WB Release On Ratings
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY, THE WB SCORES 3 SHOWS IN TOP 20 AMONGST ALL NETWORKS IN WOMEN 18-34;
PLUS 8 OF THE TOP 11 IN FEMALE TEENS, 3 OF TOP 20 IN MALE TEENS & 8 OF TOP 20 IN TEENSBURBANK, CA (October 10, 2000)The WB Network made history in two of its key demographics by placing three shows in the top 20 for the week amongst all networks in women 18-34 and four in the top 20 in females 12-34.
DAWSON’S CREEK (5.4/15) placed 17th amongst all television shows for the week, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (4.9/14) and CHARMED (4.9/14) tied for 20th. DAWSON’S CREEK (5.5/16) ranked 9th in females 12-34 as CHARMED (5.0/16) was 14th, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (4.9/15) was 17th and 7TH HEAVEN (4.8/14) was 18th. CHARMED (4.0/12) also finished 20th in Persons 12-34.
The WB finished the week in an amazing 2nd-place tie amongst all competition in Females 12-34 (3.4/11), just one-tenth of a ratings point and one share point behind CBS, which won the demo.
In female teens, The WB, led by 7TH HEAVEN (9.0/29), which was tops amongst all shows, placed eight shows amongst the top 11 in female teens. ROSWELL (6.1/19) was 3rd, DAWSON’S CREEK (5.7/22) was 4th, CHARMED (5.3/22) was 7th, SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH (4.9/26) was 8th, FELICITY (4.8/19) was 9th, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (4.7/18) was 10th and GILMORE GIRLS (4.5/19) was 11th.
The WB also placed 5 shows in the top 10 and 8 in the top 20 amongst total teens and 3 in the top 20 in male teens.
All this added up to one of The WB’s best weeks ever, tying the all-time high in adults 18-34 (2.4/7) and hitting second best mark ever in women 18-34 (3.0/9), men 18-34 (1.7/5) & women 18-49 (2.6/7) according to Nielsen National Ratings for the first official week of the television season. All the marks were higher than any week last season for The WB as was the Male 12-34 rating of 1.9/6.
All of these ratings records are the highest scores for The WB since the disengagement from SuperStation WGN, a year ago on 10/7/99.
Night-By-Night Ratings Highlights Follow In Detail:
HIGHLIGHTS FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2000
The two Sunday newcomers HYPE and NIKKI, which set an all-time record for its timeslot in men 18-34 (2.3/6), helped the network to growth in male demos on Sunday nights.
The Sunday comedy block beat every week last season in men 12-34 (1.7/5), men 18-34 (1.4/4), men 18-49 (1.2/3) and male teens (2.5/8).
In addition to its time-period record in men 18-34 (2.3/6), NIKKI scored the network’s best time-period numbers in more than three years in men 18-49 (1.8/4) and tied the best number in three seasons in adults 18-49 (1.7/4). The comedy from Bruce Helford, and starring Nikki Cox, beat every week last year in its timeslot in men 12-34 (2.4/6) and tied the best of last season in Adults 18-34 (1.9/5) and male teens (2.8/8).
Outrageous sketch comedy show HYPE scored better than any week last season in adults 18-49 (1.6/4) and men 18-49 (1.7/4) and tied the best of the 1999-2000 season in males 12-34 (2.4/6).
THE PJs did better than any show in its time period last season in males 12-34 (1.9/5) and men 18-49 (1.2/3). FOR YOUR LOVE ratings in males 12-34 (1.4/4) and men 18-34 (1.2/3) would have been the best in the time period all last season as the romantic comedy also tied last season’s highs in adults 18-34 (1.5/5) and male teens (1.9/6) and THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW also was better than any show in its time period was last season in males 12-34 (1.4/4), and male teens (2.3/7) and tied last season’s standard in men 18-49 (1.0/2).
