Last night was SVU's first episode of the 11th season. Things did not go well for SVU or NBC in general.

SVU came in fourth for the 9:00 hour with 8.36 million viewers and 7 share for 18-49. They were beaten by ABC's combo of Modern Family and Cougar Town, CBS' Criminal Minds and FOX's Glee.

Time Net Show 18-49 Rating 18-49 Share Viewers Live+SD (million)
9:00 ABC Modern Family (series premiere) 4.3 12 12.736
CBS Criminal Minds (premiere) 4.2 11 15.417
FOX Glee 3.0 8 6.624
NBC Law & Order: SVU (premiere) 2.5 7 8.358
CW The Beautiful Life: TBL 0.5 1 1.086

9:30 ABC Cougar Town (series premiere) 4.3 11 11.438


I'll update the information if/when the ratings for 18-34 show up.

Hmm, lets hope that can be fixed. We really need the ratings to go well, especially this year. Thanks for the information hisgirl.

NBC reran the season premiere of SVU on Saturday night. There was the possibility that people missed the fact SVU had moved to Wednesday so there was hope for some improvement in the ratings. But there was still a decided lack of viewers. SVU came in third behind ABC's football (on the East Coast) and CBS' 48 Hour Mystery. it was third in overall viewership throughout the hour. It tied for second with Mystery in the second half hour in the 18-49 demographic numbers.

To put it bluntly, NBC screwed up with SVU that same way CBS screwed up with The Mentalist. Neither program had much promotion because the networks assumed the viewers would simply follow their show. Neither program had a big deal for their season premiere. It was just another episode. In the ads telling people SVU was moving to Wednesday, there was no notice of what was going to happen in the first episode.
NBC has done better for the upcoming episode. The ads for Sugar tell you the name guest star and show clips from the episode. We'll see if that helps.
But the other change NBC needs to make is to remove the Saturday rerun. If someone has to choose between watching SVU or something else on Wednesday, knowing they can see SVU three days later makes the choice easier. Why make it easier to chose to watch someone else's programming?

It's for people who are not able to watch TV at night during the weekdays. Some people work evening shifts, while others have irregular schedules that don't allow them to see their shows at their regularly scheduled time slot. And no, not everyone has DVRs or Tivo or something like that. The problem is that NBC doesn't promote the Law & Order franchise nearly as well as the others they bombard TV viewers with. Other networks also rerun their new episodes that same weekend, a few days after the new episode aired on its scheduled time. It's just that, at least based on the networks I watch, it appears as though they promote both returning and new shows equally compared to NBC.

Or maybe we can just blame Leno.

Another episode and SVU remains in fourth place for the 9:00PM hour on Wednesday. They did come in ahead of a rerun of Melrose Place.

Criminal Minds had 13.60 million viewers with a 3.6 rating and 10 share.
Modern Family had 9.91 million viewers with a 3.7 rating and 10 share. Cougar Town at 9:30 had 9.14 million viewers with a 3.6 rating and 9 share.
Glee had 7.32 million viewers with a 3.2 rating and 9 share.
SVU had 7.90 million viewers with a 2.5 rating and 7 share.
Melrose Place (rerun) had 1.08 million viewers with a .5 rating and 1 share.

Thanks for the info hisgirl. This makes me sad...=(

The rating numbers, but not share for the 18-34 demo were posted.

Modern Family 2.3
Cougar Town 2.2
Univision, Manana 2.15
Glee 2.05
SVU 1.75
Criminal Minds 1.55
Melrose Place 0.4

I'm worried.

I do, him and NBC.

Couple of things to remember:

A week ago (when "Unstable" aired), in addition to that competition, "SVU" also had to air opposite an MLB doubleheader on ESPN, while this past Wednesday "SVU" also had to go against the one serious pennant race game taking place, Twins-Tigers on ESPN in most of the country, and also locally in Philadelphia had to air opposite what turned out to be the Phillies clincher for the National League East against the Astros and in LA went opposite Dodgers-Padres, which was a possible division clincher for the Dodgers.

