USA Burns Up February Ratings
Net Enjoys Best Month Ever; TNT, Fox News Tied For Second In Primetime
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 2/25/2009 11:11:25 AM
With its original series and WWE Entertainment programming connecting, USA Network enjoyed its best month ever.
The "characters network," averaged a best-ever 3.41 million viewers and 1.61 million adults 25 to 54 in primetime from Jan. 26 through Feb. 22, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Those February performances, cable's best, represented gains of 13% and 20%, respectively, from the corresponding period in 2008. USA also set the pace among adults 18 to 49, growing 16% to 1.52 million.
For the month, USA, benefiting from fresh installments of Burn Notice, Psych and Monk, and WWE's continued popularity, posted a 9% rise in household average to 2.5 from 2.3, according to Nielsen.
That put USA -- which has won all eight weekly primetime races this year among viewers -- 0.6 points ahead of both TNT and Fox News Channel, which both averaged a 1.9 for the month, with 2.49 million and 2.41 million viewers on average.
Any fears about Fox News's strength waning during the Obama administration were checked as the cable news leader extended its monthly primetime winning streak in the sector to 86 consecutive months. Fox News saw its ratings average jump 27% from a 1.5 in February 2008.
Elsewhere in the news sector, CNN, which scored big with last year's primary season coverage, declined 23% to a 1.0 average from a 1.3. Meanwhile, MSNBC said it enjoyed its best February ever, scoring a 31% in weekday primetime to 1.15 million. All told, the service saw its ratings average improve 14% to a 0.8.
"Drama" service TNT, with an assist from upticks with both the NBA All-Star Game, the month's most-watched show, NBA All-Star Saturday Night and The Closer, recorded a 6% ratings rise from a 1.8 a year ago.
Disney Channel, garnering 2.26 million watchers on average, was fourth for the month at a 1.8. TBS (1.81 million watchers), even on the ratings front at a 1.4, ranked fifth, ahead of Nick at Nite (1.59 million), which slipped 7% to a 1.3 average, and Cartoon Network's 1.2. Turner's animated proponent, which pulled in 1.54 million watchers in primetime, registered a 20% jump from the prior-year span.
Four other networks completed the top 10, all with a 1.1 average. A&E (1.49 million), FX (1.35 million) and Hallmark Channel (1.30 million) each sustained 8% erosion from a 1.0 mark in February 2008. ESPN, counting 1.37 million viewers on average, maintained last year's ratings level.
In addition to CNN, History (flat), HGTV (ahead 11%) and ABC Family (up 25%) all finished just outside the top 10, with 1.0 averages.
ABC Family, riding the strength of its top original series, The Secret Life of an American Teenager, scored best-ever February deliveries among viewers (1.35 million), adults 18 to 34, 18 to 49 and persons 12 to 34, plus a trio of female targets, according to network officials.
As mentioned, TNT's coverage of the NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 15 was the top show for the month with 7.62 million viewers. The Jan. 26 installment of The Closer was second with 7.29 million, the Feb. 2 installment of the series seventh at 6.4 million, and the Feb. 16 premiere 10th at 5.89 million. NBA All-Star Saturday Night finished fifth with 6.55 million watchers.
The rest of the top 10 fell in USA's column: Burn Notice episodes on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 ranked third and fourth with 6.8 million and 6.7 million, respectively; the Jan. 30 (6.4 million) and Feb. 6 installments of Monk were sixth and ninth, with just over 6.4 million apiece; and the second hour of WWE Monday Night Raw pinned 6.402 million to finish eighth for the month.
No related content found.
Featured Company
-
Telestream
Telestream products are used by the world's leading media and entertainment companies and corporations for transcoding and workflow automation. Telestream helps customers transform their media for multiplatform distribution to web, mobile, DVD, cable VOD, podcast and broadcast pl..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
