Ion Ratings Up 56% in Q2

Ion Television posted a 56% increase in primetime household ratings in the second quarter, compared to the same quarter a year ago. With an average of just over a million total viewers, Ion showed a 60% increase in total viewership during primetime. 

Ion also reported a 57% increase in the adults 25-54 demo.

The company emerged from bankruptcy near the end of 2009 and is privately owned by a trio of equity firms.

Ion has been investing in stronger off-network programming the last few years, as well as some original productions. Criminal Minds doubled the time period year over year in the second quarter, while Ghost Whisperer was up 33% in households.

Ion reaches over 98 million homes across 58 local outlets.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.