As for the Saturday episodes, don't forget, in addition to college football on ABC (this past week Iowa-Penn State), in the east "SVU" also had to air opposite other college football games on ESPN (Notre Dame-Purdue), ESPN2 (Texas Tech-Houston) and FSN (Washington State-USC). Those games combined also probably hurt the Saturday "SVU" rating.

Once again the Saturday repeat of SVU did not do well. On the east coast, football won with 6.51 million viewer with 2.1 rating and a 7 share in the 18-49 demo. A new 48 Hour Mystery came in second with 6.50 million viewers, with 1.3 rating and a 4 share. SVU had 5.29 million viewers with 1.3 rating and a 4 share.On the west coast, ABC did not have football at 10PM and scheduled a repeat of Grey's Anatomy from 10/1. I have not yet found how that would be reflected in the ratings.
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sviewer Posted Sep 29 2009, 02:42 PM
"It's for people who are not able to watch TV at night during the weekdays. Some people work evening shifts, while others have irregular schedules that don't allow them to see their shows at their regularly scheduled time slot. And no, not everyone has DVRs or Tivo or something like that."

NBC is not that altruistic. They scheduled SVU repeat as well as repeats of their other dramas as filler. It is cheaper to play reruns than to come up with original programming for a night they figure no one in the desired demographic groups are going to be home watching television or will be watching football if it is on. NBC's whole Saturday schedule is repeats. Two thirds of CBS's schedule is repeats. Even ABC scheduled a repeat if there was time after football.

"The problem is that NBC doesn't promote the Law & Order franchise nearly as well as the others they bombard TV viewers with."

They figured they didn't have to promote SVU. All the commercials that I saw focused on the move to Wednesday night instead of what the episode would be about.

"Other networks also rerun their new episodes that same weekend, a few days after the new episode aired on its scheduled time. It's just that, at least based on the networks I watch, it appears as though they promote both returning and new shows equally compared to NBC."

CBS and ABC did run repeats and they didn't do terribly well. For example, the premiere of FlashForward had 12.41 million viewers with a 4.1 rating and a 12 share. The next night it had 4.55 million viewers with a 1.5 rating and a 5 share. The following week, Thursday's episode had 10.78 million viewers with a 3.7 rating and an 11 share. The repeat on Friday had 3.76 million viewers with a 1.0 rating and a 4 share. As of today, ABC has not announced what they will be running at 8PM on Friday.

"Or maybe we can just blame Leno."

Leno is a symptom, not the disease.

Wallyhorse Posted Oct 2 2009, 07:00 AM
Couple of things to remember:

A week ago (when "Unstable" aired), in addition to that competition, "SVU" also had to air opposite an MLB doubleheader on ESPN, while this past Wednesday "SVU" also had to go against the one serious pennant race game taking place, Twins-Tigers on ESPN in most of the country, and also locally in Philadelphia had to air opposite what turned out to be the Phillies clincher for the National League East against the Astros and in LA went opposite Dodgers-Padres, which was a possible division clincher for the Dodgers.

As for the Saturday episodes, don't forget, in addition to college football on ABC (this past week Iowa-Penn State), in the east "SVU" also had to air opposite other college football games on ESPN (Notre Dame-Purdue), ESPN2 (Texas Tech-Houston) and FSN (Washington State-USC). Those games combined also probably hurt the Saturday "SVU" rating.

But what you are talking about is just the eastern part of the country. The western side gets the sports before primetime. Saturday's primetime football game is scheduled to start at 5 and end at 8:30. It was to be followed by an hour of sports wrap (to allow for overtime), then Jeopardy and a repeat of Grey's Anatomy. So sports didn't play a role in the second largest television market in the US.

