Logo

Which Network Will End the Season at No. 1?

Apr 8, 2014  •  Post A Comment

One of the broadcast networks is on track to end the 2013-14 season as the top network in prime time in the key demo of viewers 18-49 — at least according to the boss of that network.

Bloomberg reports that NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke said he expects NBC to wind up as No. 1.

“In less than three years, we’ve gone from fourth to first,” Burke said at a press event. “No one has ever been in fourth place for that long, and some believed we would never be able to come back from that sort of deficit.”

Burke became the chief of NBCUniversal in 2011, after Comcast purchased the broadcast network, its cable channels and the Universal film studio.

The story reports: “Burke expects NBC to beat Fox by about 12 percent among 18- to 49-year-olds this season. Last year, NBC had about 24 percent of those viewers among the four major broadcast networks, compared with Fox’s 29 percent and CBS’s 25 percent. So far this season, NBC has captured 30 percent of broadcast TV viewers in the demographic.”

The network is also bolstering its summer programming lineup, tapping six new scripted series and three reality shows. Other broadcasters are also rolling out new programming in the summer, a season that was traditionally populated by reruns.

“We’re all competing straight through the summer now,” Burke said. “To us this notion of talking about a broadcast season doesn’t make sense. We’re all moving to a 52-week season.”

Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for Thumbnail image for steve-burke.jpgSteve Burke

Your Comment

Email (will not be published)