• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, February 4, 2008

It's little wonder that NBC is making noises about altering the traditional flow of drama and comedy development. During the strike-impacted January--with a boost from four unscripted series--the network is the only one with higher ratings for its regular lineup, lifting it out of fourth place to second for the month.

To be sure, NBC's ratings are up a modest 3%, but the other leading broadcasters are all down significantly in their target demos--with CBS dropping 19%, ABC down 22% and the CW falling 36%. Fox--with "American Idol" down double digits--is down 8% for the period from Dec. 31 through Jan. 27.

NBC--with a solid new show in "American Gladiators" and a sound return of "Celebrity Apprentice"--has posted a 3.2 in the 18-to-49 demo, up from a 3.1 a year ago. CBS has dropped from a 3.2 to a 2.6 in the demo. ABC is down from a 3.2 to a 2.5, and Fox from a 4.9 to a 4.5. In its target 18-to-34 demo, the CW has dropped from a 1.4 to a .9.

NBC leads CBS by 23% and ABC by 28%--after trailing both slightly a year ago. Fox continues to lead all networks in 18-to-49 by 41% over NBC this season--although that's down from its 53% lead over CBS and ABC, which were tied for second in January last year.

One caveat: the figures cover only regularly scheduled programming--which strips out prime-time NFL playoff games for NBC, CBS and Fox. And they cover Dec. 31 through Jan. 27, which leaves out the last four days of January, and last week's strong return of "Lost" on ABC. Also, they are an amalgam, where the first two weeks are derived from "live plus seven" ratings and the next two from "live plus same day." When "live plus seven" numbers are available for those last two weeks, the dynamic could be altered slightly.

However, the figures arguably provide some insight into the impact the writers' strike--now 3 months old--may be having on individual networks. During the first two months, networks had more original episodes of hit series to run. But come January, the trough began to empty dramatically.

NBC's lift can be partly attributed to its strike-proof reality series that also include "The Biggest Loser"--not on the schedule a year ago--and "Deal or No Deal." Also, since it had prime-time football taking up Sundays in the fall, it was able to bank "Law & Order" and "Medium" until January, giving it some fresh original programming.

CBS only had one new episode each of respective hit series "CSI" and "Grey's Anatomy;" same for ABC's "Desperate Housewives." And they have had a dearth of first-run episodes of dramas and comedies across their schedules. Still, the two networks have not begun their respective spring runs of hit reality series "Survivor" and "Dancing with the Stars."

If NFL playoff games and other specials are included, NBC's year-over-year January ratings are down 6% in 18-to-49, partly due to the cancelled three-hour gala presentation of the "Golden Globes." CBS drops 28% in all programs, partly because a year ago, it had the AFC championship game in prime time. ABC is down 24%, while the CW has dropped 31% among 18-to-34.

Fox is the only network with an increase--up a slight 4%, partly because of the highly rated NFC championship game in prime time that included a team in the New York market.

This January, Fox (with a 5.5 in 18-to-49s) is again in first place. But NBC climbs to second (3.1), with CBS third (2.8) and ABC fourth (2.5). With a prime-time NFL game and the "Golden Globes," NBC was in third last year before it went into its swoon in the second half of the season, dropping it to last among the Big 4.