'Survivor' Gives CBS Ratings Win
- by May 9, 2001
According to estimates from Nielsen Media Research, CBS and NBC tied in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic (4.6 rating, 13 share), with CBS also winning very easily in total viewers (14.4 million) and very narrowly in adults 25-54 (5.5/15).
It's the network's fifth consecutive weekly victory in total viewers, its eighth victory of the season in adults 25-54 and its best showing by both these measures since Grammy week in February.
CBS would have won the week outright in adults 18-49 if not for some weak finishes on several nights.
The network also has pulled to within 29,000 viewers behind season-to-date leader ABC in the battle to be called the most-watched network.
The two-hour conclusion of "Survivor: The Australian Outback" (36.35 million viewers, 15.9/39 in adults 18-49) and the reunion show that followed (28.01 million, 13.2/31) were easily the week's top two programs. The former, while down about 30% from the first "Survivor's" finale last August, topped the other five networks combined from 8-10 p.m. on Thursday by virtually every measure; the latter then became the first program to ever top NBC's "ER" in either total viewers and/or adults 18-49.
Still, NBC Thursday biggies "ER," "Friends" and "Will & Grace" ranked third, fourth and sixth for the week in adults 18-49 -- limiting the network's year-to-year losses on the night to 19%.
NBC showed nice year-to-year gains on Monday (thanks to "Weakest Link") and Wednesday (with its strong dramas). It also prevailed for the week in women 18-34 and men 25-54 and remains the May sweep leader in adults 18-49.
Fox also had another solid week, showing year-to-year gains in adults 18-49 on six nights and logging what are becoming routine victories in both adults 18-34 and teens. It joined CBS and the WB as the only networks to improve in target demos vs. the same week a year ago.
And then there was ABC, which was up week-to-week but remained third in total viewers and fourth in adults 18-49 for a third straight week, showing huge losses vs. the same frame last season, which marked the beginning of the first celebrity edition of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."
If there was a bright spot for ABC it was that, boosted by the first of this sweep's celebrity "Millionaires" and six hours of theatrical hit "Armageddon," the network logged its second best adults 18-34 rating in nine weeks.
Through Monday of this week (12 nights), NBC leads the May sweep in adults 18-49 with a 4.7 rating/14 share (down 8% in rating from a year ago), followed by CBS, 4.4/13 (up 38%); Fox, 4.2/12 (up 8%); UPN, 1.6/5 (down 6%); and the WB, 1.5/4 (up 7%). Each adults 18-49 rating point represents 1.24 million viewers, 1% of the U.S. total.
In total viewers, CBS is cruising with an average of 13.9 million (up 21%), followed by NBC, 11.5 million (down 3%); ABC, 10.3 million (down 35%); Fox, 8.7 million (up 8%); UPN, 3.8 million (down 7%); and the WB, 3.4 million (up 4%).
MONDAY
The best numbers in six weeks for "Boston Public" (11.25 million, 5.2/15 in adults 18-49) helped Fox win May 7 in adults 18-49 (by 2 shares over CBS) as well as adults 18-34 and teens. The news wasn't as good at 9 p.m., though, as "Ally McBeal" placed a solid second but dropped to its second lowest firstrun scores of the season (11.82 million, 6.0/15 in adults 18-49).
CBS prevailed in total viewers (13.34 million) and tied with Fox for first in adults 25-54 (5.9/15), with "Everybody Loves Raymond" (18.34 million, 7.1/18 in adults 18-49) rebounding from a soft week to rank as the night's top show.
NBC's "Weakest Link" (11.78 million, 5.1/15 in adults 18-49) improved week-to-week, winning its hour in 25-54 (5.5/15) and placing second in adults 18-49. That helped boost the second night of miniseries "Steve Martini's The Judge" (10.84 million, 3.1/8), which began poorly on Sunday.
The WB's "Roswell," battling for its renewal life, logged season bests in persons 12-34 (3.1/9) and adults 18-34 (2.5/7).
SUNDAY
Fox won in adults 18-49, 18-34 and teens as each of its programs posted year-to-year growth. "The X-Files" topped the first night of celeb "Millionaire" in adults 18-49 (6.8/15 vs. 6.3/14), although the quizzer was the night's most-watched show (19.67 million).
Fox's "Malcolm in the Middle" and "The Simpsons" were the week's top shows in male teens -- the only category "Survivor's" finale didn't win.
