A massive programming overhaul, prompted largely by panic, is actually turning out pretty well for MyNetworkTV. All but dismissed by media buyers as a failure just months into its first season, the revamped News Corp. network is bringing in a lot more viewers and even produced record numbers last week.
The Thursday night special “Happy Birthday Elton,” which aired at 8 p.m., drew the best overnight rating in seven-month-old MNT’s history. It averaged a 1.1 final household rating and 2 share, doubling the average rating for the network’s two telenovelas last week.
It follows another successful celebrity special last month, “MyNetworkTV Presents: Anna Nicole Smith,” which had been the network’s highest-rated program.
“John” boosted MNT to a 0.7/1 average last week, 17 percent above its season-to-date average of 0.6/1, according to Nielsen data. Of course the network remains well behind the Big Five networks and Univision.
But its ratings have improved immensely since dropping its original telenovela-only format last month to focus on a variety of programming. It now has several programs that, if not hits, have shown promise.
The new schedule includes International Fight League matches on Mondays and theatrical movie showings on Friday and Saturday, with award shows or other specials running Thursday and the network’s final batch of telenovelas airing Tuesday and Wednesday.
“American Heiress” and “Saints and Sinners,” the telenovelas, are currently MNT’s lowest-rated shows.
When those two are finished, MNT will begin showing reality and celebrity shows, which the "John" and "Smith" specials have already showed demonstrate wide appeal.
The movies have also been a surprising success.
Season to date, its Friday movies are the network’s second-most-watched show with an average 1.14 million viewers. That’s up more than 22 percent over its most-watched telenovela offering, last fall’s “Desire.”
Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended April 8:
Among adults 18-49, Fox led with a 3.8 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS at 3.2/9, ABC at 3.0/9, NBC at 2.2/6, Univision at 1.5/4, CW at 1.0/3, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura at 0.2/1, Ion at 0.2/0 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Among adults 18-34, Fox led with a 3.4 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS at 2.3/8, ABC at 2.3/7, NBC and Univision at 1.7/5, CW at 1.2/4, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura at 0.3/1, and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Among adults 25-54, Fox led with a 4.1 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS at 4.0/11, ABC at 3.6/9, NBC at 2.6/7, Univision at 1.5/4, CW at 1.0/3, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura and Ion at 0.2/1, and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Top five (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 10.4; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 9.9; 3. Fox’s “House” 8.7; 4. CBS’s “NCAA Basketball Championship”7.2; 5. CBS’s “CSI” 6.7.
Top five (total viewers): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 26.67 million; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 26.10 million; 3. CBS’s “CSI” 21.69 million; 4. Fox’s “House” 20.35 million; 5. CBS’s “NCAA Basketball Championship” 19.56 million.
Bottom five (18-49s): Tie-98. CW’s “Gilmore Girls,” “All of Us,” “Girlfriends” and “America’s Next Top Model-Encore” 0.7; 102. CW’s “One Tree Hill” 0.3.
Bottom five (total viewers): 98. CW’s “All of Us” 1.68 million; 99. CW’s “Gilmore Girls” 1.65 million; 100. CW’s “Girlfriends” 1.63 million; 101. CW’s “America’s Next Top Model - Encore” 1.59 million; 102. CW’s “One Tree Hill” 0.89 million.
Show on the rise: “According to Jim,” ABC, Wednesday 9 p.m. Jim Belushi has to be thrilled ABC quickly canceled the bomb “Great American Dream Vote.” “Jim” last week posted a 2.2 rating among 18-49s, up 16 percent versus a 1.9 the previous week, when it led out of “Vote.”
Show on the decline: “Dancing with the Stars,” ABC, Monday 8 p.m. “Stars” started the season hot, but has since cooled somewhat. Last week’s Monday episode posted a 4.8 among 18-49s, down 19 percent from a 5.9 the week before. The Tuesday results show also slipped 13 percent week-to-week, from a 4.5 to a 3.9.