HIGHLIGHTS FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
The WB line-up of SABRINA, GROSSE POINTE and POPULAR combined to achieve a record high on Friday night in females 12-34 (2.4/10) and female teens (4.2/20). The new WB Friday also scored increases in its third week in nearly every demo – posting three-week highs among persons 12-34 (1.8/7), females 12-34 (2.4/10), men 12-34 (1.2/5), adults 18-34 (1.5/6), women 18-34 (1.8/7), men 18-34 (1.2/5), adults 18-49 (1.2/4) and women 18-49 (1.6/5).
Versus the equivalent week a year ago, The WB Friday was up +24% in rating in households (2.1/4) and also made significant gains over the parallel Friday, growing +80% in person 12-34, up +71% in persons 12-34, up +50% in adults 18-34 and +64% in women 18-34. The WB ranked #1 for the night in both teens (2.8/13) and female teens (4.2/20).
SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH continues to cast its spell for The WB. The comedy earned all-time highs in the time period for The WB in women 18-34 (2.4/10), females 12-34 (3.1/14) and persons 12-34 (2.2/10). The show tied the Friday 8:00 p.m. record among households (2.5/5) and adults 18-34 (1.8/8) and matched its own record set last week among female teens (4.9/26). SABRINA achieved its best deliveries since its premiere three weeks ago in nearly every demo and was up by huge percentages versus the equivalent night a year ago. SABRINA ranked #2 in the time period in females 12-34, was #1 for the night among female teens and teens, and finished #3 for the half-hour in persons 12-34 (2.2/10) and women 18-34.
GROSSE POINTE set new all-time highs in the time period among females 12-34 (2.5/11) and female teens (4.1/20). Darren Star’s comedy notched its best numbers since its premiere in households (2.0/4), persons 12-34 (1.8/7), adults 18-34 (1.5/6), women 18-34 (1.9/8), men 18-34 (1.1/4), adults 18-49 (1.2/4) and women 18-49 (1.6/5) — and registered double- and triple-digit gains over the equivalent night a year ago. The show ranked #1 in the time slot among female teens, was tied for #1 at 8:30 p.m. in teens 12-17 and finished #3 in females 12-34. GROSSE POINTE defeated the premiere of The Fugitive in not only those demos, but also topped the CBS show among women 18-34 (1.9/8 vs. 1.6/7) and tied it among persons 12-34 (1.8/7).
POPULAR also registered its best numbers since and matching its season premiere across the 12-34, 18-34 and 18-49 demographics. The show ranked #1 in the time period among female teens (3.8/18) and teens 12-17 (2.7/12), beating the premiere of Freakylinks on Fox. POPULAR achieved three-week highs in persons 12-34 (1.7/7), females 12-34 (2.1/8), men 12-34 (1.3/5), adults 18-34 (1.3/6) and women 18-34 (1.4/5). Like the two programs that preceded it, POPULAR was up dramatically in its target demos over the equivalent night a year ago – building +31% in rating in persons 12-34 and jumping +73%.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR THURSDAY, OCT. 5
The WB’s Thursday pair of critically acclaimed drama GILMORE GIRLS and the bewitching CHARMED got off to a fantastic start by setting 13 network records and tying three others in their premieres.
GILMORE GIRLS, which is the first show to make it to air from the Family Friendly Script Development Fund, set network records for its time period in women 18-34 (2.9/9), women 18-49 (2.7/8) and households (3.5/6). It also tied the network mark for its timeslot in adults 18-34 (2.2/7).
CHARMED set demo records for the night in adults 18-34 (4.1/12), men 18-34 (3.3/9), adults 18-49 (3.7/10), women 18-49 (4.6/12) and men 18-49 (2.8/7). Its household rating of 5.2/8 is not only a Thursday night record, but places it as.
The WB’s highest-rated show for the week. CHARMED, which previously aired on Wednesdays, also set all-time records for the series in men 18-34 (3.3/9) and men 18-49 (2.8/7), while tying its best-ever adults 18-49 rating (3.7/10). CHARMED also showed outstanding growth from its 1999-2000 season premiere on September 30, 1999 in all 12-34, 18-34 and 18-49 demos. For instance in persons 12-34, the drama scored a 4.0/12, up from a 3.1/9 last year. In women 18-34 it delivered a 4.9/14, up from a 3.7/10 a year ago, in adults 18-34 this year’s rating was a 4.1/12 vs. a 2.7/8 and in adults 18-49 its 3.7/10 bested last year’s 2.3/6.
