Netlets run, finally, on right tracks
Mid-Season Checkup: Last in a series
And, as this year's ratings reflect, the tracks don't necessarily need to intersect.
The 7-year-old nets, which target younger viewers than the Big Three, will likely forever be lumped together, even though there's not significant audience overlap.
The WB is clearly the more focused net -- rivaling NBC as the broadcaster that best knows what it is and wants -- while UPN's lineup is more a collection of disparate nights looking for someone or something to tie them all together.
Through 19 weeks, the more testosterone-tilting UPN leads the weblet battle in the broader measures of adults 18-49, 25-54 and total viewers, while the more femme-leaning WB leads among teens and younger women. (The nets are much closer to each other across the board when the Frog's Sunday is tossed out and the nets are compared in common time periods.)
Each net can also claim one of the biggest new hits of the season (UPN's "Enterprise" and the WB's "Smallville").
Here's a closer look:
UPN
Thanks to the pickup of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (airing Tuesday) and addition of new "Star Trek" series "Enterprise" (Wednesday), the net has improved its ratings vs. a year ago by nearly 20% in key demos. In fact, it's the only broadcaster showing gains in adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.
"Buffy" is on par with its averages of a year ago on the WB, losing female teens while adding male viewers. Net's other WB transfer, "Roswell," is struggling big-time after "Buffy" on Tuesdays and likely won't return next fall.
With rookie "One on One" making a significant contribution at 8:30, UPN's Monday block of African-American laffers is up 13% year-to-year in adults 18-34, but the net needs to bring this aud (primarily young black females) to other nights of programming.
UPN has not been successful in developing its own series, but "Buffy" and "Enterprise" give it perhaps a several-year window of opportunity to find sked mates for these shows.
WB
The Frog targets viewers 12-34 with a slant toward femmes, and that's exactly what it delivers: not many kids, not many adults 35-plus.
By zeroing in on this target and shooting a bull's-eye with shows like "7th Heaven" and "Gilmore Girls," net has become a favorite of advertisers looking to reach young viewers, especially females.
Top priority of maintaining a strong presence on Tuesday (without "Buffy") has been achieved with flying colors: With "Gilmore" and "Smallville," net is actually up by double-digit percentages vs. last year, and both series appear to be long-term players.
The WB has had much more success of late with its family-friendly fare (new hits "Smallville" and "Reba" qualify here) while its more sexy, young-adult shows ("Dawson's Creek," "Felicity") have faded. Net has struggled with its attempts to go edgy on Sunday (its weakest night), but realizes the importance of playing to different auds, so it might stick with promising sketch-comedy show "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment" a while longer.
The under-appreciated "Charmed" also continues to do well despite cast changes and very tough timeslot competish (Thursdays at 9), while net is also making progress with comedies on Friday.
Bottom line
The building blocks are in place for strong seasons to come at both weblets, although the Frog seems several hops ahead in achieving its goals.
