• by September 20, 2000

By Anya Khait

Ad-supported cable appears to be flourishing in the face of emerging new TV delivery technologies, according to a Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of the Nielsen Media Research Collaborative Digital Distribution Analysis of June 2000.

CAB reports primetime viewing to ad-supported cable has accelerated in digital-wired, direct broadcast satellite and alternative delivery system (ADS) households compared to all of the nation's TV homes. Ad-supported cable's average primetime 24 rating/44 share in total U.S. households climbed to a 27 rating/48 share in ADS homes, 29 rating/51 share in DBS homes and 32 rating/50 share in digital-wired cable homes. CAB reports that the opposite is true for primetime viewing to broadcast network affiliates, independents and PBS. Versus an average total U.S. primetime 34 rating/61 share, viewing to broadcast TV slipped to a 21 rating/38 share in DBS households, 24 rating/42 share in ADS households and 29 rating/47 share in digital-wired cable homes. The CAB also reports that the just completed 1999/2000 TV season was a year of continued overall viewership growth for ad-supported cable TV. According to CAB analysis of Nielsen data for the 52-week period from 9/20/99-9/17/00, ad-supported cable's average primetime U.S. household delivery climbed by more than 1.1 million homes (+4.9%) versus the same period a year ago, and rating and share each rose by almost a point (+3% and +2% respectively). On a total day basis for the full season, CAB reports that ad-supported cable gained almost one million households (+7.9%), approximately one rating point (6.4%) and almost two share points (+4.7%). Ad-supported cable's primetime and total day viewership levels are new highs for the medium for a full season. In contrast, according to the CAB, share of viewing to ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX declined in both primetime (-0.8%) and total day (-3.1%) compared to the previous full season. Individually, only ABC posted audience increases for the total 52 weeks, with CBS, NBC and FOX recording losses in delivery, rating and share.

- MediaPost Staff Reporter Anya Khait may be reached at anya@mediapost.com