While the broadcast networks continued their usual summer ratings patterns last week, Disney Channel ended USA Network’s 13-week run as cable’s most-watched network in prime time, thanks to “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam.”
Friday’s premiere of “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam,” starring tween favorites the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato, averaged 7.96 million viewers, the most for a movie on cable television this year and the most for any cable program Aug. 30-Sept. 5, according to figures released Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research.
“Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam” would have placed sixth among the week’s programs on the five major broadcast networks.
Disney Channel averaged 3.13 million viewers for its prime-time programming for the week, which also included Saturday and Sunday airings of “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam” and a Thursday showing of the 2008 made-for-cable movie, “Camp Rock.”
NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” returned to the top of the television ratings following a two-week absence because of NBC’s coverage of the Emmy Awards and “Sunday Night Football.” The Tuesday episode averaged 11.5 million viewers, while the Wednesday episode was second, averaging 10.47 million.
An episode of “America’s Got Talent” has been the most-watched program seven of the last 11 weeks and the most-watched non-sports program 12 of the 14 weeks it has aired this summer.
CBS’ combination of reruns of its scripted programs, “60 Minutes” and “Big Brother” enabled it to be the most-watched network for the 11th consecutive week, averaging 5.71 million viewers for its prime-time programming between Aug. 23 and Sunday.
CBS had the five most-watched scripted programs, topped by “Two and a Half Men,” which finished third overall, averaging 9.14 million viewers.
The three “Big Brother” episodes all finished among the top 11 programs of the week, led by the Wednesday episode, which was sixth for the week, averaging 7.87 million,
NBC finished second, averaging 5.18 million viewers, followed by ABC, which averaged 4.65 million, and Fox Broadcasting, which averaged 3.62 million.
ABC was first among viewers ages 18-49, the group it, Fox and NBC target and advertisers covet because those viewers watch less television and are harder to reach.
ABC’s most-watched programs in the category were “Wipeout” and “Bachelor Pad.” The Tuesday episode of “America’s Got Talent” was the most-watched program in the category.
Fox led among viewers ages 12-17 and 18-34 while CBS was first among viewers ages 25-54 and 55 and older.
For ratings purposes, ABC and CBS both aired 21 hours, 40 minutes of prime-time programming for the week and NBC 21 hours, 39 minutes – less than the usual 22 hours because of a speech by President Barack Obama – and Fox its usual 15 hours.
As usual, Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network, averaging 3.81 million viewers for its prime-time programming. Telemundo was second, averaging 810,000 viewers, followed by TeleFutura, which averaged 730,000, Azteca America, which averaged 210,000 and Estrella TV, which averaged 180,000.
Univision drew more viewers ages 18-49 than any of the five major English-language networks.
The week’s most-watched Spanish-language prime-time program was the Tuesday episode of the Univision telenovela, “Soy tu Duena,” which averaged 5.94 million viewers, which would have put it 19th among the programs on the five major English-language networks.
The “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams” finished first among the network nightly newscasts for the 98th time in 99 weeks, averaging 8.04 million viewers.
ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer” finished second, averaging 6.96 million viewers.
“The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric” averaged 5.4 million viewers to finish third for the 206th consecutive week.
NIELSEN PRIME-TIME RATINGS
Prime-time television viewership numbers compiled by The Nielsen Co. for Aug. 30-Sept. 5. Listings include the week’s ranking and viewership for the week.
1. “America’s Got Talent” (Tuesday), NBC, 11.50 million viewers
2. “America’s Got Talent” (Wednesday), NBC,10.47 million viewers
3. “Two and a Half Men,” CBS, 9.14 million viewers
4. “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS, 8.92 million viewers
5. “NCIS,” CBS, 8.17 million viewers
6. “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam” (Friday), Disney Channel, 7.96 million viewers
7. “Big Brother” (Wednesday), CBS, 7.87 million viewers
8. “NCIS: Los Angeles,” CBS, 7.84 million viewers
9. “The Closer,” TNT, 7.61 million viewers
10. “Big Brother” (Sunday), CBS, 7.19 million viewers
11. “60 Minutes,” CBS, 7.05 million viewers
12. “Wipeout” (Tuesday), ABC, 6.93 million viewers
13. “Big Brother” (Thursday), CBS, 6.54 million viewers
14. “Jersey Shore,” MTV, 6.54 million viewers
15. “Rizzoli & Isles,” TNT, 6.42 million viewers
16. “Bachelor Pad,” ABC, 6.21 million viewers
17. “Criminal Minds,” CBS, 6.17 million viewers
18. “Minute to Win It” (Wednesday), NBC, 6.15 million viewers
19. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” NBC, 6.11 million viewers
20. “CSI: Miami,” CBS, 6.04 million viewers
