With four films finishing among the top 10 programs, Lifetime Television took
cable's primetime-ratings laurels during the third week of April.
The distaff-skewing channel averaged a 2.0 household rating from April 16
through 22, according to an analysis of Nielsen Media Research data by Turner
Entertainment Research.
That performance topped the 1.7 averages earned by both USA Network and
Cartoon Network. Kids' competitor Nickelodeon was fourth with a 1.6, while TBS
Superstation ranked fifth with a 1.5 average.
Rounding out the top 10: A&E Network and Turner Network Television, each
averaging a 1.3; Discovery Channel with a 1.1, TNN: The National Network at a
1.0; and a four-way tie for 10th at 0.9 among MTV: Music Television,
Fox Family Channel, The Learning Channel and The History Channel.
As for the industry as whole, basic cable scored an 8.4 percent ratings rise
to a 25.8 average during the week, according to a Cabletelevision Advertising
Bureau analysis of Nielsen data. On a delivery basis, the medium registered a
9.9 percent gain to some 26.4 million households.
For their part, the weighted ratings average of the four broadcast networks
(ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) grew 1.2 percent to a 26.1, meaning that the
broadcasters' share receded 2.4 percent to 43.9 while basic cable's share
improved 4.6 percent to 43.6.
On a total-day basis, Nickelodeon was first with a 1.4 average, beating out
Lifetime's 1.3 and Cartoon's 1.1. TBS placed fourth at a 0.9, while A&E, USA
and TNT tied for fifth, each with a 0.8.
Where key demos were concerned, TBS headed the chart among adults 18 through
49 with an average primetime delivery of 871,000, ahead of USA's 815,000 and
Lifetime's 807,000, according to the Turner analysis. TNT and Discovery were
fourth and fifth with 671,000 and 624,000, respectively.
Among adults 25 through 54, Lifetime was No. 1, delivering an average of
912,000 during the week, topping USA with 890,000 and TBS with 840,000. Once
again, TNT (731,000) and Discovery (681,000) completed the top five.
Per usual, World Wrestling Federation Entertainment Inc. fare was cable's
highest-rated programming for the week, as TNN's coverage April 16 pinned the
top two spots, with the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. hour notching a 5.3 household rating,
followed by a 4.8 for the first hour.
Nick's 14th Annual Kids Choice Awards and Fox Family
Channel's romantic comedy film, Au Pair II, tied for third, each with a
3.2. From there, Lifetime collected four of the remaining six top-10 spots with
films Why My Daughter, Eye of the Stalker, Into the Arms of
Danger and In the Deep Woods.
