Occasionally these ratings are posted in the General or New Show threads but I believe it's a topic that deserves it's own space. A thread where we can sweat the low ratings of Community while shaking our collective heads at the success of Ashton Kutcher's Two and a Half Men.

Industry guys like Aloysius and fsoyars have also provided some very helpful info on how these ratings are interpreted by the networks. Hopefully they will consider posting their thoughts in this thread.

Last Weeks Ratings (Previous Weeks in Brackets):

These ratings are for live broadcast only.
Red=Repeat episode


NBC 18-49

5.2 (6.6) (8.9) (7.7) (8.3)(10.0)(10.7) Sunday Football
2.9 (1.5) (3.3) (3.2) (3.5) (3.9) (1.4) The Office
--- (2.2) (2.1) (2.1) (2.1) (2.4) (---) Law & Order SVU
1.1 (2.1) (2.1) (2.3) (2.1) (2.3) (3.7) Up All Night
2.0 (1.9) (2.0) (2.1) (2.3) (3.6) (---) Biggest Loser
--- (2.0) (2.1) (2.0) (2.2) (2.1) (2.2) Parenthood
2.0 (1.1) (2.0) (2.3) (2.5) (3.3) (---) Whitney
1.8 (1.1) (2.1) (1.9) (2.1) (2.1) (---) Parks and Recreation
1.5 (1.6) (1.5) (1.8) (1.7) (1.9) (---) Sing-Off
1.4 (0.9) (1.7) (1.5) (1.8) (1.7) (0.6) Community
0.8 (1.3) (1.2) (1.2) (1.2) (1.2) (---) Harry’s Law
1.1 (0.8) (1.3) (1.5) (1.5) (1.8) (---) Prime Suspect
1.0 (1.5) (1.4) (1.6) (2.0) (1.5) (1.8) Dateline
0.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) College Football

ABC 18-49
4.5 (5.7) (5.9) (5.7) (5.7) (6.1) (1.8) Modern Family
4.0 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Once Upon A Time
3.7 (3.6) (3.6) (3.1) (3.6) (4.3) (1.0) Grey’s Anatomy
3.5 (3.0) (3.2) (2.8) (3.1) (---) (---) Happy Endings
3.4 (3.1) (3.0) (3.1) (3.3) (---) (---) Suburgatory
3.2 (3.3) (3.0) (3.1) (3.3) (4.0) (---) Dancing/Stars (Mo)
3.2 (3.0) (2.9) (2.8) (2.7) (3.1) (1.3) The Middle
3.0 (2.7) (2.8) (3.0) (3.2) (---) (---) Desperate Housewives
2.8 (3.1) (3.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) Last Man Standing
2.7 (2.5) (2.7) (2.4) (2.7) (3.3) (---) Revenge
2.6 (2.6) (3.3) (2.9) (2.9) (2.9) (---) Dancing/Stars (Tu)
2.4 (2.5) (2.1) (2.5) (3.1) (3.2) (---) Castle
2.4 (2.3) (2.3) (2.1) (2.8) (---) (---) Private Practice
2.0 (2.4) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Man Up!
2.0 (1.2) (1.1) (1.2) (1.0) (1.2) (1.0) 20/20
1.8 (1.9) (1.8) (2.0) (1.8) (2.2) (---) Body of Proof
1.8 (1.8) (1.9) (2.6) (3.1) (---) (---) Pan Am
1.5 (1.6) (1.4) (1.5) (---) (1.2) (1.2) AFH Videos
1.5 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Extreme MHE
0.7 (---) (1.6) (1.8) (2.2) (3.0) (---) College Football


CBS 18-49

5.5 (5.3) (5.9) (6.2) (7.4) (10.7)(1.2) 2½ Men
4.6 (5.1) (4.6) (4.5) (4.9) (5.0) (2.5) Big Bang Theory
4.5 (4.4) (4.3) (4.5) (4.6) (7.1) (---) 2 Broke Girls
4.3 (4.2) (4.0) (4.5) (4.5) (5.0) (1.2) How I Met Your Mother
4.2 (3.9) (3.9) (4.3) (4.8) (---) (---) Mike & Molly
4.1 (3.9) (4.0) (4.2) (5.2) (4.3) (1.7) NCIS
2.8 (3.9) (3.8) (3.8) (3.6) (4.1) (---) Criminal Minds
3.7 (3.4) (3.3) (3.4) (3.6) (3.6) (1.7) NCIS LA
3.5 (3.3) (3.2) (3.1) (3.2) (3.2) (3.4) Survivor
3.3 (3.6) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Rules of Engagement
3.1 (3.1) (2.7) (3.2) (3.3) (3.4) (---) Hawaii Five-0
2.7 (2.7) (2.8) (2.6) (2.7) (3.1) (---) Person of Interest
2.7 (2.7) (2.8) (3.2) (3.0) (---) (---) Amazing Race
2.0 (2.6) (2.6) (2.9) (3.1) (3.2) (---) CSI
2.5 (2.5) (2.5) (2.7) (2.6) (2.8) (1.5) Mentalist
2.5 (2.5) (2.3) (2.5) (2.5) (2.9) (---) Unforgettable
2.3 (1.7) (3.2) (3.5) (2.3) (2.9) (1.3) 60 Minutes
2.1 (2.4) (2.2) (2.4) (2.3) (1.1) (---) CSI Miami
2.0 (2.1) (2.1) (2.2) (2.2) (1.1) (0.9) The Good Wife
1.8 (1.7) (1.6) (1.7) (1.8) (0.8) (0.7) CSI NY
1.7 (1.8) (1.9) (1.8) (2.0) (0.9) (0.8) Blue Bloods
1.2 (1.2) (1.2) (1.2) (1.4) (---) (---) A Gifted Man
1.1 (0.9) (0.9) (---) (1.2) (1.1) (0.9) 48 Hours


