Broadcast TV Ratings for Thursday, February 5, 2009 February 6, 2009 1:59 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Broadcast TV Ratings, News, Nielsen TV Ratings, Television.add a comment
With CBS out of the loop (the network aired a full lineup of repeats), ABC easily won the night across all three main categories, with growth from two of the network’s three shows (Ugly Betty was down). Grey’s Anatomy led the network (as the night’s most watched program among households, viewers and adults 18-49) with more than 15 million viewers, leading into a crossover-themed episode of Private Practice, which held onto a strong 85% of its total lead-in audience and an even more impressive 91% of its A18-49 audience.
In second place for the evening was Fox, which was led by timeslot winner Bones among households and viewers. It seems like no matter where Fox places the show, it performs solidly. The show posted gains from its timeslot premiere by more than 750,000 viewers. Lead-out Hell’s Kitchen declined by double-digits from the week prior (when it aired out of an original episode of American Idol) but managed to grow from its lead-in by 9% in the key A18-49 demographic, placing a competitive third place for the hour in that demo.
The biggest disappointment came from NBC. The network’s attempts to heavily advertise their Thursday night lineup during the Super Bowl (which as everyone knows included airing The Office directly after the Super Bowl/postgame) failed and failed badly. Every single episode for the evening declined from their last original airings including The Office. This was NOT the result that NBC wanted from their advertising push. I mean, a loss of viewership from the Super Bowl episode of The Office was expected, but for the show to have returned even below its last original episode — even if by just a little bit (-4% among viewers and -6.5% among adults 18-49) — is just horrible, horrible news.
Rounding out the night’s remaining programs, CBS followed in third place for the evening among viewers and fourth place among adults 18-49, while The CW held up decently against strong competition with its lineup of Smallville and Supernatural (more so Smallville).
My full analysis of the night’s ratings follows after the jump. (more…)
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