• by July 19, 2000

The broadcast network affiliates continued their total day viewership slide in Week #43, making it the seventh consecutive week their total day audience has been surpassed by ad-supported cable.

According to Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, the four broadcast network affiliates' (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX) gross U.S. total day household delivery for Week #43 (July 10-16, 2000) fell to 12.3 million (- 3.1% versus last year and 1.5 million less than cable's delivery for the same period). Their rating dropped to 12.2 (-4.7% and 1.5 points shy of cable's Week #43 rating); and share dropped below the 40 mark to 39.8 (-6.4% and 4.9 share points less than cable).

Individually, affiliates of all four broadcast networks experienced losses: ABC's share fell to 10.9 (-8.4% vs. a year ago); CBS' share dropped to 10.6 (-4.5%); NBC's share declined to 11.2 (-3.4%); and FOX's share slid to 7.1 (-9.0%).

On the other hand, ad-supported cable recorded its highest-ever total day viewership levels for Week #43. Its total day average U.S. household delivery for the seven-day period grew to 13.8 million (+ 5.7% versus last year); rating rose to 13.7 (+4.6%); and share to 44.7 (+2.3%).