The stellar beginning for the two shows added up to a great night for The WB, which set Thursday night records in adults 18-34 (3.1/9), men 18-34 (2.4/7), adults 18-49 (2.8/8), women 18-49 (3.7/10) and men 18-49 (2.0/5). Additionally, The WB finished the night deadlocked with two other Thursday records – women 18-34 (3.9/11) and in households (4.4/7).
HIGHLIGHTS FOR TUESDAY, OCT. 3
In an election year, it was Super Tuesday on The WB as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, against network premieres on ABC, FOX, CBS and UPN, set all-time records in women 18-34 (4.9/14) while tying its record in adults 18-34 (3.8/11). Perhaps even more impressively, BUFFY scored a fantastic 4.9/15 rating in women 12-34, good for second place in this vital demographic to The WB, ahead of Millionaire.
Against all original programming, BUFFY registered week-to-week gains in persons 12-34 (3.9 vs. 3.5), females 12-34 (4.9 vs. 3.9), adults 18-34 (3.8 vs. 3.5), women 18-34 (4.9 vs. 3.9), women 18-49 (3.6 vs. 3.0), teens (4.1 vs. 3.5)), female teens (4.7 vs. 3.7) and male teens (3.5 vs. 3.3). BUFFY’s total viewers increased to 6.2 million this week compared to 5.8 million in its season premiere.
BUFFY and her vampire running mate ANGEL, helped The WB score week-to-week gains for the night in females 12-34 (4.2 vs. 3.8), women 18-34 (4.2 vs. 3.9), women 18-49 (3.4 vs. 3.1), teens (3.5 vs. 3.4) and female teens (4.2 vs. 3.5).
HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4
The WB’s Wednesday night line-up of DAWSON’S CREEK and FELICITY set numerous records in their season premieres with DAWSON’S CREEK winning its time period in the networks crucial 12-34 female demo with a 5.5/16. Equally impressive for DAWSON’S CREEK was it’s 5.4/15 in women 18-34 ranking only one tenth of a point behind ‘Millionaire’ (even though Millionaire had four times the total household viewers) and two-tenths behind “Titans” to rank third in the time slot.
DAWSON’S CREEK, which won the night in teens (4.2/15) and female teens (5.7/22), scored its highest ratings since its Wednesday premiere in October 1998 in women 18-34 (5.4/15). Its adult 18-34 rating of 3.8/11 is as high as any since May 1999.
FELICITY set Wednesday night records for the series in adults 18-34 (2.5/7), women 18-34 (3.6/9) and persons 12-34 (2.6/8). The third-year drama also tied its best Wednesday marks in females 12-34 (3.9/11), women 18-49 (2.4/5) and adults 18-49 (1.7/4). FELCITY also shows a great deal of promise for this season as it got off to a better start than it did last season on Sundays in all 18-34 demographics – adults (2.5/7), women (3.6/9) and men (1.5/4).
For the night, The WB’s rating in women 18-34 rating (4.5/12) equals The WB’s best since November 1998. In adults 18-34 (3.1/9), men 18-34 (1.8/6) and women 18-49 (2.9/7) were all The WB’s best since October 1999.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 2
Both 7TH HEAVEN and ROSWELL compared favorably to last season’s Monday premieres in persons 12-34, females 12-34, adults 18-34, women 18-34 and female teens. 7TH HEAVEN outscored last season’s opener in persons 12-34 (3.5/11), females 12-34 (4.8/14), women 18-34 (3.2/9), teens (6.5/21) and female teens (9.0/29), which was tops amongst all network shows for the week. ROSWELL topped last season’s time period debut in persons 12-34 (2.4/6), females 12-34 (3.4/9), adults 18-34 (1.8/5), women 18-34 (2.5/6), men 18-34 (1.1/3), teens (4.1/13 and female teens (6.1/19).