Broadcast ends rough season; top nets down 16%

And broadcasters thought last season -- the one with the writers strike -- was tough. 

At the close of the 2008-09 season, which officially ended Wednesday night, the sum of average broadcast network ratings changes put the Big Four down a collective 16% in the demo (or 4% per network).

Fox won the season metric, averaging 9.8 million viewers and a 3.6 rating among adults 18-49 among “most current” Nielsen Media Research figures that include DVR use. CBS won among total viewers (averaging 11.8 million, 3.1).

For Fox, this marks the network’s fifth consecutive victory. Yet Fox also dropped the most in the demo compared with last season among the Big Four, -13% among total viewers and -16% in the demo, mainly due to not having the Super Bowl this year and the softening ratings of the most popular show on television, “American Idol.”

CBS placed second in the adult demo -- the only network to gain a larger audience this season, up 11% in viewers and 3% in the demo. CBS’ gains were aided by “The Mentalist” on Tuesday nights, which was up 33% in the demo this season.

ABC placed third (8.9 million, 2.9), falling 3% in both metrics due to some overall ratings slippage of its popular scripted dramas.

NBC was fourth (7.8 million, 2.8), going -3% in viewers and flat with last year. NBC had the Super Bowl this year, however, and without factoring sports coverage the network is -8% in prime. The network was hardest hit on Wednesdays (-26%) and Fridays (-29%), though it showed gains on Tuesdays (9%).

The CW (2 million, 0.9) whose ranking wasn’t factored among the “major networks” comparisons above, had the harshest percentage drop: -22% in viewers and -18% in the demo. Among the network’s target demographic of women 18-34, however, the CW was unchanged (1.4 rating). The network’s standings improve further by taking Sundays off the board (up 13% in its demo), where the network fell 25% this season after outsourcing its programming.'

NETWORK'S NEW FALL TV SCHEDULE 2009-10