Let's face it...the time slot/day shift is just NOT going to bode well for SVU.
It's up against pretty stiff competition on Wednesday.
And I do think Hisgirl is right about the Sat. rerun shooting them in the foot. I was talking to my sister...she asked me if I was watching "Glee." I said, no, because it's up against SVU. She said.."yeah, but you know they re-run that on Saturdays."
And so, that's probably not a unique situation!

I hope they are able to shift it. Since Leno isn't going anywhere...I wonder if it would do better on a different night?

LoriOZ Posted Today, 08:11 PM
I hope they are able to shift it. Since Leno isn't going anywhere...I wonder if it would do better on a different night?

Where would you have them move to that would be any better?

We already know Saturday isn't working well. Even if it was the first run for an episode, it would be facing football on the east coast.
At the moment, NBC has football on Sunday. It's the one they do well. But they could try moving SVU there after the season is over.
Mondays NBC has Heroes and Trauma which are also not doing well between House and the CBS comedies.
Tuesday NBC has the Biggest Loser which historically does better as the season progresses. But NCIS and NCIS: LA aren't something SVU is going to do well against.
Thursday is NBC comedy night. They are not doing great but they are doing better than SVU does now on Wednesday. Grey's Anatomy and CIS would probably leave SVU in just as bad shape as it is now.
Friday would be the only real choice. Put it on after L&O at 9:00. But that means moving Southland which hasn't even premiered yet this fall.

In all honesty, I am not. I have a feeling that the change has thrown a lot of people off and once it gets in the groove, it will be fine. I am just not sure changing the hour from 10pm to 9pm was such a great idea. A lot of people, especially those that work nights, found it more convenient to watch this show at 10pm. I like it at 9pm because I can go to bed earlier but if I do miss it then I DVR it and watch it later. It may run in to some issues in January though when more shows come back on, like Lost. We also have to understand that SVU has been on for 10+ years, not to mention a lot of shipper viewers tuned out because of the extreme lack of e/o, opinion not fact on that last one. All good things must come to an end and if SVU ends after this season then we would have 11 great years of our favorite actors.

For the third week SVU is placed fourth in the 9PM ratings, but it did go up a little.

Criminal Minds had 13.49 million viewers with a 3.5 rating and a 9 share.
Modern Family had 8.46 million viewers with a 3.2 rating and a 9 share. Cougar Town lost some of those viewers with 7.8 million ant a 3.1 rating and an 8 share.
Glee had 7.3 million with a 3.2 rating and an 8 share.
SVU had 8.14 million viewers with a 2.6 rating and a 7 share.
Melrose Place had 1.08 million viewers with a .5 rating and a 1 share.

There was baseball on TBS from 8-11 which got 7 million viewers with a rating of 2.5 and a share of 7. This affected the ratings over all but not specifically SVU.

I just read on TVGuide.com that NBC has CANCELLED "Southland."

I'm wondering if they are planning to move SVU to the Friday spot, after the mothership! Might work out a lot better.

LoriOZ Posted Today, 07:45 AM
I just read on TVGuide.com that NBC has CANCELLED "Southland."

I'm wondering if they are planning to move SVU to the Friday spot, after the mothership! Might work out a lot better.

No. They are keeping PrimeTime in the 9PM slot on Fridays. It's a cheap show to produce. It's ratings aren't great but Friday isn't a night anybody is willing to do battle over. While SVU has lost 30% of its audience in the move to Wednesday, moving it back to Friday probably wouldn't help it. Just moving it again could hurt.

With not one but two football games being run in primetime (in the east), the rerun of SVU did not do very well. It had 4.70 million viewers with a rating of 1.2 and a 3 share. That was an improvement over golf with 3.7 million viewers, a .6 rating and a 2 share until 9:30, and then Trauma with 2.73 million viewers, a .6 rating and a 2 share. But the game on CBS just blew away the competition.
I have yet to figure out why NBC is running their highest rated drama as filler on a night they have to know it will do badly. In marketing, perception is reality. Numbers like this just make SVU look bad.

