Feature bows fuel USA surge

Cabler claims five highest-rated theatrical network premieres in basic cable

By JOHN DEMPSEY

Over the last few years, USA Network has zealously pursued theatrical pics in their first network windows, and the strategy is finally paying off.

From Jan. 1 to the second week of June, USA has claimed the five highest-rated theatrical network premieres in basic cable -- a boast usually made by Turner Broadcasting's TBS and TNT, which have together bought more than three times as many movies as USA.

USA's five Nielsen winners for 2001, in order of audience delivery, are "The Waterboy" (a 5.1 rating in cable homes), "Six Days Seven Nights" (4.7 rating), "Mercury Rising" (3.5), "Cop Land" (3.3) and "Out of Sight" (3.1).

"Waterboy," starring Adam Sandler, was the highest-rated network-window movie premiere in USA's history.

"Cable viewers are becoming aware of our Tuesday-night movie lineup," said Ray Giacopelli, senior VP of research for USA. The net has set Tuesday aside as its showcase for primetime theatrical premieres and original-movie premieres.

Hey, not so fast, pair say

But a spokesman for TBS and TNT said he would stick an asterisk next to the USA numbers because TNT has begun premiering its network-window theatricals on Friday -- when viewership levels are lower than on any other day but Saturday -- rather than Sunday, the night that attracts the most TV viewers.

To take the most recent TNT example, "You've Got Mail" made its network debut on Friday, June 8, with a solid 3.0 rating in cable homes. Two nights later, the same movie harvested a 3.4 rating, taking advantage of the extra viewing on the night. Normally, it's rare for a theatrical to do better on its second ran than its first when both airings occur within a three-day period.

And the TNT spokesman said the network has held back some of its biggest theatrical guns for the second half of the year, such as "The Matrix," "Analyze This," "Stepmother" and "Message in a Bottle." But all of these movies will premiere on a Friday night, a strategy TNT employs to promote its weekend movies, including a second primetime run of the same title, on Sunday.

TBS has a chance of scoring big movie-premiere Nielsens during the second half of 2001 when it kicks off -- on Sunday -- such network-window theatricals as "Rush Hour," "Lethal Weapon 4," "Blast From the Past" and "Soldier."