FOX

8.7 (---) (---) (---) (9.4) (---)(10.2) Fox Football (Su)
6.5 (4.0) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Fox Baseball (Th)
4.4 (3.9) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The X Factor (Tu)
--- (---) (---) (4.3) (4.5) (4.8) (---) New Girl
4.2 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Fox Baseball (Mo)
4.2 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Fox Baseball (Su)
--- (---) (3.7) (4.0) (3.9) (4.3) (---) The X Factor (Th)
--- (---) (3.7) (4.1) (4.1) (4.4) (---) The X Factor (We)
--- (---) (---) (3.6) (3.7) (4.0) (1.0) Glee
--- (---) (---) (3.5) (4.1) (---) (1.9) Family Guy
3.2 (2.1) (1.8) (---) (---) (---) (---) Fox Baseball (Sa)
--- (3.1) (2.7) (3.9) (---) (---) (---) House
--- (---) (---) (3.0) (3.9) (---) (2.4) The Simpsons
--- (---) (---) (2.9) (2.9) (3.1) (0.8) Raising Hope
--- (2.8) (2.5) (3.1) (3.1) (---) (---) Terra Nova
--- (---) (---) (2.7) (3.0) (---) (---) American Dad
--- (---) (---) (2.6) (3.1) (---) (---) Cleveland Show
1.4 (1.4) (1.6) (1.7) (1.6) (1.0) (0.9) Kitchen Nightmares
0.5 (1.2) (1.3) (1.2) (1.5) (0.6) (0.6) Fringe
--- (---) (---) (---) (1.0) (1.1) (1.0) Cops


CW 18-49

1.5 (1.4) (1.4) (1.2) (1.3) (1.2) (1.5) Vampire Diaries
1.0 (0.9) (0.8) (0.8) (0.8) (0.7) (0.9) Next Top Model
0.9 (0.9) (0.8) (0.8) (1.0) (0.9) (1.3) Secret Circle
0.8 (0.6) (0.6) (0.8) (0.8) (---) (---) Hart of Dixie
--- (0.8) (0.8) (0.7) (0.8) (0.7) (0.9) 90210
0.3 (0.8) (0.7) (0.6) (0.9) (0.9) (1.2) Ringer
0.8 (0.8) (0.7) (0.7) (0.8) (---) (0.3) Supernatural
0.7 (0.6) (0.6) (0.7) (0.7) (---) (---) Gossip Girl
0.6 (0.5) (0.5) (0.6) (0.6) (---) (0.3) Nikita


CABLE (adults 18-49)

3.6 (3.8) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) The Walking Dead
3.3 (5.0) (6.9) (4.5) (7.2) (4.8) (6.3) Monday Night Football
2.0 (2.0) (1.9) (1.9) (1.7) (1.9) (2.0) Sons of Anarchy
1.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Beavis and Butt-head
1.8 (1.7) (1.9) (1.7) (1.6) (1.6) (1.4) WWE Entertainment
1.7 (1.5) (1.4) (1.6) (---) (---) (---) American Horror Story
1.7 (1.7) (1.3) (1.2) (---) (1.5) (1.3) Real Housewives NJ
1.6 (1.4) (1.7) (1.5) (---) (---) (---) South Park
1.4 (1.9) (1.7) (1.7) (1.7) (1.9) (0.9) Tosh.0
1.3 (---) (---) (---) (1.6) (1.4) (1.5) Pawn Stars
1.1 (1.3) (0.6) (1.1) (1.0) (1.2) (0.9) American Chopper
1.1 (1.0) (1.2) (1.1) (1.3) (---) (---) Boardwalk Empire
1.1 (0.8) (0.8) (0.8) (---) (---) (---) Halloween Wars
1.1 (1.1) (0.9) (1.0) (0.9) (0.8) (1.2) Project Runway
1.1 (1.0) (1.0) (---) (---) (---) (---) Psych
1.1 (1.1) (1.0) (1.0) (0.9) (---) (---) Real Housewives BH
1.0 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Crossfit Games
1.0 (1.2) (1.3) (1.0) (1.0) (1.4) (---) Workaholics
0.9 (0.7) (0.6) (0.8) (0.9) (0.7) (0.7) Basketball Wives LA
0.9 (0.7) (0.9) (1.1) (---) (---) (---) Dexter
0.9 (---) (0.5) (0.5) (---) (---) (---) Iron Chef America
0.9 (0.9) (0.9) (1.1) (1.3) (1.2) (1.4) It’s Always Sunny
0.9 (---) (0.4) (---) (---) (0.9) (---) SpongeBob
0.9 (1.7) (0.7) (1.0) (---) (0.7) (1.9) Storage Wars
0.9 (0.8) (0.7) (0.7) (---) (0.8) (0.8) Top Shot
0.9 (1.0) (1.0) (0.9) (1.1) (0.7) (1.0) WWE Smackdown
0.8 (0.8) (0.5) (0.6) (0.5) (0.7) (---) American Restoration
0.8 (0.9) (---) (1.0) (0.9) (---) (---) Bad Girls Club
0.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Good Vibes
0.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Modern History
0.8 (0.8) (0.8) (0.7) (1.2) (---) (---) Real World
0.8 (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) (---) Robot Chicken

