The Programming Insider: Wednesday 1/14/04

-By Marc Berman

Primetime Metered Market Ratings

Tuesday 1/13/04

Note: These ratings exclude the Sacramento market.

Primetime Metered Market Ratings
NETWORK	HH RATING/SHARE
	9.4/14
	8.3/12
	6.8/10
	5.8/9
	4.1/6
	3.2/5

-Percent Change From the Comparable Year Ago Night (Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003):
UPN: +71, CBS: +31, NBC: +24, Fox: no change, ABC: -24, WB: -44

Fast Affiliate Ratings:
Viewers:
CBS: 12.33 million, NBC: 10.63, Fox: 9.84, ABC: 8.13, WB: 4.06, UPN: 4.01

A18-49:
Fox: 4.7/12, NBC: 4.1/11, ABC: 3.2/ 8, CBS: 2.9/ 8, UPN: 1.8/ 5, WB: 1.4/ 4

-Yesterday's Winners:
Navy NCIS (CBS), The Simple Life (Fox), America's Next Top Model (UPN), Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

-Honorable Mention:
Happy Family (NBC), Judging Amy (CBS)

-Yesterday's Losers:
Tracy Morgan (NBC), Movie: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me R (WB), Line Of Fire (ABC)

-The First to Go On America's Next Top Model:
24 year-old Anna Bradfield, who thought posing nude would tarnish her image as a mother. Let's be thankful that the judges, particularly the bitter Janice Dickinson, are not asked to take it off.

-Ratings Breakdown:
In notably positive news for UPN, the season opening episode of the addictive America's Next Top Model was on the board with a solid (and fifth place) 4.9/ 7 at 9 p.m. in the overnights. Comparably, Next Top Model was up 48 percent from lead-in All Of Us (#5: 3.3/ 5) and 44 percent above the second hour of repeat theatrical Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me on the WB (#6: 3.4/ 5, overall 3.2/ 5 from 8-10 p.m.). With growth of 23 percent in the second half-hour (4.4/ 6 to 5.4/ 8), the reality series climbed to the number four spot at 9:30 p.m., inching past a repeat of ABC's Less Than Perfect (#5: 5.3/ 8) by one-tenth of a rating point in the overnights.

Among adults 18-49, and based on the fast affiliate ratings, Next Top Model also came in fifth with a 2.2/ 6 -- 57 percent above lead-in All Of Us (1.4/ 4) and 47 percent above the Austin Powers repeat on the WB
Considering the first edition of the must-see Top Model debuted at a 2.9/ 4 in the overnights on May 20, 2003 the increase of 75 percent last night means that the bubbly must be flowing at UPN this morning. Hell, maybe even sourpuss Janice Dickinson is even smiling.

Earlier in the evening, UPN's One On One notched a typically last place 3.0/5 at 8 p.m.

In what Fox referred to as The Simple Life Reunion (shouldn't a reunion show air after the finale?), Paris and Nicole did not disappoint with a second place 7.4/11 in the overnights and a first place 5.6/16 among adults 18-49. Tonight we'll (finally) see the series finale of The Simple Life.

Sticking with Fox, 24 at 9 p.m., which will benefit even further once American Idol 3 steps in next week, came in third in the overnights (6.3/ 9) and tied for second with NBC among adults 18-49 (3.8/10). Considering competing ABC sitcoms According To Jim (#3: 6.6/ 9, A18-49 #1: 4.5/11) and Less Than Perfect (#3: 5.3/ 8, A18-49 #3: 3.4/ 9) were in repeats, ratings for 24 could have been better.

Although advocates of the adult 18-49 demo will be quick to point out that CBS came in fourth overall, older skewing dramas Navy NCIS (#1: 9.8/15), The Guardian (#1 overall: 8.5/12) and Judging Amy (#2: 10.0/16) fueled the Eye net to another Tuesday victory in the overnights -- 13 percent above second place NBC. Sometimes you just have to program to older viewers.

