ABS-CBN bags top ratings in Dec.

Lopez-led ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. ended 2009 on a high note, as its pro-grams dominated the national urban TV audience measurement (NUTAM) survey conducted last month by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Media Research Philippines.

ABC Dominates With N.B.A. Finals

ABC’s broadcast of the Los Angeles Lakers’ rout of the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the N.B.A. Finals easily delivered Thursday night’s largest viewing audience and helped bring the network an overall ratings victory. Although final figures will not be available until Monday, Nielsen’s preliminary estimates show that the broadcast drew higher ratings than any other program on the night by a wide margin. The overnight estimates were also slightly higher than last year’s preliminary numbers for Game 1. Nielsen’s final audience figures for that game were 13.4 million viewers. Fox and CBS finished in a virtual tie for second place; Fox fared best with “So You Think You Can Dance” (8.2 million), while CBS had its strongest showing with a rerun of “The Mentalist” (8.6 million). NBC finished in fourth place with the mediocre debut of its new series “The Listener” (5.3 million), which followed the conclusion of the first week of “I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!” (5.2 million).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/arts/television/06arts-ABCDOMINATES_BRF.html?ref=arts

Clouds on horizon for "American Idol" juggernaut?

"American Idol" reaches its climax this week, still ruling the roost on U.S. television after eight seasons, but the battle of the songsters faces declining audiences and limits to its viewer-driven format.

The finale showdown on Tuesday pits musical theater star Adam Lambert, whom Entertainment Weekly magazine called "the most exciting 'American Idol' contestant in years," against college student Kris Allen, a favorite among teenage girls.

What started as a cheesy summer show in 2002 has mushroomed into a cultural phenomenon and an estimated $1 billion-plus brand spanning everything from ice-cream and trading cards to an attraction at Walt Disney World Resort.

"As a reality show, it's unique in that regard," said Brad Adgate, a vice president at advertising buyer Horizon Media.

"Idol" has partnerships with phone company AT&T for fan voting, with iTunes for contestant song downloads, and record company RCA and its sister labels, where Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and other past winners have cut albums.

But clouds are gathering on the horizon.

Co-producer 19 Entertainment reported its revenue from "American Idol" declined $4.1 million to $24.7 million in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, as the recession dented sponsorship deals.

The show, which pits aspiring singers in a series of competitions focused on a musical theme each week, has seen a 7 percent viewership drop this season on the Fox network, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp media conglomerate.

Fox officials believe the show has a winning formula that could still rule U.S. television for years, even if viewership declines substantially below the current 26.3 million viewers an episode. It is the most-watched TV show in the United States.

Despite a tough advertising environment, the cost of an average 30-second commercial on the finale will be in line with last year's $1.4 million average, advertising experts said.

Last year, "Idol" generated a total of $903 million in commercial ad revenue for Fox, not including product placements, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

Robert Sillerman, chairman and CEO of CKX Inc, the parent company of 19 Entertainment, said plans were afoot to extend the brand, including an Internet product to allow people to play the role of talent judges.

"People have accepted that it is part of American culture, and the deals that we're talking about are long-term," Sillerman said in an interview.

NETWORK CHALLENGERS

Yet rival TV networks have sensed a chance to compete with "Idol" this season where previously they steered away.

CBS programmed the military drama "NCIS" opposite "Idol," and struggling NBC countered with reality show "The Biggest Loser." ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," America's second-highest rated show, is drawing more than 20 million viewers.

"Idol" added a fourth judge in Kara DioGuardi this year and introduced a new rule that saved one contestant from elimination. But with viewer fatigue appearing to set in, there are only so many ways "Idol" can retool, Adgate said.

"They've done some things to tweak it as best they can, but I don't know how much you can tweak it without alienating the core viewer," he said.

Added to the concerns is the possibility British judge Simon Cowell could bolt the show when his contract expires in a year. His exit would be one of the biggest from television since Jerry Seinfeld quit his NBC comedy series in 1998.

"You can actually chart some of NBC's decline from their failure to get Seinfeld to renew," said Larry Gerbrandt, a principal at Media Valuation Partners.

