Four weeks into the new season and CBS remains on top of the heap in two big audience categories: 18-49 viewers and total viewers. The big loser? Fox.
But the bad news extends to virtually all networks: Many top shows are down versus their respective numbers of a year ago. Also, all the big networks are down overall against last year's ratings.
CBS leads with a 2.9 Nielsen live-plus-same-day average program rating among 18-49 viewers, down 3% after a month of the new season -- something the network hasn't experienced since the late 1980s.
NBC is next at a 2.7, flat versus a year ago. ABC is down 10% at a 2.6 number; Fox has given up a hefty 17% to go to a 2.5 rating; and CW is flat at a 1.1 rating. Spanish-language network Univision claims it is the only network to see overall gains versus a year ago. In the most recent week, it pulled in a 1.5 average rating among 18-49 viewers.
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Four improving standout series among the big TV networks: NBC's "Sunday Night Football," Fox's "Glee," ABC's "Modern Family" and "Dancing with the Stars."
NBC's "SNF" is at a big 7.3 average adults 18-49 rating, up 6% from a 6.9 a year ago. The network says these are some of the best numbers for the NFL in prime time over the last 14 years.
While Fox has lost steam (it won its first fall season 18-49 race a year ago), it has found one big star to build on -- "Glee," which is now at an average 5.2 rating, the best-rated non-sports series so far this year. It's up 58% over its 3.3 number of a year ago through four weeks.
ABC's two big stories over the last month: "Modern Family," a 26% gain to a 4.8 rating, the third-best-rated non-sports series, and "Dancing with the Stars," 30% higher to a 4.5 rating.
While CBS' "Big Bang Theory" made all the news in moving to Thursday (key in CBS winning that night and the season so far), one of the quieter stories comes from its veteran Monday night sitcom "Two and a Half Men," which is now at a 4.7 rating, up 2% from a year ago. This may not sound like much, but given the age of the comedy and that most other network shows have witnessed double-digit percentage ratings erosion, it's a win.
In addition to Fox's big disappointment with "Lone Star," one of its biggest performers, "House" -- last year's top-scripted show at this point in time -- has taken a major hit this year. Its 6.0 average 18-49 rating through four weeks of the season last year has hit a steep pothole -- a big 35% decline to a 3.9 rating.
Other big network hitters have gone in the same direction: ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," down 20% to a 4.8 rating; ABC's "Desperate Housewives," off 13% to a 4.1; CBS' "NCIS," 13% less to a 4.0; and NBC's "The Office," losing 12% to a 3.8.
It isn't just "House" that is giving Fox some headaches. The network's Sunday night comedies are down as well: "Family Guy" 15% lower to a 4.1; "The Cleveland Show," giving up 30% to a 2.9 rating; and "The Simpsons," slipping 15% to a 3.6 number.
One saving grace for Fox is that it still leads all networks in younger 18-34 viewers with a 2.5 average rating. This is down 14% through the first four weeks of a year ago. NBC is next at a 2.3 rating, down 4% from a year ago; ABC lost 5% to a 2.1; CBS is flat at a 1.9 rating; and CW is down 8% to a 1.2 rating.