• Mediaweek, Friday, December 15, 2006 10:30 AM

For the fifth straight year, ad-supported cable looks to top the broadcast nets in prime time, grabbing a 55.4% household share year-to-date, way ahead of the six broadcast nets' 40.4%, according to Nielsen Media Research data crunched by Turner chief research officer Jack Wakshlag.

But if cable's dominance of prime time continued in 2006, growth appears to be easing. If the 69 measured cable channels reach a projected 55.5 share by the end of this year, that represents growth of just one-tenth of 1% over 2005.

But if cable's surge over the last five years--up 15.8% in the 18-49 demo as opposed to a drop of 16% for the nets--is easing back, that may be because prime time has reached saturation. Viewership in the daypart hasn't changed and is holding at an average of 7.5 hours per week per person.

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