Revenues for basic cable TV soared 17% in 1997 to $7.9 billion, while primetime cable viewership hit a high of 35.3%, according to year-end stats compiled by the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB).
The analysis of Nielsen ratings data from the CAB found cable's average primetime household delivery for the 52 weeks of '97 was up about 2.2 million homes, or 12.3%, over calendar year 1996, while the primetime numbers rose 2 points in rating and nearly 4 points in share from the previous year.
Calendar-year viewership for 1997 at the Big Four broadcast webs, by contrast, recorded a collective primetime decline in households, according to Nielsen. The 52-week average of NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox declined by roughly 1.5 million homes, nearly 2 full points in rating and 3.4 points in share.
Ad revenues for cable meanwhile, have more than doubled over the past four years alone -- from less than $3.9 billion in 1993 to the $7.9 billion for '97.
"Basic cable's outstanding showing in 1997 reflects the consistent strength of cable programming throughout the year," CAB prexy and CEO Joe Ostrow said.
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