NEW YORK: ABC pulled up in prime time during the week ending Aug. 2, compared to last year. The network posted a 2 percent increase among all households watching the network for the 29th week of the year. All the rest of the big four were down for the week, according to Wachovia’s weekly “Who’s Watching” report. (Wachovia is now owned by Wells Fargo but as yet branded “Wachovia.”
Wachovia’s ad market update: “As the upfront wraps up over the next few days, the picture has become increasingly clear: Cable nets will sell approximately 45-50 percent of inventory versus 55 to 60 percent last year. TV nets will sell approximately 70 percent versus 80-plus percent last year. If the scatter market doesn’t firm significantly over the next few months, the media stocks in general will likely see equity values come under pressure, and broadly, CPMs may come in modestly below expectations.”
“Who’s Watching” tracks the weekly and season-to-date, year-to-year change in average household viewing data for broadcast (live plus same day) and audience data for cable nets (live plus same day); STD is prime time unless otherwise noted, e.g. Food and HDTV
-- Disney (ABC): Prime-time average household rating was +2 percent for total HHs and -8 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was -7 and -8 percent, respectively.
-- CBS (CBS): PT avg. HH rating was -3 percent for total HHs and -6 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was +7 and +2 percent, respectively.
-- News Corp (Fox): PT avg. HH rating was -11 percent for total HHs and +2 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was -15 and -18 percent, respectively.
-- GE (NBC): PT avg. HH rating was -11 percent for total HHs and -25 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was -9 and -6 percent, respectively.
-- Viacom:
BET PT avg. audience was -24 percent for P2+ and -25 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +21 percent for P2+ and +24 percent for P25-54.
Comedy Central PT avg. audience was -9 percent for P2+ and -3 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -1 and -2 percent, respectively.
MTV PT avg. audience was +1 percent for P2+ and +10 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -21 and -12 percent, respectively.
VH1 PT avg. audience was +10 percent for P2+ and -5 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -3 and -2 percent, respectively.
Nickelodeon PT avg. audience was -1 percent for P2+ and -2 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was +8 percent for both.
-- Discovery:
Discovery Channel PT avg. audience was -52 percent for P2+ and +2 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +3 percent for P2+ and +5 percent for P25-54.
TLC PT avg. audience was +29 percent for P2+ and +24 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +14 and +7 percent, respectively.
Animal Planet PT avg. audience was -1 percent for P2+ and +13 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +6 and +16 percent, respectively.
-- Scripps:
HGTV PT avg. audience was -2 percent for P2+ and -2 percent for P25-54. STD PT avg. audience was +1 percent and -2 percent, respectively. STD total day avg. audience was -2 percent for both.
Food Network PT avg. audience was +56 percent for P2+ and +47 percent for P25-54. STD PT avg. audience was +17 percent for P2+ and +15 percent for P25-54. STD total day avg. audience was +10 percent for P2+ and +8 percent for P25-54.
-- Disney:
ESPN PT avg. audience was +1 percent for P2+ and -8 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was flat for P2+ and -1 percent for P25-54.
Disney Channel PT avg. audience was +14 percent for P2+ and +15 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was -3 percent for P2+ and P2-11.
-- News Corp.:
Fox News Channel PT avg. audience was 27 percent for P2+ and +43 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +44 and +52 percent respectively.
F/X PT avg. audience was -3 percent for P2+ and +3 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +4 percent for P2+ and +6 percent for P25-54.
National Geographic PT avg. audience was +6 percent for P2+ and +1 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +11 and +9 percent, respectively.