If they stop watching because of shipping purposes than they were never really a fan of the show anyway IMO. I love Alex and Olivia together but I still watch the show in Stephanie March's absence. That's what Fan-Fics are for!



I agree. Very few shows stay alive for a decade. Some don't even make it past two episodes. Just ask Ashton Kutcher.

I agree but when you are passionate about something you are very sensitive about any changes or alterations. In the middle of season 8, the show completly changed course and threw a lot of fans off. I know that I was very tempted to stop watching because of what happened but as long as Mariska continues with the show I will continue to watch.

And now an example of what the truly creative writers at NBC are doing.

"NBC TIES FOR #2 IN ADULTS 18-49 FOR THE PRIMETIME WEEK OF OCT. 5-11

Wednesday from 9-10:01 p.m. ET, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (2.6/7 in adults 18-49, 8.3 million viewers overall) locked up its highest 18-49 rating so far this season in its new time period. Versus NBC’s average in this slot during the regular 2008-09 season, “SVU” was up 53 percent in 18-49 rating (2.6 vs. 1.7) and 42 percent or more than 2.4 million persons in total viewers (8.3 million vs. 5.9 million). It is worth noting that in the season’s first week, “Law & Order: SVU” added 24 percent to its 18-49 rating when going from its “live plus same day” to its “live plus seven day” results.

“SVU” scored NBC’s highest 18-49 rating in this time period during the traditional primetime season since October 8, 2008. From its first half-hour to its second, “SVU” grew by 13 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 2.8 from a 2.5) and by 10 percent in total viewers (to 8.7 million from 7.9 million)."

Okay I see what you mean. I haven't watched any of season 8 until today so I see what you mean. I was thinking if the two characters aren't together like romantically. Because I've heard some people claim they will stop watching because of that.

For the fourth week. SVU came fourth in the ratings, but it is up a little bit again. But so were the other shows probably due to less sports.
the numbers for the 9 PM hour:
Criminal Minds had 13.41 million viewers with a 3.6 rating in the 18-49 demo and a 9 share.
Modern Family had 9.29 million viewers with a 3.6 rating and a 9 share. Cougar Town had 7.91 million viewers with a 3.2 rating and an 8 share.
Glee had 7.54 million viewers with a 3.3 rating and a 9 share.
SVU had 8.78 million viewers with a 2.7 rating and a 7 share.
A repeat of Melrose Place had .88 million viewers with a .4 ratings and a 4 share.

As more information comes in, I'll try to update.

Everybody got whopped by baseball Saturday night. SVU did manage 5.23 million viewers with a 1.4 rating and a 5 share. 48 Hour Mystery had 6.09 million viewers with a 1.4 rating and a 4 share. But the Yankees/angels games had 8.92 million viewers with a 3.0 rating and a 9 share at 10 and 8.95 million with a 2.7 rating and still a 9 share at 10:30.

The good news is that NBC may have seen the light about running a repeat of SVU at 10 on Saturday night against sports. Saturday 10/31 will see Monk in that spot.

Hisgirlforevermore, does DVR effect ratings at all? I know that my brother and I share a TV in our house and he likes to watch sports on Wednesdays so I DVR the episode and watch it later. Does that effect the ratings?

Mary82 Posted Today, 02:01 AM
Hisgirlforevermore, does DVR effect ratings at all? I know that my brother and I share a TV in our house and he likes to watch sports on Wednesdays so I DVR the episode and watch it later. Does that effect the ratings?

The Nielsen Company did figure out that DVR watching can change a shows ratings. They have a set of numbers that measures how many people watch the shows they recorded within 7 days after the airing. There is also a set of numbers that show how many watched the same day. They combine the Live numbers with the DVR numbers to get Live +7.
Some shows have a huge increase due to DVR watching. For example Glee got a 25% increase in their viewers and raised their rating from 3.1 to 3.9. SVU did increase the number of their viewers but less than the increase for Criminal Minds and Glee. The ABC comedies on Wednesday didn't get enough new viewers to make it to the top 25 increased audiences.

