Five months ago, to much fanfare, NBC returned to its longtime strategy of running four sitcoms and a drama on Thursdays, a night it owned for two decades until, sensing weakness, CBS and later ABC began programming more aggressively.
Now it looks like NBC will have to revise its strategy for the fourth time since “Friends” left the air three years ago.
This one isn't working. The network last week endured its worst Thursday night in decades, with two shows dropping to series lows and little hope that they will recover.
NBC averaged a 3.3 adults 18-49 rating Thursday night, April 12, its lowest since Nielsen began using people meters in 1987. It was down 13 percent from its season-to-date Thursday average of 3.8, which was already down 17 percent from last year’s 4.6. It finished behind ABC, which ran mostly repeats.
“My Name is Earl,” with a 3.0 rating, and “ER,” with a 3.7, both dipped to series lows. The only show above a 4.0 rating was the 8:30 p.m. program “The Office,” at a 4.1, with 9 p.m.’s “30 Rock” averaging a 2.6 and lead-out “Scrubs” at 2.7.
“Earl” has been sinking all season, facing tougher competition from new Fox timeslot competitor “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” and general fan malaise for season two of a show that has gotten a bit repetitive.
“ER,” which had been losing audience before going on a month-long hiatus, fell behind CBS’s competing “Shark” for the first time in 18-49s.
That spells almost certain changes to NBC's Thursday lineup when it returns in the fall.
Media buyers have told Media Life they are disappointed with “ER’s” slumping ratings and would like to see it relocated, if not dropped altogether. It has suffered without a strong lead-in, as the Thursday 9 p.m. comedies are especially weak.
The question is how to rebuild.
“Office,” “Earl” and “Rock” have already been renewed, and at least two of them are likely to stay on this night. The network may want to pair “Rock,” which it thinks has growth potential, with “Office,” its strongest comedy, putting the latter at 8 p.m. and moving “Earl” to a different night.
At 9 p.m. it might try a new drama or reality show that appeals to men, as female-skewing “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC already owns the timeslot among women.
And at 10, where CBS and ABC are expected to try new dramas next year, the network could try moving in a veteran, established drama like “Law & Order” or “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” which have faded but could revive against light competition.
Of course if it wanted to be really bold like ABC was this year with “Grey’s,” it could switch its only big hit, “Heroes,” to Thursdays. But that would prove disastrous if the audience didn't follow.
The longer-term question for NBC may be whether it can afford to keep betting on smart shows designed to appeal to an upscale audience, its traditional franchise. They just don't generate the ratings, and there's no bet they will if the network stands behind them waiting for them to find their audience.
For the second straight week, the network hit an all-time low in weekly average, dipping to a 2.2 rating. That’s a dangerous trend with the upfront barely a month away.
Meanwhile, in broadcast ratings for the week ended April 15:
Among adults 18-49, Fox led with a 4.0 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS and ABC at 3.1/9, NBC at 2.2/6, Univision at 1.7/5, CW at 1.1/3, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo at 0.4/1, Telefutura at 0.3/1, and Ion and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Among adults 18-34, Fox led with a 3.6 average rating and an 11 share, followed by ABC at 2.5/8, CBS at 2.0/6, Univision at 1.8/6, NBC at 1.7/5, CW at 1.3/4, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV 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 4.3 average rating and an 11 share, followed by CBS at 4.0/10, ABC at 3.6/9, NBC at 2.6/7, Univision at 1.6/4, CW at 1.0/2, Telemundo and MyNetworkTV at 0.4/1, Telefutura at 0.3/1, Ion at 0.2/0 and Azteca at 0.1/0.
Top five (18-49s): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 11.1; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 10.3; 3. Fox’s “House” 8.8; 4. CBS’s “CSI” 6.7; 5. ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” 6.4.
Top five (total viewers): 1. Fox’s “American Idol - Wednesday” 28.56 million; 2. Fox’s “American Idol - Tuesday” 26.78 million; 3. CBS’s “CSI” 22.18 million; 4. Fox’s “House” 21.57 million; 5. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” 18.84 million.
Bottom five (18-49s): Tie-93. CW’s “Gilmore Girls,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “America’s Next Top Model-Encore” 0.7; Tie-96. CW’s “7th Heaven-Encore,” NBC’s “Andy Barker, P.I.” 0.6; 98. NBC’s “Andy Barker, P.I.” 0.5; 99. CW’s “The Brick Awards” 0.4.
Bottom five (total viewers): 95. NBC’s “Andy Barker, P.I.” 1.95 million; 96. CW’s “Gilmore Girls” 1.75 million; 97. CW’s “America’s Next Top Model - Encore” 1.55 million; 98. CW’s “7th Heaven-Encore” 1.38 million; 99. . CW’s “The Brick Awards” 1.05 million.
Show on the rise: “American Idol,” Fox, Wednesday 9 p.m. Will love-him-or-hate-him Sanjaya Malakar stick around for another week? That question may have finally jolted “Idol’s” recently sinking results show, which last week posted an 11.1 rating among 18-49s, a 12 percent increase versus a 9.9 the previous week.
Show on the decline: “Crossing Jordan” NBC, Wednesday 9 p.m. The end of “Jordan” may come soon as the show continues to slide: last week it posted a 1.7 among 18-49s, tying for No. 70 for the week on broadcast and off 15 percent from a 2.0 the week before.
