Viewers shift and sample

0 Comments | USA TODAY, October, 2007 | by Gary Levin

Networks ushered in the 2007-08 TV season last week, and an exploding array of measurements and means of viewing makes keeping score trickier.

Overall viewing last week was down 7% from the comparable week last year (and down 10% among young adults). And apart from NBC's Bionic Woman and ABC's Private Practice, which each averaged about 14 million viewers in the same Wednesday time slot, there were no early signs of a breakout hit.

ABC won the week among all viewers, its first overall win since 1995. But NBC tied among young adults, helped by a new Nielsen rule allowing it to combine ratings for a Saturday Heroes repeat with its Monday premiere (for a total of 17 million), eliminating a low-rated hour from its weekly average.

Yet to come: Data from...