NBC Jumps Past ABC for Third Place Finish 2011-12 TV Season

CW on Suicide Watch

Fox won another TV season, in the viewing metric that matters most to advertisers: 18-49s. But the race was a lot closer, as CBS, in second place, came within two-tenths of a rating point.

NBC picked up 9% getting to a 2.5 rating jumping out of its fourth-place position into third after many years. “The Voice” was a big reason, averaging a big 5.2 rating for its performance show -- just two-tenth of rating point behind “Idol." NBC also had big numbers from “Sunday Night Football” and the Super Bowl to count on. But the network says even without the Super Bowl, for “regular programming’ it was up 4% among 18-49ers to a 2.5 rating.

CW was also down a lot more: 22% to a 0.7% among 18-49s. Even among its more core 18-34 audience, CW took a double-digit percentage dip in ratings -- down 20% to a 0.8 rating.

Read more: MediaPost Publications Fox Wins TV Season, NBC Jumps To Third Place 05/29/2012



All right folks, I just don't get the CW. Why can't they come up with some general interest programming to give value to their affiliates rather than just more teeny-bopper vampire soap opera crap? I see that simply as bad management at its worst. At this point I don't know whether I'd rather be an independant station or a CW affiliate. You might actually be able to fill that 2 hour nightly primetime block with something people might actually want to watch. MyNetworkTV does better with CBS and USA reruns!

They are just a catering to the young channel. That's their business model. Of course, that could change if their demographic has bailed on them.