Yet CKX's Sillerman said the appeal of the "Idol" brand remains strong and compared it to successful sports leagues.

"There are people who want to be associated with 'American Idol' the same way people want to be associated with the NBA (National Basketball Association)," he said.

"American Idol" is a joint production of 19 Entertainment, a unit of CKX Inc, and FremantleMedia, a division of British-based RTL Group, which is controlled by media giant Bertelsmann AG.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE54G1BP20090517

Get Latest Headlines Ratings: 'American Idol' continues to dominate the weekly rankings

Another week, another ratings win for American Idol. Fox's singing competition took the top two spots, drawing 24 million and 23.9 million viewers for its two episodes in the week ending April 20, the fourth straight week that the karaoke fest has won. The last time Idol was not on top was the week ending March 29, when an address by President Barack Obama took No. 1 across the Big Four broadcast networks.

Rounding out the top 5 were Dancing With the Stars' performance episode (23.9 million at No. 3), Dancing With the Stars' results episode (14.7 million at No. 4), and CSI (14.6 million at No. 5). The rest of the Top 20 -- which can be found after the jump, with full viewership numbers -- was included the usual suspects (Desperate Housewives, Survivor, Cold Case, Fringe, etc.) and not one surprise. Although it is somewhat surprising how ABC's critically panned Surviving Suburbia (No. 19, 9.9 million) continues to make the Top 20, a fact likely due to its huge Dancing With the Stars lead-in.

1. American Idol Tuesday | Fox | 24 million
2. American Idol Wednesday | Fox | 23.9 million
3. Dancing With the Stars Monday | ABC | 20.5 million
4. Dancing With the Stars Tuesday | ABC | 14.7 million
5. CSI | CBS | 14.6 million
6. Criminal Minds | CBS | 13.7 million
7. Desperate Housewives | ABC | 13.6 million
8. Grey's Anatomy | ABC | 13.5 million
9. NCIS (R) | CBS | 12.6 million
10. The Mentalist (R) | CBS | 12.5 million
11. Two and a Half Men (R) | CBS | 11.5 million
12. Survivor: Tocantins | CBS | 11.3 million
13. Rules of Engagement | CBS | 10.6 million
14. Cold Case | 10.6 million
15. 60 Minutes | CBS | 10.5 million
16. 24 | Fox | 10.3 million
The Amazing Race | CBS | 10.3 million
18. Fringe | Fox | 9.9 million
19. Surviving Suburbia | ABC | 9.9 million
20. Criminal Minds (R) | CBS | 9.8 million

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/ratings-ameri-3.html

List of top 20 shows in prime-time Nielsen ratings

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for March 30-April 5. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

1. (2) "American Idol" (Tuesday), Fox, 24.41 million viewers.

2. (1) "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 24.34 million viewers.

3. (3) "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 20.48 million viewers.

4. (5) "NCIS," CBS, 17.23 million viewers.

5. (8) "The Mentalist," CBS, 16.96 million viewers.

6. (42) "ER," NBC, 16.38 million viewers.

7. (X) Academy of Country Music Awards, CBS, 14.78 million viewers.

8. (4) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 14.63 million viewers.

9. (11) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 14.56 million viewers.

10. (X) CBS NCAA Basketball Semifinal: Villanova vs. North Carolina, CBS, 14.45 million viewers.

11. (7) "Dancing With the Stars Results," ABC, 13.51 million viewers.

12. (13) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 13.46 million viewers.

13. (X) CBS NCAA Basketball Between Games Show, CBS, 12.95 million viewers.

14. (18) "Without a Trace," CBS, 12.53 million viewers.

15. (18) "House," Fox, 12.51 million viewers.

16. (9) "60 Minutes," CBS, 12.27 million viewers.

17. (16) "Survivor: Tocantins," CBS, 11.27 million viewers.

18. (20) "24," Fox, 11.26 million viewers.

19. (27) "Rules of Engagement," CBS, 11.02 million viewers.

20. (X) "ER Retrospective," NBC, 10.63 million viewers.

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is a division of CBS Corp. Fox is a unit of News Corp. NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040703280.html