Pick a Demo: The Top 10 Ad-Supported Nets

In the demographically targeted world of cable programming, the top-rated ad-supported networks vary widely by age, but some networks like Nickelodeon that target younger viewers rank among the top 10 in seven of the nine demos used here.

by George Winslow -- Multichannel News, 1/4/2009 7:00:00 PM

People 2-Plus
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. Nickelodeon	2213	2119
2. Nick at Nite	1500	1240
3. USA	1293	1219
4. TNT	1250	1217
5. Cartoon	1088	1101
6. Fox News	1061	822
7. Adult Swim	1003	1082
8. TBS	980	935
9. ESPN	901	833
10. Lifetime	900	918

Men 18-Plus
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. ESPN	608	558
2. Fox News	519	407
3. TNT	508	479
4. USA	497	460
5. The History Channel	439	402
6. TBS	400	374
7. Adult Swim	377	371
8. Discovery	359	374
9. CNN	340	236
10. Spike	332	330

Women 18-Plus
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. USA	672	625
2. TNT	630	625
3. Lifetime	621	642
4. Nick at Nite	556	491
5. Fox News	523	400
6. Hallmark	465	458
7. HGTV	447	440
8. Nickelodeon	446	419
9. TBS	439	433
10. A&E Network	426	427

Kids 2-11
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. Nickelodeon	1212	1201
2. Cartoon	600	609
3. Nick at Nite	297	279
4. Adult Swim	189	243
5. Toon Disney	125	136
6. ABC Family	107	92
7. TBS	56	54
8. Discovery	55	68
9. USA Network	55	63
10. Nicktoons	70	60

Teens 12-17
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. Nick at Nite	319	248
2. Nickelodeon	297	277
3. Adult Swim	231	229
4. Cartoon	158	154
5. MTV	132	160
6. ABC Family	130	115
7. Comedy Central	93	86
8. TBS	84	74
9. USA	70	71
10. FX	81	71

Young Adults 18-24
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. Adult Swim	234	261
2. Nick at Nite	204	157
3. TBS	154	144
4. MTV	150	172
5. Nickelodeon	140	128
6. Comedy Central	129	120
7. ESPN	123	109
8. USA	111	111
9. FX	110	101
10. TNT	105	103

Adults 25 to 34
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. Nickelodeon	214	195
2. Nick at Nite	185	142
3. Adult Swim	180	173
4. ESPN	172	163
4. TBS	172	152
6. TNT	167	158
7. USA	149	152
8. Comedy Central	121	119
9. Discovery	117	124
10. FX	116	112

Adults 35-49
Viewers in thousands
Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
1. TNT	347	330
2. USA	339	312
3. Nick at Nite	266	206
4. TBS	251	244
5. Lifetime	237	239
6. ESPN	230	210
7. Nickelodeon	213	191
8. A&E	210	206
9. History	186	163
10. TruTV	188	164

Network	Average Audience
	2008	2007
SOURCE: Nielsen Media. Ad-supported networks ranked by average audience for full day, year to date. For 2008, the ratings cover Jan. 1, 2008, to Nov. 19, 2008; for 2007, they cover Jan. 1, 2007, to Nov. 28, 2007. Compiled for Multichannel News by Fox Cable Networks.
1. Fox News	822	617
2. USA	570	511
3. TNT	520	513
4. Hallmark	519	522
5. CNN	466	336
6. Lifetime	397	427
7. HGTV	344	350
8. TV Land	336	349
9. TruTV	338	331
10. A&E	323	349

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