• by Wayne Friedman , June 2, 2022

While streaming generated big headlines, major broadcast network linear TV took another hit for its prime-time entertainment series for the just-completed 2021-2022 TV season with high single- and double-digit-percentage viewing declines versus the previous season's results.

Only two shows -- "NCIS" and "FBI," both on CBS -- were the only non-sports entertainment shows to exceed 10 million average viewers. A year ago there were six non-sports entertainment series over the 10 million mark.

“NCIS," which again was the best performing non-sports series on broadcast TV, fell 13% from the year before to 10.9 million average viewers, according to Nielsen's live program-plus-seven days of time-shifted viewing measure (L7), for the September 2021 through May 2022 period.
“FBI” was in second place, down 6% to 10.2 million.
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Looking at top CBS shows, Nielsen said, "Blue Bloods" slipped 4% to to 9.78 million, while "The Equalizer" lost 22% to 9.42 million average viewers and comedy "Young Sheldon" slipped 3% to 9.21 million.

NBC’s top entertainment shows fared a bit better. Its trio of Chicago-themed dramas only lost ground by single digits: "Chicago Fire" slipped 4% to 9.85 million and "Chicago PD" was down 6% to 9.19 million and "Chicago Med" also giving back 6% to 9.13 million.

Still, the highly regarded "This Is Us" -- which recently ended after its long run -- was down 14% to 8.05 million. "The Voice" on Monday night was down 3% to 8.12 million.

Fox’s top entertainment fare suffered a bit more: "911" lost 16% to 8.11 million, "911: Lone Star" fell 15% to 7.43 million, while its reality singing competition, "The Masked Singer" went backwards 23% to 5.85 million.

ABC’s best performer was "American Idol" (Sunday), which slipped just 2% to 7.29 million, while the Monday edition of "Idol" rose 12% to 6.98 million -- a rare result for any prime-time fare.

But other big ABC prime shows lost significant ground, with "Grey’s Anatomy" 21% lower to 6.42 million and "Dancing with the Stars" off 10% to 6.36 million, "Station 19" dropping 13% to 6.16 million, and "Big Sky" losing 23% to 5.65 million.

With a major string of cancellations -- seven shows -- the next season of CW prime time will be big overall. Still, its top performers from a year ago will remain.

"Walker" was down 35% to 1.65 million this past season, while "Superman & Lois" also sank 35% to 1.60 million, "All American" went south 24% to 1.06 million, and "The Flash" dropped 33% to 1.05 million.

The CW has been rumored to be for sale since the beginning of the year. Warner Bros. and Paramount Global are 50-50 partners in the network.

What did well? In a very separate league than general primetime entertainment, NFL prime-time programming continues to show strength.

NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” grew 9% to 18 million viewers -- leading all broadcast network series for the eleventh year in a row. Fox’s “Thursday Night Football” grew 15% to 15.4 million viewers.

Next season, starting this September, under a new long-term deal with the league, Amazon Prime will be the exclusive sports right holder of “Thursday Night Football.”