NEW YORK: CBS prime time registered the most ratings growth among the broadcast networks for two periods compared by Wachovia analysts. In a note issued this week, the firm tallied numbers for the week ending April 19 and for prime-time TV season to date, both compared to the same period a year earlier. The Wachovia team also had this to say about the ad market:
“We think post-Easter, inventory has opened up, pressuring scatter. Scatter rates remain weak in early 2Q, trending slightly below upfront rates for cable and broadcast, compared to flat to up slightly a few weeks ago. Pricing trends have been in line with our estimates.”
Wachovia’s report tracked weekly (ending 04/19/09) and season-to-date (STD) year-over-year change in the average household viewing data for broadcast and ccable nets. Season-to-date is prime time unless otherwise noted, e.g., Food & HGTV:
-- Disney: (ABC). Prime-time (PT) avg. household (HH) rating was -8 percent for total HHs and -3 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was -6 percent for both.
-- CBS: (CBS). PT avg. HH rating was +13 percent for total HHs and +4 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was +9 percent and +5 percent, respectively.
-- News Corp.: (Fox). PT avg. HH rating was +4 percent for total HHs and +4 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 -8 percent for P18-49. STD avg. audience was -9 percent and -4 percent, respectively.
-- Viacom: BET PT avg. audience was +30 percent for P2+ and +42 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +10 percent for P2+ and +11 percent for P25-54. Comedy Central PT avg. audience was +6 percent for P2+ and +17 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +3 percent and -1 percent, respectively. MTV PT avg. audience was -13 percent for P2+ and +1 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -24 percent and -16 percent, respectively. Nickelodeon PT avg. audience was +25 percent for P2+ and +30 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was +7 percent for both. VH1 PT avg. audience was -12 percent for P2+ and -11 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was -9 percent and -6 percent, respectively.
-- Discovery:Discovery Channel PT avg. audience was +7 percent for P2+ and -2 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +6 percent and +7 percent, respectively. The Learning Channel PT avg. audience was +8 percent for P2+ and +4 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 +29 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +7 percent and +11 percent, respectively.
-- Scripps:HGTV PT avg. audience was -4 percent for P2+ and -6 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 +28 percent for P2+ and +36 percent for P25-54. STD PT avg. audience was +14 percent for both demos. STD total day avg. audience is +7 percent for P2+ and +6 percent for P25-54.
-- Disney:ESPN PT avg. audience was -27 percent for P2+ and -22 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +1 percent for both demos. Disney Channel PT avg. audience was +17 percent for P2+ and +16 percent for P2-11. STD avg. audience was -10 percent for both.
-- News Corp.: Fox News Channel, PT avg. audience was +50 percent for P2+ and +72 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +51 percent and +55 percent respectively. F/X PT avg. audience was +3 percent for P2+ and +2 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +1 percent for both P2+ and for P25-54. Nat'l Geographic PT avg. audience was +20 percent for P2+ and +2 percent for P25-54. STD avg. audience was +12 percent and +9 percent, respectively.
