NEW YORK: Each of the Big Four broadcast networks dropped in prime time during the last full week in April compared to last year. Season-to-date, CBS was the only one with a bigger audience. ABC, NBC and Fox were all down, according to Wachovia’s weekly ratings analysis. The biggest proportional gainers were cable nets BET and VH1 for the week ending April 26, and Fox News Network is tracking the largest season-to-date growth.
Wachovia’s ad market update said Time Warner’s 1Q cable ad revenue dip of 2 percent is on par with overall industry expectations.
“Still, scatter rates are generally flat with upfront, cancellations remain high, and 2Q ad revs are off mid-singles--all still suggesting a challenging upfront,” Wachovia’s analysts wrote.
Wachovia’s report tracked weekly (ending April 26) and season-to-date (STD) year-over-year percentage change in average household viewing data (live plus same day) for broadcast and cable nets. STD is prime time unless otherwise noted, e.g., Food and HGTV
-- Disney (ABC): Prime-time average household rating was -11 percent for total HHs and -15 percent for people 18-to-49.
Season-to-date average audience was -6 percent for both.
-- CBS (CBS): PT avg. HH rating was -1 percent for total HHs and -11 percent for P18-49.
STD avg. audience was +8 percent and +4 percent, respectively.
-- News Corp (FOX): PT avg. HH rating was -6 percent for total HHs and -10 percent for P18-49.
STD avg. audience was -16 percent and -19 percent, respectively.
-- GE (NBC): PT avg. HH rating was -15 percent for total HHs and -1 percent for P18-49.
STD avg. audience was -10 percent and -5 percent, respectively.
-- Viacom:
BET PT avg. audience was +41 percent for P2+ and +52 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +10 percent for P2+ and +11 percent for P25-54.
Comedy Central PT avg. audience was -16 percent for both P2+ and P25-54. STD avg. audience was +3 percent and -1 percent, respectively.
MTV PT avg. audience was -19 percent for P2+ and -6 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -24 percent and -16 percent, respectively.
VH1 PT avg. audience was +35 percent for P2+ and +27 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -8 percent and -5 percent, respectively.
Nickelodeon PT avg. audience was +9 percent for P2+ and +10 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was +7 percent for both.
-- Discovery:
Discovery Channel PT avg. audience was flat for P2+ and -1 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +6 percent and +8 percent, respectively.
The Learning Channel PT avg. audience was +3 percent for P2+ and +2 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +5 percent and -3 percent, respectively.
Animal Planet PT avg. audience was +6 percent for P2+ and +35 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +7 percent and +11 percent, respectively.
-- Scripps:
HGTV PT avg. audience was -3 percent for P2+ and -12 percent for P25-54. STD PT avg. audience was +1 percent and -1 percent, respectively. STD total day avg. audience was -4 percent for P2+ and -1 percent for P25-54.
Food Network PT avg. audience was +17 percent for P2+ and +13 percent for P25-54. STD PT avg. audience was +15 percent for P2+ and +14 percent for P25-54. STD total day avg. audience is +7 percent for P2+ and +6 percent for P25-54.
-- Disney:
ESPN PT avg. audience was +13 percent for P2+ and 11 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was flat for both demos.
Disney Channel PT avg. audience was +16 percent for P2+ and +17 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was -10 percent for both.
-- News Corp.:
Fox News Channel PT avg. audience was +29 percent for P2+ and +45 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +50 percent and +54 percent respectively.
F/X PT avg. audience was -3 percent for P2+ and -4 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was flat for P2+ and +1 percent P25-54.
Nat’l Geographic PT avg. audience was +25 percent for P2+ and +17 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +13 percent and +10 percent, respectively.
