The damage: Broadcast is down 8 percent
The Big Four are averaging an 8.1 18-49 rating, compared to an 8.8
May 18, 2016
It’s become a yearly occurrence—tallying up how much broadcast declined among adults 18-49 in the previous season.
There’s still a week left in the season, but it appears this year the decline will be 8 percent.
The Big Four are averaging an 8.1 adults 18-49 Nielsen rating, down from an 8.8 at this point last year.
Half of that decline has been from ABC, which has tumbled from a 2.2 last year at this time to a 1.8, ranking fourth among the Big Four.
And the rest has been from NBC, last year’s No. 1 network. This year, without the Super Bowl, NBC is down 0.3, from a 2.4 to a 2.1.
Two networks, first-place CBS (2.3) and third-place Fox (1.9), are even with last year.
The declines got sharper as the year went on. During the first two months of the season, the Big Four were off by 6 percent.
But compared to past years, the 8 percent decline is about normal.
The culprits for the decline remain much the same as in past years, too.
New shows haven’t caught on like the networks would hope. Even top-rated programs such as NBC’s “Blindspot” are averaging just a 1.9, lower than the network’s season average.
Older shows are seeing ratings declines. “The Big Bang Theory,” for instance, is off 14 percent from last season in the demo, and it’s the No. 2 scripted show on broadcast.
Other contributors to decline include commercial glut, according to some buyers, who say a handful of viewers used to watching Netflix and other ad-free services are eschewing TV because of its ever-growing ad load.
Of course, the allure of other forms of entertainment, such as Netflix and Snapchat and Hulu and other video platforms, is also taking away eyeballs from broadcast, though no one has yet quantified how many.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended May 15:
Among adults 18-49, ABC and CBS each averaged a 1.2 rating and a 4 share, followed by NBC at 1.1/4, Fox at 0.9/3, Univision at 0.7/3, CW at 0.6/2, Telemundo at 0.5/2, ION and UniMás at 0.3/1, Estrella TV, Me-TV, Azteca and Bounce TV at 0.1/0, and MundoMax, Grit and COZI TV at 0.0/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “Empire” 3.7; 2. CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” 3.4; Tie-3. CBS’s “NCIS” and “Survivor,” NBC’s “The Voice-Monday,” ABC’s “Modern Family” and “Grey’s Anatomy” 2.1.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. CBS’s “NCIS” 16.04 million; 2. CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” 14.73 million; 3. CBS’s “NCIS: New Orleans” 13.24 million; 4. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” 11.33 million; 5. CBS’s “60 Minutes” 10.89 million.
Show on the rise: ABC’s “Scandal,” Thursday, 9 p.m. The drama posted a 1.8 rating among 18-49s, up 20 percent from the previous week’s 1.5.
Show on the decline: Fox’s “Houdini & Doyle,” Monday, 9 p.m. The new drama slipped to a 0.6 rating among 18-49s, down 14 percent from a 0.7 the previous week.
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
|
|||||||||
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
||||||
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
|
CBS
|
4.8
|
5640
|
9
|
2.6
|
7630
|
8
|
1.2
|
1550
|
4
|
|
NBC
|
3.5
|
4030
|
6
|
1.8
|
5370
|
5
|
1.1
|
1390
|
4
|
|
ABC
|
3.4
|
3910
|
6
|
1.7
|
5100
|
5
|
1.2
|
1480
|
4
|
|
FOX
|
1.7
|
2030
|
3
|
0.9
|
2780
|
3
|
0.9
|
1190
|
3
|
|
UNI
|
1.0
|
1190
|
2
|
0.6
|
1840
|
2
|
0.7
|
900
|
3
|
|
CW
|
1.0
|
1140
|
2
|
0.5
|
1540
|
2
|
0.6
|
700
|
2
|
|
ION
|
0.9
|
990
|
2
|
0.4
|
1240
|
1
|
0.3
|
410
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.8
|
880
|
1
|
0.5
|
1350
|
1
|
0.5
|
650
|
2
|
|
METV
|
0.4
|
480
|
1
|
0.2
|
620
|
1
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
UMA
|
0.3
|
380
|
1
|
0.2
|
660
|
1
|
0.3
|
340
|
1
|
|
BOUNCE
|
0.2
|
180
|
0
|
0.1
|
230
|
0
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
ETV
|
0.1
|
150
|
0
|
0.1
|
230
|
0
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
110
|
0
|
0.1
|
170
|
0
|
0.1
|
90
|
0
|
|
COZ
|
0.1
|
130
|
0
|
0.1
|
150
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
|
MMX
|
0.1
|
70
|
0
|
0.0
|
90
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
|
*Each rating point is equivalent to 1 percent or 1.164 million homes
Note: Viewing estimates include same day (3 a.m.-3 a.m.) DVR playback.
