Cable’s Best Delivered In Primetime
Seven Of Top 10 Registered Ratings Gains During February
By Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 2/27/2008 2:57:00 PM
Whether benefiting from the absence of scripted fare on the broadcast networks owing to the Writers Guild of America strike or not, most of the upper echelon of cable networks enjoyed strong February Nielsens.
Seven of cable’s top 10 networks in primetime secured ratings advances for the period, spanning Jan. 28 through Feb. 24, according to a Disney ABC Cable Networks Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data.
Continuing its run at No. 1, USA Network registered a 5% increase to a 2.3 from a 2.2 in February 2007.
Disney Channel declined 5% to a 1.9, but still held the second spot, ahead of third-place TNT. The “drama” network, assisted by NBA All-Star weekend festivities, grew 6% to a 1.8.
Fox News Channel was in fourth place, posting a 7% increase to a 1.5. That put it ahead of TBS, which was flat for the month, and Nick at Nite, which notched 27% amelioration, as both averaged a 1.4.
CNN, boosted by its coverage of Democratic presidential primary debates, almost doubled its average, climbing 86% to a 1.3, versus a 0.7 mark the prior year. The network averaged 614,000 adults 25-to-54 viewers on average in primetime, marking the first time in six years it had surpassed Fox News in the so-called news demo.
A trio of networks completed the top 10, all with a 1.2 average: FX, aided by Nip/Tuck installments and theatricals, enjoyed its best-ever month among adults 18 to 49 (828,000) and adults 18 to 34 (470,000), growing 20% from a 1.0; A&E Network, which declined 8% from a 1.3; and Hallmark Channel, which delivered its best-ever February in improving 9%, from a 1.0.
Finishing just out of the top 10 at a 1.1 apiece were ESPN, ahead 10% from a 1.0; and Lifetime Television, which sustained 21% erosion from a 1.4 in February 2007.
Top programming honors for the month went to Nickelodeon’s Fairly OddParents speci
al, Fairly
OddBaby, which attracted 8.81 million viewers on Feb. 18.
CNN’s coverage of the Democratic debate betweens Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) was second with 8.34 million on Jan. 31, while the candidates tussle in Texas on Feb. 21 was fourth with 7.58 million. Anderson Cooper 360 shows following the debates those nights finished third and fifth for the month, respectively.
The sixth-season concluder of Monk was the series all-time best, uncovering 6.88 million viewers on Feb. 22, while the Feb. 1 installment was ninth for the month with 6.19 million. USA also had the eighth entry with its WWE Monday Night Raw franchise on Jan. 28, pinning 6.2 million watchers. The NBA All-Star Game, despite a 9% downturn from the previous year, still scored with 6.33 million watchers to finish seventh for the month.
