TNT Continues Weekly Ratings Win Streak

TNT continued its domination of the summer weekly ratings race, winning its seventh consecutive weekly ratings triumph.

TNT averaged 2.06 viewers during the week of July 23 to Aug. 3, barely besting USA’s 2.02 million viewer total, according to Nielsen. Disney Channel finished third with 1.9 million viewers, followed by Fox News’ 1.87 million viewers and History’s 1.80 million watchers.

SYFY, riding the ratings success of its original movie Sharknado 2 – which drew nearly 6 million additional viewers through repeats during the week after its July 30 premiere garnered 3.9 million viewers – finished sixth with 1.68 million viewers, followed by TBS (1.65 million viewers) HGTV (1.38 million); A&E (1.25 million) and Discovery (1.1 million).

Nickelodeon and Disney Channel finished in a virtual tie for top ratings honors on a 24-hour basis, with both networks averaging 1.56 million viewers, according to Nielsen. Adult Swim (1.25 million) Cartoon Network (1.13 million) and Fox News (1.06 million) rounded out the top 5 in the category.

TBS was the most watched network in primetime among adults 18-49, while Adult Swim was tops among younger 18-34 viewers. USA was the most watched network among adults 25-54 for the week, said network officials.

The July 29 summer season finale of OWN’s Have and Have Nots was a surprise to 10 finisher among the most watched shows during the week. The Tyler Perry-produced drama set a viewership record among the network’s target female 25-54 viewership with the finale, while its 3.49 million viewers fell just short of the series’ record 3.6 million viewers generated by its March 2014 spring season finale, said network officials.

The Most Watched Shows During The Week Of July 28 to Aug. 3

Date      Show                                                                                Network                             Ratings

7/28       Major Crimes                                                                  TNT                                      5.8 million

7/29       Rizzoli & Isles                                                                  TNT                                      4.7 million

7/28       WWE Monday Night Raw (9 p.m. to 10 p.m.)         USA                                      4.5 million

7/28       WWE Monday Night Raw (8 p.m. to 9 p.m.)           USA                                      4.3 million

8/3         NASCAR Sprint Cup                                                        ESPN                                    4.3 million

8/3         The Last Ship                                                                  TNT                                      4.1 million

7/28       WWE Monday Night Raw (10 to 11:07 p.m.)          USA                                      4.0 million

7/30       Sharknado 2: The Second One                                    Syfy                                      3.8 million

7/31       Pawn Stars                                                                      History                                3.5 million

7/29       Haves and Have Nots                                                   OWN                                   3.4 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.