Source: Nielsen
|
|||||||||
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
|
|||||||||
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
||||||
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
|
CBS
|
6.7
|
7860
|
12
|
3.7
|
10970
|
10
|
2.3
|
2900
|
8
|
|
NBC
|
5.1
|
5920
|
9
|
2.7
|
8150
|
8
|
2.1
|
2710
|
7
|
|
ABC
|
4.4
|
5060
|
8
|
2.3
|
6800
|
6
|
1.8
|
2330
|
6
|
|
FOX
|
3.5
|
4120
|
6
|
2.0
|
5820
|
5
|
1.9
|
2420
|
6
|
|
CW
|
1.3
|
1470
|
2
|
0.7
|
1970
|
2
|
0.8
|
970
|
3
|
|
UNI
|
1.1
|
1330
|
2
|
0.7
|
2060
|
2
|
0.8
|
970
|
3
|
|
ION
|
0.9
|
990
|
1
|
0.4
|
1260
|
1
|
0.3
|
400
|
1
|
|
TEL
|
0.8
|
930
|
1
|
0.5
|
1430
|
1
|
0.6
|
700
|
2
|
|
METV
|
0.4
|
480
|
1
|
0.2
|
610
|
1
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
UMA
|
0.4
|
410
|
1
|
0.2
|
690
|
1
|
0.3
|
360
|
1
|
|
BOUNCE
|
0.2
|
210
|
0
|
0.1
|
310
|
0
|
0.1
|
130
|
0
|
|
ETV
|
0.1
|
150
|
0
|
0.1
|
230
|
0
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
|
COZ
|
0.1
|
130
|
0
|
0.1
|
160
|
0
|
0.0
|
30
|
0
|
|
MMX
|
0.1
|
100
|
0
|
0.0
|
140
|
0
|
0.0
|
40
|
0
|
|
AZA
|
0.1
|
80
|
0
|
0.0
|
120
|
0
|
0.0
|
60
|
0
|
|
*Each rating point is equivalent to one percent or 1.164 million homes
Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average and Live+7 data, except for the most recent two weeks which are based Live+SD viewing.
|
|||||||||
TOP 25 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST
|
||||||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
||||
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|||
|
1
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
10.1
|
18
|
11,713
|
1
|
5.4
|
16,040
|
|
2
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
9.1
|
17
|
10,575
|
2
|
5.0
|
14,726
|
|
3
|
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
|
CBS
|
8.3
|
14
|
9,659
|
3
|
4.5
|
13,245
|
|
4
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
7.4
|
12
|
8,645
|
4
|
3.8
|
11,325
|
|
5
|
60 MINUTES
|
CBS
|
7.0
|
13
|
8,095
|
5
|
3.7
|
10,891
|
|
6
|
VOICE
|
NBC
|
6.1
|
10
|
7,048
|
6
|
3.3
|
9,820
|
|
7
|
60 MINUTES PRESENTS
|
CBS
|
6.0
|
10
|
6,973
|
8
|
3.2
|
9,461
|
|
7
|
EMPIRE
|
FOX
|
6.0
|
10
|
7,027
|
6
|
3.3
|
9,814
|
|
9
|
VOICE-TUE
|
NBC
|
5.7
|
10
|
6,666
|
10
|
3.1
|
9,054
|
|
10
|
HAWAII FIVE-0 - SPECIAL
|
CBS
|
5.6
|
11
|
6,498
|
11
|
3.0
|
8,815
|
|
10
|
SURVIVOR
|
CBS
|
5.6
|
10
|
6,575
|
8
|
3.2
|
9,512
|
|
12
|
HAWAII FIVE-0
|
CBS
|
5.4
|
10
|
6,256
|
12
|
2.9
|
8,487
|
|
13
|
GREY’S ANATOMY
|
ABC
|
5.3
|
10
|
6,166
|
18
|
2.6
|
7,765
|
|
13
|
MOM
|
CBS
|
5.3
|
9
|
6,152
|
13
|
2.8
|
8,286
|
|
15
|
CHICAGO FIRE
|
NBC
|
5.2
|
10
|
6,076
|
15
|
2.7
|
7,975
|
|
15
|
CHICAGO MED
|
NBC
|
5.2
|
9
|
6,082
|
15
|
2.7
|
8,005
|
|
15
|
ODD COUPLE, THE
|
CBS
|
5.2
|
9
|
6,022
|
13
|
2.8
|
8,309
|
|
