Ad-supported cable recorded significant primetime viewership gains in Week #11 of the 2001/02 TV season, virtually overtaking the combined viewership of the seven national broadcast networks - which,
for the first time all season, were all down individually. According to Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of
Nielsen data for the week of December
3-9, ad-supported cable's average primetime U.S. household delivery increased by 2.7 million homes (+9.5%) versus the same period a year ago; rating rose 1.6 points (+5.8%); and share climbed 4.0
points (+9.1%). The primetime audience levels of ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, and PAX, on the other hand, declined both collectively, and individually, in Week #11. On combined basis, broadcast
network delivery fell 1.5 million homes (-4.4%); rating slipped 2.4 points (-7.4%); and rating shrunk 2.4 points (-4.6%). The gap in primetime delivery between ad-supported cable and the seven
broadcast networks was less than a million homes, compared to more than five million last year.
