Network
CBS averaged 11.1 million viewers a night in prime time as of May 10, with the dramas “CSI,” “NCIS” and “The Mentalist,” according to Nielsen Co. News Corp.s Fox will draw the most 18-to-49-age viewers, those coveted by advertisers, Joe Earley, a network spokesman, said today on a conference call.
U.S. television broadcasters are releasing their program schedules for the 2009-2010 season this week ahead of talks on advance commitments with their biggest advertisers. CBS was the only network to increase its audience, retaking the title Fox gained last season with “American Idol” and other programs that werent affected by Hollywoods labor strife.
“Well finish as Americas most-watched network for the sixth time in the last seven seasons,” CBS spokesman Chris Ender said today in an interview.
CBS passed Fox in total viewers and gained in 18 to 49. The total average prime-time audience at CBS has increased 11 percent, while viewers ages 18 to 49 advanced 4.4 percent to 3.83 million as of May 10, according to Nielsen data.
Foxs average prime-time audience declined 16 percent to 9.12 million viewers. In 18-to-49, Fox fell 17 percent and averaged 4.38 million prime-time viewers on the strength of “Idol,” the most-watched show. That made Fox the winner in that demographic for the fifth consecutive year.
Writers Strike
Ratings provided by Nielsen are the basis for advertising rates charged by broadcasters. Last years television season was cut short when the Writers Guild of America went on strike against the studios and networks. That forced the networks to begin airing reruns prematurely and led to audience losses.
CBS rose 43 cents, or 6.4 percent, to $7.13 at 2:41 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Before today the shares had declined 18 percent this year. Fox parent News Corp. rose 43 cents to $9.03.
ABC parent Walt Disney Co. gained 55 cents to $23.96 and General Electric Co., the parent of NBC, increased 50 cents to $13.36.
ABC dropped 4.5 percent to 8.42 million total viewers and declined 5.9 percent to 3.49 million in the younger viewers. NBCs audience fell 5.5 percent to average 7.42 million and declined 2.3 percent to 3.42 million in 18 to 49.