18
|
MIKE & MOLLY-SPECIAL
|
CBS
|
5.1
|
8
|
5,885
|
15
|
2.7
|
8,058
|
|
19
|
MIKE & MOLLY
|
CBS
|
4.9
|
8
|
5,698
|
18
|
2.6
|
7,732
|
|
20
|
PERSON OF INTEREST
|
CBS
|
4.8
|
9
|
5,626
|
20
|
2.5
|
7,345
|
|
21
|
BIG BANG THEORY,THE-9P:SP
|
CBS
|
4.7
|
8
|
5,503
|
20
|
2.5
|
7,443
|
|
22
|
SCANDAL
|
ABC
|
4.6
|
8
|
5,392
|
27
|
2.2
|
6,646
|
|
23
|
CASTLE
|
ABC
|
4.5
|
8
|
5,274
|
24
|
2.3
|
6,738
|
|
23
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
4.5
|
8
|
5,260
|
22
|
2.4
|
7,161
|
|
25
|
2 BROKE GIRLS
|
CBS
|
4.4
|
8
|
5,147
|
22
|
2.4
|
6,991
|
|
25
|
CHICAGO PD
|
NBC
|
4.4
|
8
|
5,082
|
24
|
2.3
|
6,751
|
|
Source: Nielsen |
||||||||
TOP 25 PROGRAMS - BROADCAST
|
||||
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
EMPIRE
|
FOX
|
3.7
|
4,693
|
|
2
|
BIG BANG THEORY, THE
|
CBS
|
3.4
|
4,294
|
|
3
|
VOICE
|
NBC
|
2.1
|
2,725
|
|
3
|
MODERN FAMILY
|
ABC
|
2.1
|
2,722
|
|
3
|
SURVIVOR
|
CBS
|
2.1
|
2,700
|
|
3
|
GREY’S ANATOMY
|
ABC
|
2.1
|
2,666
|
|
3
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
2.1
|
2,638
|
|
8
|
GOLDBERGS, THE
|
ABC
|
1.9
|
2,358
|
|
9
|
VOICE-TUE
|
NBC
|
1.8
|
2,274
|
|
9
|
SCANDAL
|
ABC
|
1.8
|
2,234
|
|
9
|
MOM
|
CBS
|
1.8
|
2,232
|
|
12
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
1.7
|
2,194
|
|
12
|
2 BROKE GIRLS
|
CBS
|
1.7
|
2,177
|
|
12
|
MIKE & MOLLY-SPECIAL
|
CBS
|
1.7
|
2,146
|
|
12
|
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
|
CBS
|
1.7
|
2,133
|
|
16
|
CHICAGO MED
|
NBC
|
1.6
|
2,074
|
|
16
|
MIDDLE, THE
|
ABC
|
1.6
|
2,064
|
|
16
|
ODD COUPLE, THE
|
CBS
|
1.6
|
2,046
|
|
16
|
CHICAGO FIRE
|
NBC
|
1.6
|
2,007
|
|
16
|
MIKE & MOLLY
|
CBS
|
1.6
|
1,992
|
|
21
|
BIG BANG THEORY,THE-9P:SP
|
CBS
|
1.5
|
1,964
|
|
21
|
BLACK-ISH
|
ABC
|
1.5
|
1,912
|
|
23
|
CHICAGO PD
|
NBC
|
1.4
|
1,826
|
|
23
|
LAW AND ORDER:SVU
|
NBC
|
1.4
|
1,770
|
|
25
|
BLINDSPOT
|
NBC
|
1.3
|
1,702
|
|
25
|
FLASH
|
CW
|
1.3
|
1,666
|
|
25
|
ODD COUPLE, THE - MONDAY
|
CBS
|
1.3
|
1,663
|
|
25
|
BLACKLIST
|
NBC
|
1.3
|
1,654
|
|
25
|
SUPER CLASICO 5/15
|
UNI
|
1.3
|
1,641
|
|
25
|
FAMILY GUY
|
FOX
|
1.3
|
1,617
|
|
Source: Nielsen |
||||
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
|
||||
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1
|
EMPIRE
|
FOX
|
29.9
|
6369
|
|
2
|
SCANDAL
|
ABC
|
10.8
|
2041
|
|
3
|
ROSEWOOD
|
FOX
|
10.7
|
2157
|
|
4
|
NBA PLAYOFFS ON ABC-SA2
|
ABC
|
9.5
|
1955
|
|
5
|
DANCING WITH THE STARS
|
ABC
|
7.2
|
1448
|
|
6
|
GREY’S ANATOMY
|
ABC
|
6.6
|
1238
|
|
7
|
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS
|
CBS
|
6.5
|
1195
|
|
8
|
NCIS
|
CBS
|
6.3
|
1190
|
|
9
|
CATCH, THE
|
ABC
|
6.3
|
1137
|
|
10
|
BLUE BLOODS
|
CBS
|
5.6
|
1027
|
|
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes. |
||||
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