Friday 23 September 2011

Programming Buzz from Zenith: Wednesday 9/21/11 - Modern Family Dominates, X Factor and Revenge Premiere Strong

Wednesday 9/21/11 - Modern Family Dominates, X Factor and Revenge Premiere Strong

Wednesday finally brought the highly anticipated two-hour debut of FOX's The X Factor to U.S. viewers, earning a solid 3.6 A18-49 Live Rtg and giving FOX the win for the night. As expected, the Simon Cowell reality series significantly out-performed its year ago benchmark (+57% over Hell's Kitchen 2-hour premiere), however did not deliver an Idol-sized audience, as it was off 56% from the 10th season premiere of American Idol on 1/19/11.

The real winner of the night was ABC's one-hour Modern Family opener at 9pm. Fresh off its multiple Emmy wins last week, the comedy series ranked as the highest rated show of the night (4.2 A18-49 Rtg), while also posting a healthy 16% increase versus last year's premiere. Freshman drama Revenge at 10pm continued the success, averaging a 2.9 A18-49 Rtg, retaining three-quarters of its inflated lead-in, while more than doubling the year ago time period audience (The Whole Truth premiere). Anchoring the night, an hour-long The Middle also delivered the goods, growing 16% from its half-hour premiere last fall.

With increased competition, week 2 of CBS' Survivor experienced 15% erosion from last week's premiere among A18-49, while the season 7 Criminal Minds opener remained relatively flat from its year ago premiere. The real test for the Eye network was moving its Thursday staple, CSI, to Wednesday night. A18-49 viewership was slightly off (-4%) from last year's premiere, though did earn moderate growth compared CBS' year ago time period occupant (+5%), The Defenders.

Even with an all new line-up, NBC suffered greatly. Not only did its time period premieres of new series Up All Night and Free Agents experience double-digit declines from last week, recently relocated Harry’s Law was unable to draw year ago viewership levels (SVU), losing half its A18-49 audience, while also dropping similarly versus the program's series premiere this past January (1/17/11). With a weak lead-in and altered cast, Law & Order: SVU declined 31% among A18-49 from last year’s premiere.

The CW's Wednesday night schedule had a dismal week 2, as H8R (-26%) and America’s Next Top Model (-28%) suffered double-digit percent drop-offs with A18-49 from their respective premieres last week.

posted by Strategic Resources @ Zenithmedia at 5:01 PM

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