Post by annabelleleigh on Jan 31, 2009 11:11:27 GMT -5
Okay, so it was only an "ER" rerun (against an original USA series episode) but it's not insignificant. Here's why: the available audience for (free) broadcast television is much greater than the number of viewers who have access to USA network.
The metric of note here isn't the size of the "Burn Notice" audience -- cable series have matched and exceeded that -- but the terrible showing for NBC in this time slot, even for a rerun. Will Jay Leno do much better? Or is this yet another fall in the long, stumbling death of a network dinosaur?
AL
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'Burn Notice' Heats Up, Bests 'ER' Rerun
By Jon Lafayette
TV Week
January 30, 2009
USA Network’s “Burn Notice” grew its ratings from last week, so much so that it drew more viewers than a rerun of “ER” on big brother broadcast network NBC Thursday night.
USA officials weren't certain whether this was the first time a USA show beat NBC, the once-dominant broadcaster, in prime time, but it appeared unlikely it ever happened on a Thursday night at 10 p.m., long home to many of NBC's strongest series.
“Burn Notice” registered its highest ever audience among adults 18 to 49, registering a 2.0 rating. It was up 6% from last week, when the show returned with new episodes. In total viewers it rose 5% to 5.38 million viewers, compared with 4.53 million for "ER" (1.7 in 18-49).
The show was the top-rated cable show of the night in all demographics. It also beat all broadcasters in men 18 to 34 and was second behind CBS among men 18-49 and men 25-54."
The full article at
www.tvweek.com/news/2009/01/burn_notice_heats_up_bests_er.php
The metric of note here isn't the size of the "Burn Notice" audience -- cable series have matched and exceeded that -- but the terrible showing for NBC in this time slot, even for a rerun. Will Jay Leno do much better? Or is this yet another fall in the long, stumbling death of a network dinosaur?
AL
------------------------
'Burn Notice' Heats Up, Bests 'ER' Rerun
By Jon Lafayette
TV Week
January 30, 2009
USA Network’s “Burn Notice” grew its ratings from last week, so much so that it drew more viewers than a rerun of “ER” on big brother broadcast network NBC Thursday night.
USA officials weren't certain whether this was the first time a USA show beat NBC, the once-dominant broadcaster, in prime time, but it appeared unlikely it ever happened on a Thursday night at 10 p.m., long home to many of NBC's strongest series.
“Burn Notice” registered its highest ever audience among adults 18 to 49, registering a 2.0 rating. It was up 6% from last week, when the show returned with new episodes. In total viewers it rose 5% to 5.38 million viewers, compared with 4.53 million for "ER" (1.7 in 18-49).
The show was the top-rated cable show of the night in all demographics. It also beat all broadcasters in men 18 to 34 and was second behind CBS among men 18-49 and men 25-54."
The full article at
www.tvweek.com/news/2009/01/burn_notice_heats_up_bests_er.php
