Basic Cable Takes Summer Jump

Cable World, Sept 11, 2000 by Mike Reynolds

Buoyed by a strong August performance, basic cable, despite a more concerted effort by broadcasters to offer fresh programming, finished summer 2000 with a 5% advance in average primetime ratings.

During the period May 29-Sept. 3, basic cable scored a 26.6 average household rating, versus a 25.3 last summer, according to a Turner Entertainment Research analysis of Nielsen data. Cable also scored a 6% gain to 26.8 million households this past summer.

For their part, ABC, CBS and NBC registered a weighted total of 19.9, up 5% from a 19 in summer 1999. Factoring Fox -- which sustained an 11% drop to 4 -- into the mix, the four networks' weighted total improved just 2% to 22.6.

While the cable networks have beat broadcast during the summer months before, many observers hadn't expected the cable sector to show such a strong performance this year. July cable ratings hadn't been stellar, and most experts expected the broadcaster to shine, especially with Survivor on CBS. August numbers outdid expectations, and the cable sector came out on top.

Over the two-year period spanning the summers of 1998 through 2000, Turner research indicates the average household rating for basic cable in primetime grew 10%, while the four broadcast networks sustained a 3% decline.

"We forecast that cable would grow 6% to 8% on delivery this summer," says Bob Sieber, VP-audience development at Turner. "Basic cable hit 6% overall, and the key 18-49 and 25-54 demos improved with ratings and delivery at 8% to 9% clips, so the industry is doing well."

Relative to broadcast, Sieber says basic cable's share grew one point to 48.4 during the warm-weather season, while the top four broadcast lost a half-share point to 41.2.

With HUT levels rising 3% to 54.9 million and total viewing also ahead 3% to 62.9 million, Sieber notes: "It was a good summer for the television industry. Cable and the broadcast networks ... were offering better programming, and viewers responded."

After recording just a 3% advance to a 25.9 average primetime rating in July, cable, which was outpaced by the 4% weighted household increase for the seven broadcast networks, scored a 7% gain in August (July 31-Sept. 3) to 27.9. Delivery rose 896 to 28.1 million households.

Broadcast saw the three-, four-, six and seven-network weighted totals decline by 1%, 3%, 2% and 1% to 18.7, 21.5, 23.5 and 24.6, respectively, during August.

As for individual cable networks, Cartoon Network and TBS, posting respective upticks of 5% and 1096, tied for the industry's top spot in primetime with a 2 average during August. USA, down 10% to 1.9, was third, while Nickelodeon, ahead 6%, and lifetime Television, flat, shared fourth at 1.8.

TNT, down 6%, was sixth at 1.7, A&E, ahead 7%, came in seventh at 1.5, followed by ESPN (a 13% decrease) at 1.4 and Discovery (a 9% amelioration) at 1.2. Five networks -- AMC, TLC, MTV, the History Channel and Sci Fi -- tied for tenth.

Of the 40 networks measured, 17 notched gains, 10 lost Nielsen ground and 11 held steady. AMC and Game Show Network were new to the survey group.

August Total-Day Ratings

Network       Rating   Change

Nickelodeon    1.6        7%
Cartoon        1.3        8%
TBS            1.2        9%
Lifetime       1.1        0%
A&E            0.9        0%
TNT            0.9      -10%
USA            0.8      -20%
ESPN           0.7      -13%
Discovery      0.6       0%
MTV            0.6      -14%

SOURCE: Turner Entertainment Research analysis of Nielsen Media Research for the period July 31-Sept. 3.