episodes of Shark Tank.   It’s true.  Kind of.  The Wrap’s Josef Adalian gets to the bottom of it:

Over the weekend, one of the sharks tweeted that the network had renewed the show for a second season. But ABC insiders said: Not true.

What’s up?

Well, ABC still has three unaired episodes of “Shark” in the can. It’s also just agreed to use previously shot footage to put together two more episodes of the Mark Burnett/Sony-produced series, a network rep confirmed to TheWrap.

So, there will be additional episodes, but there wasn’t an order for additional production or any type of renewal, at least not yet.

11/2 Update: As it turns out, there will be new episodes, assembled from already shot footage, but no news on a new season as yet.

Courtesy of commenter “RJ”, according to Robert Herjavec’s Twitter account there will be more Shark Tank:

Great news – ABC has ordered more episodes of Shark Tank !!!! No air date yet – but it’s coming.

http://twitter.com/robertherjavec/statuses/5328661113

Robert’s Twitter account isn’t a verified account, but it seems legitimate enough, and this isn’t something I’m going to try and get confirmed over the weekend.  Shark Tank wasn’t exactly a ratings juggernaut, averaging a 1.7 (blended Live+7/Live+SD results) adults 18-49 rating for the episodes after September 21.  But Shark Tank did have some critical acclaim and it could be that the show also has a higher percentage of high income viewing relative to other shows, and apparently the foreign versions of the show (like Dragon’s Den in Canada) were slow ratings starters.

Hardly a surprise based on the ratings, and given the longer production times for animated shows, the timing of the announcement isn’t surprising either.

Via FOX press release:

HOT FROM FOX…

FOX SAYS “YES WE CAN” TO “AMERICAN DAD”

FOX has ordered a sixth season of AMERICAN DAD, the animated series featuring security-obsessed CIA agent and devoted family man STAN SMITH (Seth MacFarlane). Recently honored with an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Animated Program, AMERICAN DAD airs Sundays (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

Read the full story

Season To Date Ratings

Good luck with the baseball ALCS games and a fall season programmed with more than throw away shows has Fox on top of the important season to date adults 18-49 ratings (through October 25, 2009). The competition is used to getting left in Fox’s ratings dust in the spring when American Idol appears, but with a seemingly good World Series matchup, could Fox hold the lead from here on out? That sound you hear is CBS’ Les Moonves sulking.

Fox also has a commanding lead in adults 18-34, while CBS is well ahead in adults 25-54 and average viewership.

You can see past week’s broadcast network primetime season to date average TV ratings results here.

Read the full story