ABC's "The Practice" was the night's No. 1 program in adults 18-49 (7.0/18) and also logged its second best 18-34 rating of the season (5.7/17).
Movies played a key part for the other major networks, with NBC's opening night of "Steve Martini's The Judge" struggling (9.81 million, 2.7/6 in adults 18-49) and the sixth airing of "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" settling for ABC's weakest Sunday delivery with a theatrical (except opposite the Super Bowl) since last September (8.09 million, 3.0/9 in adults 18-49). CBS, which won the night in total viewers, fared better with "Hallmark Hall of Fame" pic "Follow the Stars Home," which posted the network's best made-for-TV movie scores (13.44 million, 4.0/10) since December.
CBS' "Touched by an Angel" nabbed its best marks (14.36 million, 3.7/10 in adults 18-49) since February. It also drew more viewers than lead-in "60 Minutes" for the first time since November and built on the newsmagazine by a season-best 37% in 18-49 (3.7 vs. 2.7).
SATURDAY
ABC won the night in adults 18-49 for just the second time since January, as a quickie repeat of "Armageddon" captured the night by that measure (3.6/12) as well as adults 18-34 (4.2/13) and 25-54 (4.0/12).
Fox fell to its second lowest 18-49 rating on the night since December (a second-place 3.1/11) as "America's Most Wanted" hit a season low (3.1/10).
NBC fared decently with an NBA overrun (2.4/10 in adults 18-49) and a repeat of "Happy Gilmore" (3.3/10), sending CBS to a fourth-place 18-49 finish (2.4/8) even though the network drew the most viewers overall (10.4 million).
FRIDAY
NBC took the night in adults 18-49 for the 15th time in the last 18 weeks but didn't put things away until 10 p.m.'s "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (5.1/16), which topped second-place "20/20" on ABC (3.2/10) by 59%. Compared with the same week a year ago, "Special Victims" was up by 11% in the demo and 20% in total viewers; crime drama also ranked as the night's most-watched show for the first time in 10 weeks (14.27 million).
Fox's "The Lone Gunmen" retained a best-yet 86% of its 18-49 lead-in from "Police Videos" (2.5/8 vs. 2.9/11) but remained in third place.
ABC saw nice week-to-week adults 18-49 gains for "Whose Line Is It Anyway" (up 26% to 2.6/10 for the hour), while CBS was sacked to its lowest in-season Friday demo rating (2.0/7) since December 1997. Compared with the same night a year ago ("Now & Again"), the second hour of "Diagnosis Murder" was off by 34% in adults 18-49 (1.9 vs. 2.9).
The umpteenth airing of "Demolition Man" produced UPN's highest-rated Friday with regularly scheduled programming ever in men 18-34 (1.7/8) and male teens (2.7/12).
THURSDAY
CBS swept the night's half-hours in total viewers and all key demos as the "Survivor" finale and reunion show dominated.
UPN's "WWF Smackdown!" showed week-to-week growth and finished second for the night in teens (4.6/13), while "Gilmore Girls" provided the WB with significant time-period improvements -- up 67% in adults 18-34 (to 1.5/4) and 51% in total viewers (to 3.16m).
ABC's "Millionaire" fell to Thursday lows (11.59 million, 2.4/5 in adults 18-49).
WEDNESDAY
NBC's powerhouse drama lineup posted the network's largest margins of victory with regular programming on a Wednesday (including a 40% bulge over second-place ABC in adults 18-49) in nearly a decade.
The night also saw a new "Murder, She Wrote" picture draw CBS' largest Wednesday movie audience (11.32 million) since January and ABC's "Once and Again" season finale draw its best 18-49 rating ever opposite an original "Law & Order" (4.6/12 vs. "Law's" 7.6/20).
TUESDAY
ABC won for a ninth straight week in total viewers (ever since "Millionaire" returned), boosted by time slot victories at 8 ("Millionaire") and 10 ("NYPD Blue").
A double dose of "That '70s Show" helped Fox edge past ABC to win the night in 18-49 (4.9/14), improving vs. last year's fourth-place finish (2.6/7) by a whopping 88%.
MONDAY
"Ally McBeal" ranked as the top show of April 30 in adults 18-49 (6.4/16), leading Fox to victory in the demo. CBS was sent to a rare fourth-place finish in 18-49 despite a victory in total viewers.
