Let the sweeps begin

With the new Fall TV season now 5 weeks old, the November sweeps are about to begin. The sweeps are the critical months (4 per year) when AC Nielson-- the company that rates TV viewership influencing advertising rates. Time to take stock of the season so far. CBS is the big winner so far (leading in most rated categories--- see below) and boasting of the most highly rated shows season to date. ABC is CBS`s biggest competitor so far but has seen big drop-offs in its sophomore shows (Pushing Daisies, Private Practice, Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who and Eli Stone. Meanwhile, CBS is also the home of the biggest rookie series-- The Mentalist.

2008-09 SEASON-TO-DATE AVERAGES

Average rating, share and audience in each category (with change for prior year for “Big 4”)


HOUSEHOLDS

Rtg/Sh Chg


CBS 7.4 /2 -5%
ABC 6.7/11 -13%
FOX 5.1/8 -18%
NBC 4.8/8 -16%
UNI 1.3/3
CW 0.9/2
TEL 0.4/1


TOTAL VIEWERS
(000) Chg

CBS 11,647 -5%
ABC 10,387 -11%
FOX 8,302 -17%
NBC 7,590 -16%
UNI 3,900
CW 2,500
TEL 1,100


Each rating point equals 2.90 million viewers

Adults 18-49

Rtg/Sh Viewers Chg from pr season


CBS 3.3/9 4.3 million -6%
ABC 3.2/9 4.3 million -18%
FOX 3.0/8 4.0 million -17%
NBC 2.9/8 3.8 million -17%
UNI 1.5/4, 2.0 million
CW 1.1/3 1.5 million
TEL 0.5/1 0.6 million

Each rating point equals 1.32 million viewers


Top rated series

01 THRU 60 (OUT OF 114 PROGRAMS)
DAYPART: PRIMETIME MON-SUN
FROM 09/22/08 THROUGH 10/26/08

REGULAR PROGRAMS

LIST RANKED BY: VIEWR 2+ (000)


----- ------ ------
1 CSI CBS 21390 7.4
2 DANCING WITH THE STARS ABC 19580 6.8
3 NCIS CBS 18160 6.3
4 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 17730 6.1
5 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 17040 5.9
6 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS 16730 5.8
7 MENTALIST, THE CBS 15950 5.5
8 CSI: NY CBS 15720 5.4
9 DANCING W/STARS RESULTS ABC 15680 5.4
10 CSI: MIAMI CBS 15340 5.3
11 TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS 15010 5.2
12 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NBC 13840 4.8
13 SURVIVOR: GABON CBS 13680 4.7
14 60 MINUTES CBS 13520 4.7
15 OT, THE FOX 13090 4.5
16 HOUSE FOX 12530 4.3
17 AMERICA'S GOT TALENT-WED NBC 12190 4.2
WITHOUT A TRACE CBS 12190 4.2
19 ELEVENTH HOUR CBS 11980 4.1
20 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-8P ABC 11810 4.1
21 COLD CASE CBS 11690 4.0
22 BONES FOX 11250 3.9
23 BROTHERS & SISTERS ABC 10970 3.8
24 SAMANTHA WHO? ABC 10540 3.6
25 HEROES NBC 10410 3.6
26 LAW AND ORDER:SVU NBC 10350 3.6
AMAZING RACE 13 CBS 10350 3.6
28 FRINGE FOX 10300 3.6
29 GHOST WHISPERER CBS 10030 3.5
30 WORST WEEK CBS 9970 3.4
31 OFFICE NBC 9710 3.3
32 UNIT, THE CBS 9680 3.3
33 HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS 9600 3.3
34 LIFE ON MARS ABC 9570 3.3
35 BIG BANG THEORY, THE CBS 9560 3.3
36 SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK NBC 9530 3.3
37 E.R. NBC 9410 3.2
38 FAMILY GUY FOX 9230 3.2
39 UGLY BETTY ABC 9220 3.2
40 BOSTON LEGAL ABC 9110 3.1
41 NUMB3RS CBS 9100 3.1
42 SIMPSONS FOX 8640 3.0
43 PRIVATE PRACTICE ABC 8580 3.0
44 ELI STONE ABC 8200 2.8
45 AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS ABC 7920 2.7
46 KNIGHT RIDER NBC 7760 2.7
47 BIGGEST LOSER 6 NBC 7690 2.7
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 NBC 7690 2.7
49 DEAL OR NO DEAL-WED NBC 7610 2.6
50 OLD CHRISTINE CBS 7460 2.6
51 GARY UNMARRIED CBS 7390 2.5
52 EXTREME MAKEOVER:HM ED-7P ABC 7350 2.5
53 KING OF THE HILL FOX 7170 2.5
54 20/20-FRI ABC 7160 2.5
55 MY NAME IS EARL NBC 7130 2.5
56 AMERICAN DAD FOX 7000 2.4
57 CRUSOE NBC 6950 2.4
58 SAT NIGHT FOOTBALL ABC 6930 2.4
59 CHUCK NBC 6840 2.4
60 DIRTY SEXY MONEY ABC 6780 2.3