Cable Sweeps Broadcast — Again

Cable networks
kept the ratings fire ablaze
through the February
sweeps.

Cable drew a larger
share of viewers than its
broadcast network counterparts
during the traditional
February sweeps
month, when the broadcasters
roll out their top
shows in an effort to att
ract advertisers, according
to a Disney-ABC
Television Group analysis
of Nielsen data.

Basic cable networks
averaged a flat 53 household
share compared to
a 41 household share for
the four major broadcast
networks, according to
Nielsen. The broadcasters
were down 9% from a
45 share last year.

USA Network won
its first monthly ratings
contest of 2011 after
coming in second
to ESPN in January. Th e
“Characters Welcome”
network averaged 3.1
million total viewers
during the period of Jan. 31 through Feb. 27, up 2% from
the same period in 2010. Disney Channel finished second
with 2.6 million viewers, an increase of 15% over
the 2.3 million garnered last year, while TNT averaged
a flat 2.2 million viewers in February to finish third.

History rode its ratings powerhouse reality series Pawn
Stars and American Pickers to a 39% audience gain and a
record 2 million viewers to finish fourth, while Fox News
Channel fell 12% to 1.9 million viewers to finish fifth.

FX (1.6 million viewers, up 30%); ESPN (1.5 million, up
14%); Nick at Nite (1.5 million, down 12%); A&E Network
(1.5 million, down 5%) and TBS (1.4 million viewers, down
13%) rounded out the top 10.

NICK DOMINATES TOTAL DAY

Nickelodeon continued its ratings domination on a 24-
hour basis, averaging a flat 2.3 million viewers. Disney
Channel was second-best with 1.7 million viewers, an increase
of 10%, while Nick at Nite finished third, falling 11%
to 1.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

MTV was the most popular network among adult viewers
18-34 due the enormous success of its reality series Jersey
Shore. The network improved its audience numbers
in the demo by a whopping 73% to 679,000, more than
100,000 viewers ahead of second-place TNT.

TNT’s coverage of the NBA All-Star game was the mostwatched
show of the month, averaging 9 million viewers,
while the network’s Saturday night coverage — which included
the slam-dunk competition — finished third, with
an average of 8.1 million viewers.

The remaining spots in the top 10 were secured by three
shows: MTV’s Jersey Shore and History’s American Pickers
and Pawn Stars. The second season of Jersey Shore was also
a huge draw among young viewers: All four weekly episodes
of the series were the top four most-watched shows among
adults 18-49 and adults 18-34, according to Nielsen.

MTV and BBC America drew the biggest year-to-year
audience percentage gains during the month at 52% each.
Other networks posting 30% or better gains in February included
Nicktoons and TV Land (both up 39%); Golf Channel
and Mun2 (both up 38%); Investigation Discovery (up
36%); Versus (up 34%); and Discovery, Military and Fox
Soccer Channel (each up 31%).

Networks struggling during the month included CNBC
(down 56%); VH1 (down 35%); HLN (down 30%); ESPN2
(down 23%); Style (down 21%); and G4 (down 20%).