Five Cablers In Top 10 Dip in May
By LINDA MOSS -- Multichannel News, 6/11/2000 8:00:00 PM
Five of the top 10 basic-cable networks suffered drops in primetime ratings in May, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Even No. 1-rated Turner Network Television, with National Basketball Association playoff games down this year, saw its numbers drop 4 percent in primetime, to a 2.3 from a 2.4 rating a year ago, according Turner Entertainment Research from Nielsen data.
Turner issued revised cable-ratings figures last week, based on corrected information from Nielsen. Due to a software bug, Nielsen discovered that subscriber counts for cable networks in May had been incorrectly measured. Because the distribution figures are used to figure out coverage-area ratings, May cable ratings had to be recalculated.
Overall, basic cable rose 3 percent in primetime in May, to a 24 rating from a 23.4 a year ago. The "Big Three" broadcast networks, powered by ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, rose 7 percent in primetime, to a 26.5 rating from 24.8. The "Big Four," including Fox, collectively rose 4 percent in primetime to a 30.2.
No. 2 USA Network's ratings dropped 13 percent to a 2.1.
TBS Superstation and Nickelodeon tied for the No. 3 spot, each with 1.8 ratings and both down 10 percent.
Cartoon Network posted its best May ever with a 1.7 rating, up 13 percent. Lifetime Television followed with a 1.6, up 23 percent.
ESPN also saw a ratings increase, up 17 percent to a 1.4 from a 1.2, while A & E Network was flat with a 1.2.
While Discovery Channel was down 9 percent to a 1.0, The History Channel saw a 29 percent gain to a 0.9.
The biggest primetime-ratings winners in May were Courtroom Television Network, up 100 percent to a 0.6, and Bravo, The Film and Arts Network, up 50 percent to a 0.3.
The big losers were CNBC, down 40 percent to a 0.3, and WGN, down 33 percent to a 0.6.
TV Land, MSNBC, and The Nashville Network and all saw 25 percent decreases in their primetime ratings, dropping to a 0.6, a 0.3 and a 0.6, respectively.
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