Special to the Director's Cut Blog
By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
Viewers are tuning in to the major networks this fall. Ratings are up 2% after years of steady declines.
New hits, big gains for some returning shows and comparisons with last fall's strike-hobbled start have helped. But the biggest factor: "There's much more DVR recording this year than in the past, which has had an impact on all the numbers," says ABC prime-time research chief Larry Hyams. A fourth of young-adult viewership is now recorded, though ratings among ages 18-49 are flat.
Starcom Media analyst Sam Armando says the season is off to a decent start: "People are aware of the shows and are checking them out." But overall, cable is down, partly from news networks' post-election drops.
AAmong the networks:
-- Top-rated CBS is up 6 percent (and flat among young adults), thanks to big gains from the seventh-season wonder "NCIS" and a strong launch for its L.A.-based spinoff. With time-slot moves, "The Big Bang Theory" is up sharply, but "The Mentalist" didn't gain much and "CSI" has shed 26 percent with the departure of star William Petersen.
-- ABC is down 4 percent (and -7 percent among young adults). Despite a better crop of new series, with "FlashForward" and "Modern Family" as standouts, others have declined from early weeks, and declines of top hits "Desperate Housewives" and "Dancing With the Stars" hurt.
-- Fox is up 5 percent (and +12 percent among young adults, ranking first), with its best fall in years. "House"'s move to Monday paid off, new hit "Cleveland Show" is buoying Sunday's animation block, and "Glee" has clicked with younger viewers. "Fringe" has suffered but improved Fox's Thursday, though Friday's "Brothers" and "Dollhouse" are a washout, yanked for November.
-- NBC is up 3 percent (but -5 percent among young adults), with no new hits and steep declines for its "Jay Leno Show" compared with last fall's dramas. What's helped? Big gains for its two most popular programs, "Sunday Night Football" and "The Biggest Loser." "Mercy" has been winning its Wednesday slot.
-- CW is down 3 percent (but +3 percent among young adults), even after ditching its low-rated Sundays. New "Vampire Diaries" is a keeper, but "Melrose Place" stalled, and Monday's "Gossip Girl"-"One Tree Hill" duo are off 20 percent or more.
