TNT Nips USA For Weekly Primetime Ratings Honors

Cable’s two general entertainment behemoths TNT and USA battled last week for primetime ratings supremacy, with TNT pulling out a close victory.

TNT averaged 1.96 million viewers during the week of Aug. 4 to Aug. 10, besting USA 1.93 million viewers and winning its eight straight weekly ratings race, according to Nielsen. Disney Channel finished third with 1.78 million viewers, followed by Fox News’ 1.77 million viewers and History’s 1.66 million watchers.

Discovery rode the launch of its annual Shark Week programming stunt to fifth place with 1.57 million viewers, followed by TBS (1.48 million viewers); HGTV (1.33 million)Nick At Nite (1.11 million) A&E (1.13 million) and NFL Network and Syfy (tied with 1.05 million viewers.)

Nickelodeon held on to the weekly ratings top spot on a 24-hour basis with 15.6 million viewers, barely ahead of Disney’s 1.53 million watchers. Adult Swim (1.17 million) Cartoon Network (1.12 million); and  Fox News (1.05 million) rounded out the top 5.

Discovery Channel was the most watched network among adult 18-49 and adult 25-54 year old viewers during the week, while Adult Swim topped all network among adults 18-34, according to Nielsen.

Most Watched Shows During The Week Of Aug. 4 to Aug. 10
DateProgramNetworkTotal Viewers
8/4        Major Crimes                                                TNT                          5.2 million
8/5        Rizzoli & Isles                                               TNT                          5.0 million
8/10      NASCAR Sprint Cup                                    ESPN                       4.9 million
8/10      The Last Ship                                               TNT                          4.6 million
8/4        WWE Mon. Night Raw (9 to 10 p.m.)           USA                         4.1 million
8/4        WWE Mon. Night Raw (8 to 9 p.m.)             USA                         4.0 million
8/4        Toy Story Of Terror                                      Disney                     3.9 million
8/4        WWE Monday Night Raw (10 to 11:13)       USA                        3.8 million
8/10      Shark Of Darkness: Wrath                           Discovery                3.8 million
8/4        Longmire                                                      A&E                         3.6 million
Source: Nielsen

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.