Top Network Shows Hard Hit By C3 Ratings

Through the first two weeks of the new TV broadcast season, TV networks continue to struggle to maintain viewership levels versus a year ago.

The top-25 scripted TV shows lost an average 25% of their Nielsen 18-49 C3 measured audience. C3 is the average commercial rating plus three days of time-shifted viewing.

The shows with the greatest losses include Fox’s “Gotham,” down 49% to 2.4 million 18-49 viewers; Fox’s “Family Guy,” down 48% to 2.48 million, and ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” off 31% to 2.55 million.

CBS’ big scripted loser is “NCIS: New Orleans,” down 26% to 2.4 million viewers. NBC gave up 18% for “Law & Order: SVU” to land at 2.4 million viewers.

Better-performing scripted shows with minor losses include ABC’s “Modern Family,” down 14% to 4.2 million; CBS’ “Big Bang Theory,” off 11% to 5.4 million; ABC’s “Scandal” down 7% to 4.7 million, and ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” slipping 3% to 3.6 million viewers.

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Overall, looking at the four major English-language networks, Fox is up 11% in C3 data through the first two weeks of the season, largely because of “Empire,” which didn’t start until midseason a year ago.

“Empire” has averaged a big 5.35 Nielsen live program rating among 18-49 viewers, well above Fox’s next-highest-rated shows: “The Simpsons” and new show “Rosewood,” each averaging a 1.84 rating.

Through the past two weeks, in C3 data for 18-49 viewers, NBC is down 2%; CBS off 3%; and ABC down 9%.

Looking at live program plus week-long time-shifted ratings, NBC still leads in season-to-date 18-49 average viewers through October 18 at 3.5 million viewers (2.8 rating / 9 share).

CBS is next at 3.2 million (2.5/8) followed by ABC at 2.8 million (2.0/7); and Fox with 2.3 million (1.8/6), per Nielsen’s live program plus seven days of time-shifted viewing, except for the most recent two weeks, which is live program-plus-same day-data.

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