Whether it was the week, month or quarter, Turner Network Television and Nickelodeon topped basic-cable competition for the period ended June 26.
Bolstered by its Into the West limited series and original skein The Closer, TNT posted a 2.6 household average in primetime June 20-26, which helped to give the drama network an even wider margin over its competition during the month of June (May 30-June 26).
For the quarter beginning March 28, TNT held a 0.5 point-advantage, averaging a 2.4 mark over the span, according to a Disney ABC Cable Networks Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data.
Nickelodeon posted a 1.9 household average on a total-programming-day basis for the week and a 1.8 in both the month and quarter. All of those totals just added to Nick’s ongoing mark: 10 consecutive years at the top of the total programming heap, according to officials at the kids’ kingpin.
For the quarter and month of June, USA Network ranked second in primetime to TNT, with 1.9 and 2.0 averages, respectively. Nick at Nite -- which shares the channel with sister service Nick -- was tied with Disney Channel for third in the quarter with a 1.8 but fourth for the month at a 1.6, along with Fox News Channel. Disney was also third in June with a 1.9.
Elsewhere in the quarter, Lifetime Television and Cartoon Network were tied for fifth, while Fox News Channel and TBS were knotted in seventh at a 1.4. Spike TV was ninth with a 1.3, ahead of the 1.1 recorded by both ESPN and regional service Turner South, which benefited from its coverage of Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball games.
Rounding out the top 10 in June were: Lifetime, TBS and Turner South, all with 1.5 averages; Cartoon with a 1.4; and Spike and MTV: Music Television in the 10th spot, both with 1.2 averages.
