Three weeks into the season, CBS holds the top spot in the viewer categories that matter most to advertisers. But the race is getting closer.
CBS has averaged a Nielsen 3.4 live
program-plus-same day rating/ 9 share among 18-49 viewers for the first three weeks of the season. Fox is in a close second place with a 3.1/9. NBC and ABC follow, each with a 2.6/7.
CBS made major inroads from ratings that were better than a year ago from "Two and a Half Men," which rocketed the first episode to over a 10 rating among 18-49 viewers. In the most recent week it
has settled down to a still-stellar 5.8 rating/13 share. (A week ago, "Men" was at a 6.2 rating)
But it is CBS's other comedies that have benefited, including newcomer "2 Broke Girls," which
scored a strong 4.2 rating/10 share in its most recent outing.
Fox has done well in adding strong ratings points from new shows "X-Factor" as well as "New Girl". In the most recent week, Oct.
3 to Oct. 9, "New Girl" had a 4.3 rating/11 share among 18-49 viewers. "X-Factor" on Wednesday scored a 4.1/11 and on Thursday it earned a 4.0/11.
Still, ratings are getting closer among the
top and bottom network in the third week. For October 3 through October 9, CBS averaged a 2.9 rating among 18-49 viewers; Fox was at a 2.6; NBC, a 2.5; ABC, a 2.2 and CW, a 0.7.
Although it still
faces massive problems in many prime-time periods, NBC maintains some strong numbers -- all thanks to the NFL. Its "Sunday Night Football" continues to deliver strong results. On October 9, its NFL
game earned a big 8.9 rating/22 share. "The Office" followed as its highest-rated non-sports prime-time show -- well down the list of top shows, but posting a 3.2 rating/8 share.
ABC's best still comes from "Modern Family" -- with a 5.7/15 on October 5, the third-best-rated show after NBC's "Sunday Night Football" and CBS' "Two and a Half Men." ABC's usually strong reality
effort, "Dancing with the Stars," is now only a mere performer this year, posting a 3.1/7 on October 3.
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CW also struggles -- especially with new shows "Ringer" and "Hart of Dixie." Its best results still come from "Vampire Diaries," now at a 1.2 rating/4 share among 18-49 viewers on
October 6.