Cable posts power perf
Hit shows help pay TV edge out broadcast nets
By contrast, the seven broadcast networks dropped to a 45 share this quarter from a 49 share last year.
What's igniting the trend is a string of high-visibility Nielsen winners on cable networks coupled with a shortage of hits on the broadcast networks.
Cable's powerhouse performance kicked off in April, when 11 of the top-15 cable networks harvested double-digit rating gains from the same period in 2001. MTV came up with "The Osbournes," its best-rated series ever, and FX premiered its best ever, "The Shield." "SpongeBob SquarePants" became a mega-hit on Nickelodeon, and TLC's "Trading Spaces" found itself very much ready for primetime.
The broadcast networks edged back in May with lots of original episodes of series and special programs during the sweeps.
June boom
But cable returned with a vengeance in June. Among the highlights: eye-popping numbers for "Dead Zone," which kicked off with the highest rating in USA's history, and near-record viewership for the second-season debut of TNT's successful "Witchblade" series.
Although the broadcast networks scheduled a few original series in June, reruns still dominated their primetime lineups.
The best-performing individual cable network continued to be Lifetime, which won the second quarter in primetime with a 2.1 rating in cable homes, 11% higher than that of the same period a year ago.
Lifetime is on a dazzling Nielsen roll, winning its sixth straight quarterly victory, the longest winning streak in cable in five years, since TNT was in its heyday from the third quarter of 1996 to the fourth quarter of 1997.
Thanks to "SpongeBob" and "Cosby Show" reruns, Nickelodeon, at a 1.8 primetime rating in cable homes, tied for second with TNT in the quarter, climbing by 20% over the second quarter of 2001. TNT, boosted by movies and pro basketball, was up by 6% quarter to quarter.
TBS and Cartoon Network tied for fourth at a 1.7 rating, with TBS up by 13% from last year's quarter and Cartoon flat.
Annual comparisons
In year-to-year comparisons, the following networks came up with double-digit gains in primetime: MTV (up 11%), ESPN (up 25%), FX (up 25%) and CNN (up 14%).
Also, ABC Family (up 33%), Sci Fi Channel (up 14%), Lifetime Movie Network (up 17%) and Food Network (up 20%).
The double-digit decliners were: USA (down 11%), TNN (down 10%), History Channel (down 20%), Soap Net (down 38%), E! Entertainment TV (down 20%) and VH1 (down 25%).
