• by August 11, 2000

Cable records major primetime and total day audience gains in week #46, while the broadcast networks decline dramatically.

In a week highlighted by extensive coverage of the Republican National Convention, ad-supported cable won the viewership race by a wide margin while the broadcast networks experienced their largest percentage declines of the summer.

According to Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau analysis of Nielsen data, ad-supported cable's primetime average U.S. household delivery in Week #46 (July 31-August 6, 2000) rose to 26.1 million (+10.2%), rating climbed to 25.9 (+8.%) and share increased to 47.2 (+4.2%).

The aggregate primetime delivery of the seven broadcast TV networks (ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX/WB/UPN/PAX), on the other hand, fell to 22.3 million homes (-6.0%), rating slipped to 22.1 (-7.3%) and share dropped to 40.4 (-11.1 %).

Similarly, ad-supported cable's total day audience in Week #46 grew while broadcast viewership plummeted. Cable's average total day U.S. delivery increased to 14.4 million homes (+10.2%) and share rose by 2.0 points (+4.5 %).

In contrast, the weighted gross total day viewership of ABC/CBS/NBC/FOX affiliates shrunk in all measures, including a 2.7 point drop in share.