New York— It was a tight race in basic cable’s primetime ratings last month.
USA Network (up 11%, from a 1.9 the prior year) and Turner Network Television (down 5%, from a 2.2) were tied with a 2.1 household ratings average in February, according to a Disney ABC Cable Networks Group analysis of Nielsen Media Research data. USA wore the crown overall by virtue of higher household average: 1.92 million, versus 1.87 million for TNT.
Disney Channel’s 2.0 (ahead 18% from a 1.7) was good for third, followed by Nick at Nite (off 17% from a 1.8) and Lifetime Television (even), both of which posted a 1.5 mark. TBS (flat) and Cartoon Network (off 13% from a 1.6) were next, both at a 1.4. Fox News Channel (down 7% from a 1.4) was eighth.
There was a logjam at the bottom of the top 10, as ESPN and Spike TV (both down 8%), Hallmark (up 10%) and FX (ahead 38%) all finished with a 1.1 mark for the month.