As for NBC, although Whoopi at 8:30 p.m. (#3: 6.2/ 9, A18-49 #3: 3.1/ 8) might be worth keeping (that's a big might, however), lead-in The Tracy Morgan Show (#4: 5.3/ 8, A18-49 #4: 2.8/ 8) deserves to face the chopping block. Speaking of cancellation, the soon-to-conclude Frasier ranked first at 9 p.m. in the overnights (8.8/13) but third among adults 18-49 (3.9/10). At 9:30 p.m., the on-the-fence Happy Family (#2: 6.8/10, A18-49 #1: 3.7/ 9) got a nice boost with a first place finish among adults 18-49 (and retention of 95 percent out of Frasier in the demo).

Considering NBC has never been able to successfully build a night of Tuesday comedies around Frasier, what will they do now that the tired doctor is leaving? Donald Trump - do you want to move to Tuesday in The Apprentice 2?

At 10 p.m., NBC's Law & Order: SVU won the hour with an 11.2/17 in the overnights and a 5.5/15 among adults 18-49. ABC's critically acclaimed but minimally sampled Line Of Fire remained a distant third (overnights: 4.9/ 7, A18-49: 2.2/ 6). NYPD Blue -- you are missed

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Cable Overnights:

What follows are ratings for the key competing cable networks in primetime (with change versus the comparable year-ago week in parentheses):

TNT: 2.9 (no change), MTV: 2.2 (+ 5), USA: 1.8 (no change), Lifetime: 1.7 (- 6), Bravo: 1.6 (+300), TBS: 1.3 (- 7), A&E: 1.2 (-14), Discovery: 1.1 (-42), ESPN: 1.0 (- 9), FX: 0.9 (-53), TLC: 0.9 (+13), Sci Fi: 0.8 (+33), History: 0.8 (-27), Comedy Central: 0.7 (+17), Spike TV: 0.5 (-77)

Source: Nielsen Media Research


Air With Ryan Seacrest:
Two-Day Overnight Results

Although two days does not a hit or miss make, early overnight results for Twentieth Television's On Air With Ryan Seacrest are clearly disappointing. Yesterday, Seacrest dipped 26 percent from the lead-in average with erosion of 39 and 44 percent, respectively, from the November and January 2003 time periods. Take a look:

Jan. 2003 time period: 2.5/ 5
Nov. 2003 time period: 2.3/ 5

-Lead-in:
Mon.: 2.0/ 5, Tues. 1.9/ 5

-On-Air With Ryan Seacrest:
Mon: 1.5/ 3, Tues. 1.4/ 3

It looks like Randy, Paula, Simon, Kelly, Ruben, Clay and the rest of the American Idol gang might have to stop by for a visit sooner than Twentieth might have hoped.

Source: Nielsen Media Research


ional Ratings in Primetime:
Week of Jan. 5, 2004

Fueled by the Tennessee at New England AFC Divisional Playoff match-up on Saturday (not to mention CSI, Everybody Loves Raymond, Without A Trace and countless other regularly scheduled programs), CBS expanded its lead in households, viewers and adults 25-54. Among adults 18-49, the once specifically older skewing network also remains a force to reckon with, tying NBC in the demo and trailing Green Bay/Philadelphia NFC Playoff ignited Fox by just one-tenth of a rating point. With Friends and Frasier winding down, the once unstoppable NBC could potentially lose the crown in the coveted demographic next season.

Elsewhere, ABC had nowhere to land but fourth this week in all key categories, UPN remains in the cellar and the WB continues to decline by considerable year-to-year proportions. Of individual series note was the Thursday 8:30-10 p.m. debut of NBC's The Apprentice, which cracked the top 10 in both viewers and adults 18-49 (see below).

What follows are the weekly results (with change versus the year-ago week in parentheses).

