Ratings Race: Live Programming Puts MTV and ESPN on Top

Author:: Ratingsintel Editors
Updated:: Mar 20, 2018
Original:: Aug 27, 2013

The primetime ratings race between TBS and USA was interrupted this week by live programming from MTV and ESPN. MTV's annual VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS and its fanfare pushed MTV up to a number one finish among ad-supported cable networks on the adult 18-34 and adult 18-49 demos for the week. ESPN's NFL Pre-Season coverage gave the sports net a win on the adult 25-54 demo. The network with the biggest total average (2+) primetime audience for the week was Nickelodeon.

After missing first place by fractions last week, A&E remained in the top 10, but dropped a few places as audiences for DUCK DYNASTY settled down in the second week of season four. AMC's average primetime ratings fell vs. last week, even though its star program, BREAKING BAD, held ratings.

Use the sort features on the table to create your own ranks, and check here for last week's report.

All Ad-Supported Cable Networks Primetime Average

<p>Media Selection</p>	<p>A18-34 Rtg</p>	<p>A18-34 Rank</p>	<p>A18-49 Rtg</p>	<p>A18-49 Rank</p>	<p>A25-54 Rtg</p>	<p>A25-54 Rank</p>	<p>P2+ Avg Aud (000)</p>	<p>P2+ Avg Aud Rank</p>
MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION	1.3	1	1.0	1	0.8	4	1947	6
ESPN	0.7	5	0.8	2	0.9	1	2246	3
TBS NETWORK	0.8	2	0.8	3	0.8	3	1737	8
USA NETWORK	0.7	4	0.7	4	0.8	2	2621	2
A&E NETWORK	0.5	6	0.6	5	0.7	5	1831	7
HISTORY	0.4	8	0.6	6	0.7	6	2089	5
ADULT SWIM	0.7	3	0.5	7	0.4	19	1250	11
TURNER NETWORK TELEVISION	0.3	16	0.5	8	0.6	7	2201	4
NICKELODEON	0.5	7	0.5	9	0.4	13	2873	1
FX	0.4	12	0.4	10	0.4	16	1028	18
TLC	0.4	15	0.4	11	0.5	8	1240	12
SPIKE TV	0.4	13	0.4	12	0.4	10	994	19
AMC	0.4	14	0.4	13	0.4	12	1084	16
BRAVO	0.3	18	0.4	14	0.4	10	872	23
DISCOVERY CHANNEL	0.3	23	0.4	15	0.4	9	944	22
LIFETIME TELEVISION	0.3	20	0.4	16	0.4	15	1142	15
VH1	0.4	11	0.4	16	0.3	20	725	28
ABC FAMILY	0.4	9	0.4	18	0.3	22	986	21
HOME AND GARDEN TV	0.2	27	0.3	19	0.4	14	1329	10
SYFY	0.3	22	0.3	19	0.4	18	987	20
FOOD NETWORK	0.3	26	0.3	21	0.4	17	1038	17
COMEDY CENTRAL	0.4	10	0.3	22	0.3	26	632	31
NICK-AT-NITE	0.3	17	0.3	23	0.3	24	1208	13
TRUTV	0.3	24	0.3	24	0.3	21	851	24
E!	0.3	19	0.3	25	0.3	25	598	32
BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TV	0.3	21	0.3	26	0.3	23	736	26
THE CARTOON NETWORK	0.3	25	0.2	27	0.2	32	1154	14
ANIMAL PLANET	0.2	30	0.2	28	0.2	28	689	29
INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY	0.1	35	0.2	29	0.3	27	648	30
OXYGEN MEDIA	0.2	28	0.2	30	0.2	37	425	40
LIFETIME MOVIE NETWORK	0.1	32	0.2	31	0.2	33	580	33
OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK	0.1	38	0.2	31	0.2	31	573	34
TRAVEL CHANNEL	0.1	39	0.2	33	0.2	34	438	38
TV LAND	0.1	37	0.2	34	0.2	29	777	25
