Ratings Declines Define Nov. Sweeps

Only CW, MyNet Avoid Erosion in Target Demos

By Andrew Krukowski

This year’s November sweeps ratings period, buffeted by economic upheaval and declining statistical relevance to networks, saw ABC and CBS on top in adults 18-49 and total viewers, respectively.

Only smaller networks The CW and MyNetworkTV avoided audience erosion in their target demographics.

At press time Wednesday, ABC was projected to claim its fourth straight win in the November sweeps among adults 18-49, with an average 3.1 rating/8 share. Two days of ratings remain to fill out the sweeps numbers.

CBS is set to claim an eighth straight November win in total viewers, pulling in an average 12.1 million viewers throughout November.

Both ABC and CBS declined year-to-year. At day 26 of sweeps, CBS is down 3% in total viewers versus 2007’s November sweeps, while ABC dropped 11% from this time last year. NBC ranked third and Fox took fourth among viewers 18-49.

Sweeps ratings, held four times a year, help local stations set advertising rates. That traditionally has led broadcast networks to rely on programming stunts to boost viewership during those periods, such as airing “Seinfeld’s” backwards episode.

The standard sweeps hullabaloo, such as stunt casting, theme weeks and specials, was rare this go-round, with press releases announcing sweeps material seeming to be more of an afterthought than anything else.

The movement away from big stunts is explained in part by changes in how Nielsen is measuring and delivering ratings data.

“Sweeps are still important to the smaller markets who get [viewer] diaries four times a year,” said Shari Anne Brill, senior vice president and director of programming at media buyer Carat.

Larger markets that use electronic people meters give local broadcasters immediate data on viewership, meaning stations in those markets don’t need to wait until sweeps to get an idea of how the market is doing.

Stunts

NBC’s “30 Rock” was one the few shows to roll out big-name stunt casting this sweep, bringing in Steve Martin, Jennifer Aniston, much of the cast of “Night Court” and Oprah Winfrey for episodes in November.

Ms. Winfrey’s episode propelled the series to its second-highest rating ever, but it’s hard to determine whether it was Oprah or star Tina Fey’s exposure as Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live” that caused a surge in viewers.

Even the few specials didn’t move the needle much, as Fox’s heavily promoted “24: Redemption” just barely beat the show’s last original episode, aired in May 2007, in adults 18-49.

Ms. Brill said she also believes economics affected networks’ plans for sweeps stunts, as the rocky economy may have forced them to tighten belts on the creative side. Media stocks have been rocked of late.

NBC’s flagship “Heroes” has been beleaguered as well, declining 29% versus last November’s sweeps. ABC’s Wednesday night continues to thud, hitting series lows during the month. Fox’s “House,” while still high-rated, is down significantly from last year, partly due to its move from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“The only ray of sunshine is The CW,” Ms. Brill said.

Winners

The CW, while down 9% from last November in adults 18-49 with a 1.0/2, is running flat in adults 18-34 with a 1.2/4. The network is up 21% in women 18-34, the network’s target demographic, with a 1.7/5.

“Gossip Girl” has led the way, as the show’s combination with “One Tree Hill” on Mondays has lifted the night 177% in the demo.

The CW’s relatively strong performance also factors in a clunker of a Sunday night with Media Rights Capital’s low-rated (and since-canceled) programming, and the loss of “WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown” to MyNetworkTV.

MyNetworkTV also is celebrating year-to-year gains.

“Smackdown” has lifted MyNet to record ratings, as the fledgling network boosted its average adults 18-49 rating by 50% versus last November, from a 0.4 to a 0.6.

Spanish-language network Univision also is boasting slight gains, growing 2% in total viewers to 3.9 million from last November.