Households:
CBS: 10.1/16 (+ 2), NBC: 7.8/12 (- 7), Fox: 7.1/11 (+ 1), ABC: 5.8/ 9 (+ 5), WB: 2.4/ 4 (- 8), UPN: 2.1/ 3 (-16)

Viewers:
CBS: 15.60 million (+ 2), NBC: 12.18 (- 5), Fox: 11.50 (no change), ABC: 8.92 (+ 3), WB: 3.46 (-18), UPN: 3.12 (-24)

Adults 18-49:
Fox: 4.9/13 (- 6), CBS: 4.8/13 (- 6), NBC: 4.8/12 (no change), ABC: 3.1/ 8 (- 6), WB: 1.4/ 4 (-26), UPN: 1.3/ 3 (-24)

-Adults 25-54:
CBS: 6.0/14 (no change), NBC: 5.4/13 (- 2), Fox: 5.1/12 (no change), ABC: 3.7/ 9 (+ 3), WB: 1.4/ 3 (-22), UPN: 1.3/ 3
(-19)


-Nightly Winners:
Monday -- Viewers: CBS, A18-49: CBS
Tuesday -- Viewers: CBS, A18-49: NBC
Wednesday -- Viewers: NBC, A18-49: Fox
Thursday -- Viewers: NBC, A18-49: NBC
Friday -- Viewers: CBS, A18-49: ABC
Saturday -- Viewers: CBS, A18-49: CBS
Sunday -- Viewers: Fox, A18-49: Fox

For the week:

-Top 10 Shows in Total Viewers:
CSI (CBS: 27.48 million), NFC Playoff, Green Bay at Philadelphia: Sunday Post Game (Fox: 27.09), AFC Divisional Playoffs, Tennessee at New England (CBS, Saturday: 25.91), Friends (NBC: 25.48), ER (NBC: 22.83), CSI: Miami (CBS: 20.40), Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS: 19.10), The Apprentice (NBC, premiere: 18.48), Without A Trace (CBS: 18.18), Law & Order (NBC: 17.99)

-Top 10 Shows in Adults 18-49:
Friends (NBC: 11.9/31), NFC Playoff, Green Bay at Philadelphia: Sunday Post Game (Fox: 11.6/28), ER (NBC: 10.9/27), AFC Divisional Playoffs, Tennessee at New England (CBS, Saturday: 10.2/29), CSI (CBS: 9.7/23), The Apprentice (NBC, premiere: 9.1/22), The Simpsons (Fox: 7.8/18), CSI: Miami (CBS: 7.0/17), Fear Factor (NBC: 6.4/17), Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS: 6.3/15)

And the Least Watched Show of the Week was ...
The repeat of UPN's Jake 2.0 at #119 with 1.52 million viewers.

Source: Nielsen Media Research


On the Air Tonight:
Primetime Programming Options

Wednesday 1/14/04

ABC:
My Wife and Kids (R), It's All Relative, The Bachelorette (season premiere), Celebrity Mole Yucatan

CBS:
Cold Case (R), King Of Queens, Becker, 48 Hours Investigates

NBC:
The Apprentice (R), The West Wing, Law & Order

Fox:
That'70s Show, The Simple Life (season finale), The O.C.

UPN:
Star Trek: Enterprise, America's Next Top Model (R)

WB:
Smallville, Angel

-Thinking Out Loud:
I don't know about you, but I am personally glad Fox's The Simple Life is ending tonight. After last night's awkward reunion show hosted by Leeza Gibbons (hey Nicole, who did your hair?), enough is enough already!

As for why we are seeing a shortened repeat of the pilot episode of NBC's The Apprentice (again), the network decided to air another original 90-minute telecast tomorrow in the protected Friends 8:30-10 p.m. lead-out block. While that will guarantee more sampling in week two, wouldn't it have been wiser for NBC to try to build awareness with an original episode in its regularly scheduled Wednesday 8 p.m. hour before Fox's American Idol 3 steps in? And aren't we, as viewers, growing tired of these annoying last minute changes?