NFL NETWORK	0.1	31	0.2	35	0.2	36	384	42
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHNL	0.1	34	0.1	36	0.2	35	401	41
FOX NEWS CHANNEL	0.1	50	0.1	37	0.2	30	1453	9
MTV2	0.2	29	0.1	38	0.1	54	278	51
CMT	0.1	36	0.1	39	0.1	40	328	46
ESPN2	0.1	41	0.1	40	0.1	39	487	36
NICK JR	0.1	33	0.1	41	0.1	47	442	37
MSNBC	0.1	42	0.1	42	0.1	38	527	35
H2	0.1	46	0.1	43	0.1	41	316	48
WE:WOMENS ENTERTAINMENT	0.1	40	0.1	44	0.1	43	319	47
HALLMARK CHANNEL	0.0	58	0.1	45	0.1	42	730	27
TV ONE	0.1	44	0.1	46	0.1	49	184	64
GALAVISION	0.1	43	0.1	47	0.1	49	195	60
BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL	0.1	52	0.1	48	0.1	45	240	54
BBC-AMERICA	0.1	47	0.1	49	0.1	45	233	55
SCIENCE	0.1	50	0.1	50	0.1	48	278	51
CABLE NEWS NETWORK	0.1	55	0.1	51	0.1	44	432	39
STYLE	0.1	45	0.1	52	0.1	51	191	61
DIY NETWORK	0.1	53	0.1	53	0.1	52	230	56
MLB NETWORK	0.1	55	0.1	54	0.1	55	196	59
GSN	0.1	48	0.1	55	0.1	56	354	44
DESTINATION AMERICA	0.0	68	0.1	56	0.1	57	175	66
DISCOVERY EN ESPANOL	0.0	59	0.1	56	0.1	63	119	80
HLN	0.0	72	0.1	56	0.1	53	301	49
G4	0.1	53	0.1	59	0.1	60	164	68
INDEPENDENT FILM CHANNEL	0.1	57	0.1	60	0.1	58	161	70
FOX SPORTS 1	0.0	71	0.1	61	0.1	60	157	71
NAT GEO WILD	0.0	78	0.1	61	0.1	60	181	65
DISNEY XD	0.0	59	0.1	63	0.0	71	382	43
THE HUB	0.0	65	0.1	64	0.1	66	218	57
WGN AMERICA	0.0	61	0.1	64	0.1	65	206	58
NICKTOONS	0.1	49	0.1	66	0.0	84	275	53
SPROUT	0.0	61	0.0	67	0.0	75	186	63
FX MOVIE CHANNEL	0.0	63	0.0	68	0.1	69	128	79
MUN2 CABLE	0.0	65	0.0	69	0.0	77	94	85
TVGN	0.0	72	0.0	69	0.0	71	139	76
INSP	0.0	82	0.0	71	0.1	59	331	45
VELOCITY	0.0	82	0.0	71	0.1	66	148	75
ESPNEWS	0.0	67	0.0	73	0.0	76	93	86
NBC SPORTS NETWORK	0.0	77	0.0	73	0.0	73	96	84
DISCOVERY FIT & HEALTH	0.0	63	0.0	75	0.0	85	117	82
CNBC	0.0	75	0.0	76	0.0	70	151	73
COOKING CHANNEL	0.0	84	0.0	76	0.0	73	118	81
THE WEATHER CHANNEL	0.0	86	0.0	76	0.1	64	190	62
MILITARY CHANNEL	0.0	84	0.0	79	0.1	68	167	67
UP	0.0	78	0.0	80	0.0	79	156	72
CHILLER	0.0	92	0.0	81	0.0	80	86	87
REELZCHANNEL	0.0	86	0.0	81	0.0	77	149	74
CENTRIC	0.0	78	0.0	83	0.0	86	78	88
ESPNU	0.0	75	0.0	83	0.0	90	63	91
LOGO	0.0	74	0.0	83	0.0	87	74	89
TEENNICK	0.0	69	0.0	86	0.0	94	164	68
FUSE	0.0	70	0.0	87	0.0	89	60	92
SOAPNET	0.0	86	0.0	88	0.0	81	134	77
GOLF CHANNEL	0.0	86	0.0	89	0.0	82	132	78
GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY	0.0	86	0.0	90	0.0	91	71	90
NBA-TV	0.0	78	0.0	90	0.0	88	60	92
HALLMARK MOVIE CHANNEL	0.0	94	0.0	92	0.0	82	285	50
VH1 CLASSIC	0.0	93	0.0	93	0.0	93	48	95
FOX DEPORTES	0.0	91	0.0	94	0.0	95	30	98
CLOO	0.0	94	0.0	95	0.0	92	53	94
FOX SOCCER	0.0	97	0.0	96	0.0	96	32	97
FOX SPORTS 2	0.0	98	0.0	97	0.0	97	19	99
TR3S	0.0	94	0.0	98	0.0	101	17	101
AL JAZEERA AMERICA	0.0	100	0.0	99	0.0	99	18	100
RFD-TV	0.0	98	0.0	100	0.0	98	112	83
FOX BUSINESS NETWORK	0.0	101	0.0	101	0.0	99	40	96