Ratings News - 14th January 2011

Prime-Time Metered Market Thursday Ratings:
Repeat Riddled CBS Inches Past ABC

Thursday 1/13/11
Note: The overnight data now includes DVR playback until 3 a.m. local time. One year earlier it was based on Live data only.

HH
Rtg/Shr
CBS 6.7/11
ABC 6.6/10
Fox 3.2/ 5
NBC 2.3/ 4
CW 1.0/ 2

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-Note: The year-to-year overnight comparisons are not available today.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
The Big Bang Theory R (CBS), Wipeout (ABC), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), The Mentalist R (CBS)

-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats):
Million Dollar Money Drop (Fox)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
Despite airing predominantly repeats last night, CBS still managed to finish first in the Thursday overnights -- one-tenth of a rating point ahead of second-place ABC. But ABC is the network to beat among adults 18-49. In the distant No. 3 spot was Fox, followed by a night of all repeats on NBC and The CW. Smack in the middle of January and half of the line-up were encore telecasts.

A repeat of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, which was just renewed for three more seasons, won the 8 p.m. half-hour, with a 7.3 rating/12 share in the overnights. Next was $#*! My Dad Says with a 6.6/10 (#1), followed by repeats of CSI (#2: 6.3/10) and The Mentalist (#1: 7.0/12) from 9-11 p.m. Although Fox’s American Idol moves into the Thursday 8 p.m. hour next week, do not expect The Big Bang Theory to just sit back and play dead.

Over at ABC, recent returnee Wipeout has brought the network to life in the 8 p.m. hour, with a second-place 6.2/10 in the overnights. Comparably (and opposite The Big Bang Theory encore), Wipeout is expected to win the time period among adults 18-49. Next on ABC was already renewed Grey’s Anatomy (#1: 9.2/14 at 9 p.m.), followed by a repeat of the pilot episode of Off the Map (#2: 4.5/ 8 at 10 p.m.). Although Shonda Rhimes, who was at The Winter Tour earlier in the week, claims Off the Map is very different from Grey’s Anatomy, it is basically Grey’s set in the jungle.

Elsewhere, Fox kicked-off the evening with lackluster game show Million Dollar Money Drop (#3: 3.6/ 6 at 8 p.m.), followed by a repeat of Bones tied for third at 9 p.m. with a 2.8/ 4. Look for Bones to benefit once American Idol steps into the Thursday 8 p.m. hour next week.

NBC, which featured a session on Community at The Winter Tour yesterday, aired a night of all repeats as follows:

NBC/Thursday
8:00 p.m. – Community (R): 2.1/ 3 (#4)
8:30 p.m. – Community (R): 1.9/ 3 (#4)
9:00 p.m. – The Office (R): 2.6/ 4 (#4)
9:30 p.m. – The Office (R): 2.8/ 4 (#3)
10:00 p.m. – 30 Rock (R): 2.3/ 4 (#3)
10:30 p.m. – 30 Rock (R): 2.0/ 3 (#3)

As I have said in the past, airing a three-hour comedy block is not a wise maneuver.

The CW closed the evening with repeats of The Vampire Diaries (#5: 1.2/ 2) and Nikita (#5, 1.0/ 2). Given the time of year, there should not be so many repeats floating around.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat)

Source: pifeedback