The numbers I post here are the Live numbers. We don't want to wait. If there is a significant increase in SVU ratings due to DVR viewing, I will post it. But it does take awhile for the Live +7 information to be released. The number I listed above are from 9/21 -27 and those numbers weren't posted until 10/12. That was the most recent posting.

Haven't been on in a while here, but that is not entirely true. I did note the FSN telecast (Washington State-USC), which ran until around 1:45 AM ET, which means it DID air opposite "SVU" in the west, along with a Dodgers-Padres game that in So. California may have also had a serious impact on "SVU's" Wednesday rating.

Also, it needs to be remembered that the football telecasts on Saturdays cover the Eastern and Central time zones, which I believe cover 70 percent of the viewing audience for most shows, so yes, those do have impact on the Saturday repeats of "SVU," as did last week's NASCAR race that aired on ABC and Game 2 of the Angels-Yankees American League Championship Series, which ran so late (to 1:10 AM ET) that it did overlap the "SVU" airing on NBC in the west.

Tonight, "SVU" is likely going to see its rating hurt again because you have it opposite Game 5 of the Dodgers-Phillies National League Championship Series, which is a possible clincher for the Phillies on TBS.

There is good news and bad news.

SVU's ratings went up but they are still in fourth place for Wednesday at 9PM.
Criminal Minds had 14.27 million viewers with a 3.8 rating and a 10 share.
Modern Family had 8.66 million viewers with a 3.4 rating and a 8 share. Cougar Town at 9:30 had 7.31 million viewers with a 3.1 rating and an 8 share.
Glee had 7.15 million viewers with a 3.3 rating and an 8 share. (Glee will probable jump in the ratings when the DVR report comes out.)
SVU had 9.15 million viewers with a 2.8 rating and a 7 share.

Now for the bad news. The spike is quite possibly due to stunt casting. When ever SVU or other shows snag an actor and feature that actor's name in the promos and press releases, the fans of that actor watch that episode just to see the actor. It happened last year with Hillary Duff and the year before with Robin Williams.
We won't know if that is the case for two weeks. Next week is going to be heavily promoted as Dean Porter's return with making out with Olivia, and as an "epic episode" between Elliot and Olivia. It will also not a repeat on the following Saturday. Anchor or Users on 11/4 will be the test.

Wallyhorse Posted Yesterday, 06:32 AM
"
Haven't been on in a while here, but that is not entirely true. I did note the FSN telecast (Washington State-USC), which ran until around 1:45 AM ET, which means it DID air opposite "SVU" in the west, along with a Dodgers-Padres game that in So. California may have also had a serious impact on "SVU's" Wednesday rating.

Also, it needs to be remembered that the football telecasts on Saturdays cover the Eastern and Central time zones, which I believe cover 70 percent of the viewing audience for most shows, so yes, those do have impact on the Saturday repeats of "SVU," as did last week's NASCAR race that aired on ABC and Game 2 of the Angels-Yankees American League Championship Series, which ran so late (to 1:10 AM ET) that it did overlap the "SVU" airing on NBC in the west."

Cable sports does not an big impact on broadcast television with the exception of TBS/TNT running playoff games. ESPN et al and FSN aren't even in the ratings reports. They just don't reach enough people.
While a local broadcast of a local team can can that market's ratings, it will not have a major impact on the national ratings. And it will not have an impact on any show in particular and not the others. A baseball playoff may drop broadcast ratings in general but it will not explain SVU not doing well.
__________________________

"Tonight, "SVU" is likely going to see its rating hurt again because you have it opposite Game 5 of the Dodgers-Phillies National League Championship Series, which is a possible clincher for the Phillies on TBS."