TV Tidbits:
Notes Of Interest

-Upcoming on the WB:
If you're a fan of The Facts of Life, keep reading because Mindy "Natalie" Cohn is coming back to primetime! On that note, the WB will debut The Help, a comedy that centers on the class warfare between a group of servants and their employers, on Friday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m. Also coming up on the frog net is the second season of reality series High School Reunion, which debuts Sunday, march 14 at 9 p.m. ET.

-Speaking of the WB:
Fearless, the Jerry Bruckheimer drama that was originally slated for Tuesday at 9 p.m., will not be going forward.

-The Survey Says...Renewal:
Tribune Entertainment has renewed growing game show Family Feud for a sixth season with renewals to-date in 60 percent of the country including 25 of the top 30 markets.

-Happy Anniversary, Adult Swim:
Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, which proves animation is not just for kids, just celebrated one year as a Sunday to Thursday late night strip with considerable rating increases. Led by the fourth season premiere of Home Movies at 11 p.m., and based on ratings for the week of Jan. 5, Adult Swim was up as much as 61 percent in the delivery of men 18-24 (282,000). Ratings among key adults 18-24 and 18-34 were up by 33 and 20 percent, respectively.


Reader Feedback Forum:
Kelsey Grammer and Less Than Perfect

"Although I am not knocking Kelsey Grammer, I think it's a very fine line to walk when you compare his 20 years as Frasier to James Arness as Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke. Arness was the star of Gunsmoke for it's entire 20-year run; it was his name above the title. CBS acknowledged Arness' popularity when they ran primetime reruns of the show by re-naming it Marshal1 Dillon. Grammer on Cheers was never anything more than a supporting player -- and a scarce one at the beginning -- compared to Ted Danson. Only his stint on Frasier should really compared to Arness. It was a great run for Grammer, but he's no Marshal Dillon."

-The P.I.:
While I do not disagree, I don't think anyone ever thought Frasier would last 11 years. We'll see how long Matt LeBlanc's Joey survives.

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"I am surprised to see so much praise for Less than Perfect. I believed after three viewings it was one of the most aptly named shows ever, and maybe even an understatement. Andy Dick simply isn't funny."
-Paul Sporer, Austin, TX

-The P.I.:
Personally, I couldn't agree with you more about Andy Dick. Had it not been for him, NewsRadio might have been "Must See" TV for me.


TV Trivia Time:
The Facts of Trivia

Which one of the following girls was not in the pilot episode of sitcom The Facts of Life?

a) Blair
b) Cindy
c) Molly
d) Natalie
e) Tootie

The answer to yesterday's trivia question:

Which one of the following TV characters did not appear on screen for at least 10 full seasons?

a) Lou Grant
b) Max Klinger
c) Gloria Bunker Stivic
d) Bee Taylor
e) Danny Williams

Is: c) Gloria Bunker Stivic. Do the math and seven-and-a-half seasons on All in the Family plus one in spin-off dud Gloria in 1982-83 equals eight-and-a-half seasons of work for Sally Struthers. In the event you don't recall Gloria, Archie's little "goil" and son Joey move to upstate New York after she lands a job as an assistant to a veterinarian played by Burgess "The Penguin" Meredith. Meathead was smart to skip this laugh-less mishmash.

Current kudos go to:
Joelle Alexander, Colleen Anderson, David Ballarotto, Sandy Bellini, Matthew Bergeron, Robert Berman, Sheila Berman, Lillian Buchman, Larry Collins, Shelia Collins, David Doughty, Kim Dwelley, Andrew Ehlen, Jim Forkan, Susan Foster, Sam Franklin, Maureen Goldman, Alan Grant, Brian Hughes, Bob Ingersoll, David Jackino, Eric Kabakoff, Tom Kilgallon, Sally Lawrence, Howard Leib, Mitch Litvak, Christina Monaghan, Mike Natale, Jim Negri, Monica Penne, Gordon Purcell, David Randolph, Steve Roberts, Brian Robinette, Colleen Roth, Susie Shire, Gary Townsend, P. Kellach Waddle, Brenda Wallerstein, Theodore Zawislak