Most Returning Broadcast Network Series Lost Viewers, Ratings in 2011-12 Season, With Some Exceptions

By John Consoli -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/15/2012 9:07:42 AM

It's been well documented that Fox's American Idol and ABC's Dancing With the Stars lost a lot of viewers and a large chunk of their 18-49 demo ratings this past season, but among the returning broadcast networks' scripted and reality series, just about everyone declined.

Gleaning numbers from Nielsen data based on all first-run and repeat telecasts, CBS had four of the five series to gain viewers per episode compared to last year among the Big Four broadcast networks. CBS also had four of the only five series to grow their 18-49 ratings. ABC had one series in both viewership and demo rating show an increase, while one series was flat in its viewers per episode.

Four CBS sitcoms -- Monday's How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men and Mike & Molly, along with Thursday night comedy The Big Bang Theory -- all showed viewer and 18-49 rating increases. ABC drama Castle grew its average viewer number, while ABC sitcom Modern Family also improved its 18-49 rating. ABC drama Private Practice was flat in viewers, but down slightly in 18-49.

Biggest decliners in both viewers and the 18-49 demo rating, in addition Idol and DWTS, were Fox dramas Fringe and Bones and comedy Glee; NBC's drama Law & Order: SVU, comedies Community, 30 Rock and The Office and reality series The Apprentice.

NBC's The Voice showed gains in both viewers and the 18-49 demo, but those averages include its episode leading out of the Super Bowl, which, while it began in primetime, really cannot be considered a regular episode. Most media agencies factor it out when determining ratings used to buy the show.

Here is a list of the series and their percentage gains or declines in both viewers and the 18-49 demo comparing the 2011-12 primetime season vs. the 2010-11 season. Percentages are rounded off.

Biggest Declines

Series	Viewers	18-49 Rating
Fringe (Fox)	-32%	-37%
American Idol Thursday (Fox)	-25%	-32%
American Idol Wednesday (Fox)	-25%	-32%
The Office (NBC)	-24%	-23%
Bones (Fox)	-24%	-21%
The Apprentice (NBC)	-23%	-29%
Glee (Fox)	-22%	-21%
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)	-19%	-22%
Dancing With the Stars Monday (ABC)	-18%	-31%
Community (NBC)	-16%	-13%
30 Rock (NBC)	-16%	-25%
Dancing With the Stars Tuesday (ABC)	-14%	-22%
CSI (CBS)	-14%	-8%
The Good Wife (CBS)	-10%	-5%
The Mentalist (CBS)	-10%	-8%

Biggest Increases

Series	Viewers	18-49 Rating
The Voice (NBC)	+25%	+6%
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)	+17%	+22%
Two and a Half Men (CBS)	+9%	+20%
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)	+9%	+13%
Mike & Molly (CBS)	+1%	+7%
Castle (ABC)	+3%	-3%
Modern Family (ABC)	-7%	+8%

Smallest Declines

Series	Viewers	18-49 Rating
Private Practice (ABC)	Flat	-5%
Amazing Race Spring (CBS)	-1%	Flat
The Middle (ABC)	-1%	-5%
NCIS (CBS)	-2%	-6%
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)	-2%	-4%
60 Minutes (CBS)	-3%	Flat
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)	-5%	-10%
CSI: NY (CBS)	-5%	-14%
Parenthood (NBC)	-6%	-10%
Criminal Minds (CBS)	-7%	-3%
Survivor Spring (CBS)	-7%	-6%
Amazing Race Fall (CBS)	-8%	-8%
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)	-8%	-6%
Survivor Fall (CBS)	-8%	-8%