Turner Network Television continued its strong 2003 ratings run last week,
wearing the primetime Nielsen Media Research crown for household rating and the
key adult demos.
The drama network averaged a 2.2 household rating March 3 through 9,
according to an ABC Cable Group analysis of Nielsen data.
Fox News Channel, buoyed by its best ratings ever for its nine-minute
analysis of President Bush's March 6 press conference, was second with a 2.0
household average. Nickelodeon was third with a 1.6., followed by USA Network's
1.6.
There was a four-way logjam for fifth among Disney Channel, Cartoon Network,
Lifetime Television and TBS Superstation at a 1.5. Cable News Network, Sci Fi
Channel and The Learning Channel rounded out the top 10, all with a 1.1 average
last week.
TNT also held the top spot among adults 18 through 34 (537,000 of those
viewers on average), 18 through 49 (1.27 million) and 25 through 54 (1.34
million).
On a total-day basis, Nick was No. 1 with a 1.6 household average, according
to the ABC Cable analysis. Fox News was second with a 1.2, while Lifetime, TNT
and Cartoon were tied for third with a 1.1
Fox News' post-presidential-press-conference analysis posted a 4.9 average
from 8:51 p.m. to 9 p.m. March 6. The news network's coverage of the 51
preceding minutes that night averaged a 4.6 to finish third, while The
O'Reilly Factor, which followed, was sixth with a 3.9.
TNN's presentation of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. fare March 3 pinned
the second (a 4.7 from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.) and fourth (the hour before earned a
4.3) positions.
TNT's best-ever tally for The Screen Actors Guild Awards, a 4.3
household rating, ranked fifth for the week. The March 9 premiere of the event
at 8 p.m. that evening ranked third and fourth among adults 25 through 54 and 18
through 49, respectively.
