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.
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
