During Summer Heat, Cable Reality Shows Sizzle
Bravo’s Project Runway , Food Network’s The Next Food Network Star bring the heat in July.
By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, July 29, 2008
Bravo and Food Network were two of the beneficiaries of a red-hot July for cable reality shows.
Both networks saw record-breaking numbers for some of their signature programs.
The fifth-season premiere of Project Runway was the highest-rated season premiere for any show in the network’s history. The fifth season as a whole is averaging 1.72 million viewers 18-49 and 2.768 million total viewers. The network also saw gains in fellow competition shows Flipping Out and Shear Genius. Bravo said this July is the network’s highest ever in the key 18-49 demo.
Food had its best monthly primetime performance ever, bolstered by the season-four finale of The Next Food Network Star. The reality competition series, which gives the winner their own series, was Food’s highest-rated and most-watched program in the channel’s history. The season finale averaged 4 million total viewers and 2.2 million in the 25-54 demo the network targets.
Bravo sister network Oxygen saw a bump from Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, delivering its best month ever in the demo and total viewers.
