Never one to miss an opportunity to bash the networks, the Cable Advertising Bureau today said that the seven national broadcast networks’ (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, UPN, WB, PAX) record low primetime
audience levels this summer season will severely handicap their ability to promote their Fall line-ups and help permanently shift the balance of viewing power to cable in the upcoming 2002/2003 TV
season. “With the broadcast networks collectively averaging a sub-40 primetime share for the summer season to date, the diminished audience for their Fall promos will cut into their new season
tune-in,” said CAB President & CEO Joe Ostrow. As previously reported by CAB, ad-supported cable averaged a 54.0 primetime share for the month of June compared to 38.4 for the seven broadcast networks
combined. For the first six months of calendar 2002, ad-supported cable was virtually tied with the seven broadcast networks in primetime share: 47.2 to 47.7.