• by Joe Mandese , September 15, 2004

Two weeks into the networks' staggered rollout of early premieres of their 2004-05 prime-time series, viewers have not demonstrated any noticeable shift in their prime-time viewing patterns. Until Monday night, that is. That's the conclusion of a tracking study released Tuesday by Magna Global USA.

"If this Monday was any indication, they may finally be focusing on the new season," reports Magna Executive Vice President Director of Audience Analysis Steve Sternberg. "Overall television usage was up about 5 percent from last Monday, and total ad-supported cable ratings were off by 10-20 percent, depending on the demo."

With the new season set to kick off officially next week, the finding likely will come as some relief for network TV executives and the agencies and marketers that are gambling on the new prime-time season, especially given the unusually disruptive nature of the summer of 2004, which included NBC's coverage of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, as well as an unprecedented number of original series programs running on both broadcast and cable networks.

If Monday is any indication, NBC may already be benefiting from a so-called "Olympic effect." Many of its new shows dominated Monday's lineup, even as ABC aired its first officially week of "Monday Night Football." In fact, ABC's NFL prime-time coverage was off a full prime-time share point from last season's premiere week, though its rating among male demos wasn't down nearly as much.

Among the new series entrees, results appear mixed.

"ABC's new 'Apprentice' clone, 'The Benefactor' only managed a 7 share among households -- not much better demographically," observed Sternberg. "This was lower than last season's Primetime Monday among households and adults 18-49 -- not that show's strength, and not a promising sign."

Another copycat, Fox's "Renovate My Family" also "does not look to be the success the network was looking for on Monday," surmised Sternberg, who nonetheless noted that one new series did open "strongly:" NBC's new 10 p.m. drama "LAX."

"It also built on its 'Las Vegas' lead-in," he said, "But again, it was up against a repeat. When CSI: Miami returns with first-run episodes, we'll see if this holds up. It just might."