• by Wayne Friedman , June 10, 2011

You want to target women on your broadcast network? Try ABC -- lots of it.

The network continues to be a dominant place for women viewers, according to analysis done by Brad Adgate, senior vice president and corporate research director for independent media buyer Horizion Media. ABC pulls in an average 65.1% of its viewers as women for its prime-time programming.

Some of its biggest women-dominated prime-time shows of this past season include "Private Practice" at 76%; "Grey's Anatomy" at 73%; "Dancing with the Stars" at 71%; "Dancing with the Stars: Results Show" at 69%; "Body of Proof" at 67%; and "20/20" at 66%.

Other networks are much more male-oriented by comparison: CBS, 58.4%; Fox 56.5%; NBC, 54.5%; and CW, 59.5%. "I was amazed how many women ABC gets versus other networks," says Adgate.

Analysts say ABC serial dramas and soaps like "Desperate Housewives" (69%) are one reason for the high concentration of female viewers. By contrast, CBS has more crime procedural shows that draw more men. Young-skewing comedies also attract more male viewers for NBC. Sunday animated comedies grab young men for Fox.

While ABC is tops among broadcasters, a number of cable-specific networks continue to lure women: Lifetime has 74% women viewers; WE, 75%; Oxygen, 70%; Food Network, 64%; Bravo, 72%; OWN, 73%; E!, 70%; and VH1, 61%.

The biggest concentration of women for any network -- broadcast or cable -- is outgoing Disney-ABC cable network SoapNet, at 83%.

On the flip side, those networks with the fewest percentage of women include the Golf Channel, 24%; NFL Network, 28%; and Versus, 30%.