As if to show what I have told you, in spite of the playoff last night, SVU had their best ratings of the season last night. And every other network show stayed about the same relative to each other.

Saturdays just keep getting stranger. Baseball got cancelled. Football in the 10PM hour came in second to 48 Hour Mystery but in front of the repeat of SVU in terms of the demo numbers. But in the number of viewers it came in third.

48 Hour Mystery had 6.49 million viewers with a 1.5 rating and a 5 share.
ABC's Football had 3.59 million viewers at 10(#3) with a 1.1 rating and a 4 share. At 10:30 it went up to 3.77 million viewers with a 1.3 rating and still a 4 share.
SVU had 4.65 million viewers with a 1.1 ratings and a 3 share.

I think we will do very very very well this week. All the hype its getting and how everyone on the board is excited, I have a good feeling about ratings this week.

svuswimmer17 Posted Today, 04:29 PM
I think we will do very very very well this week. All the hype its getting and how everyone on the board is excited, I have a good feeling about ratings this week.

It depend on whether people are going to watch the World Series, assuming it gets played on Wednesday.
It may also help that it will not be reaired on next Saturday.

Well hopefully, and I think Irish will agree with me, there will be a game 7 for the ALCS and the World Series wouldn't start Wednesday. But also, not being re-aired on Saturday will help a lot.

svuswimmer17 Posted Today, 05:18 PM
Well hopefully, and I think Irish will agree with me, there will be a game 7 for the ALCS and the World Series wouldn't start Wednesday. But also, not being re-aired on Saturday will help a lot.

I just asked my husband and he thinks the World Series will start on Wednesday unless it is rained/snowed out. If there is a game 7, it will be played tomorrow.

I really really hope there is a game 7. I just didn't think they would start the series 2 days after the ALCS games..but I guess so. Go Angels!!

The first game of the World Series was the winner of the night. 19.5 million people watched the game. But the numbers are for the game itself and not just prime time. The demo for the game overall was 6.3.
SVU managed to pull itself up to third place by beating a repeat of Criminal Minds from last season.

Modern Family had 9.325 million viewers with a rating of 3.7 and a 9 share. Cougar Town had 7.541 million viewers with a rating of 3.2 and an 8 share.
SVU had 8.24 million viewers with a rating of 2.7 and an 8 share.
Criminal Minds had 9.886 million viewers with a rating of 2.5 and a 6 share.

Once again the World Series drew the largest crowd. The average number for the game overall was 22.5 million viewers with a 7.4 rating with a 20 share. But that is not all prime time viewing. It does account for the lower ratings for everybody else. But SVU is back in 4th place.

Modern Family had 8.77 million viewers with a 3.5 rating and a 9 share. Cougar Town had 6.86 million viewers with a 2.8 rating and a 7 share
Criminal Minds had 12.585 million viewers with a 3.4 rating and an 9 share.
SVU had 7.946 million viewers with a 2.4 share and a 6 rating.

Once again SVU is fourth in the ratings for 11/11/09. The CMA Awards was a huge draw throughout the prime time viewing hours.
For 9PM:
CMA had 17.74 million viewers with a 5.5 rating and a 14 share.
Criminal Minds had 12.26 million viewers with a 3.3 rating and an 8 share.
Glee had 7.35 million viewers with a 3.3 rating and an 8 share.
SVU had 8.81 million viewers with a 2.8 rating and a 7 share.

Once again SVU is fourth in the ratings for 11/18/09.

Criminal Minds had 13.47 million viewers with a 3.7 rating and an 10 share.
Modern Family had 9.16 million viewers with a3.7 rating and a 10 share. Cougar Town had 7.9 million viewers with a 3.2 rating and an 8 share.
Glee had 7.36 million viewers with a 3.2 rating and an 9 share.
SVU had 8.44 million viewers with a 2.6 rating and a 7 share.