LOL @ The Walking Dead beating out Monday Night Football and almost doubling the next highest CABLE show's ratings

can some1 tell me what them numbers mean? please

wtf community. I finally start watching you live and your ratings go down!

edit: NVM i was reading this thing backwards. I watched and they went up!

Bubble bursting time: Last week's 0.9 was a rerun. I think 1.4 may be their all time low for a new episode.

We're going to need you to start watching harder. You have 3 days to train. Godspeed.

Do you even have a Nielsen box? If you don't then it doesn't even matter...

It ties the previous low which happened last spring. It is a new fall low.

ah but i do

hmm i didn't watch the newest one live but the first one i watched after getting hooked up was the jump from 1.5 to 1.7!

I find ratings super confusing and they can be spun a million different ways. I know that Al has a much better grasp of them. It would be helpful to also include the share number, which is the percentage of televisions in use watching a given show (as opposed to total television households).

I know that when on a show that's not the lead off of a comedy block, retention is probably just as important, if not more, than rating or share.

Only particularly applicable to CBS. NBC don't care, as shown with Outsourced last season. Retention seems like it should matter, but it generally doesn't.

Retention % can be quite random anyway. Look at Chuck on Friday getting a 1.0 and then Grimm getting 2.1. Grimm could've had anything as a lead in and still have done well.

At any rate, retention is certainly not more important than ratings.

Share is just donkeyballs PR crap. You can't sell a share to advertisers.

If in doubt, ignore all PR and only focus on the A18-49 rating. Other factors matter, but if you're confused then this is a good start.

Judging by the metrics, what would you guys conclude from Survivor's ratings so far?

Survivor is unscripted so no one cares whether or not it's gonna be renewed and the major sites don't bother trying to analyze whether or not it will.

It will almost certainly be renewed though.

I was scheduled to be a Nielsen home for 18 months in 2005-6. Either the first or second year of poker broadcasts on TV. Think they kicked me off before the full 18 months. My TV was on every poker show. Watched fewer than half of them.

It will be interesting to see what NBC does with Harry's Law. It's their most watched non-football show but has the lowest 18-49 rating.

whitney beating parks and rec. god people suck.

I believe Harry's Law will get the full season order, but unless it somehow magically gets up to a 1.5, by the end of the season, it has basically no chance for renewal. They really re-tooled it this season, and it looks very expensive for the type of show it is. That means its ratings bar is higher. If NBC were looking to make a statement, they could keep it, since almost everything they put out these days fails, at least on a drama slate. If NBC were to choose between Harry's Law and Prime Suspect, the decision is easy, but I doubt it will work that way. I expect both to be gone, with Prime Suspect being gone much sooner than later.

The overall viewership thing is really funny, for the show, because there's absolutely no chance that it appeals to the 18-49 demo. They removed all of the young, appealing, characters from the show, this season. Even though they neutered everything that was good about the series, this season, I still find it relatively enjoyable.

Yeah, when they cancel it they'll basically be saying viewers over 50 don't matter.

can someone explain how shows who have tv commercials that gave me diabetes (ex., mike and molly, 2 broke girls) are getting 4+ ratings, wtf?

Modern Family is an absolute powerhouse. While most other sitcoms were running their Halloween episodes, MF tosses up a rerun and they still have the top rated show on CBS and tied for fifth in scripted shows across all networks.

Hm - while you can't sell retention to advertisers directly, it's something the Networks look closely at when determining a series fate. Which makes sense. So for Happy Endings, for example: its retention rates are very similar coming out of Modern Family vs. Cougartown. That's helpful to know w/r/t scheduling changes, and the ultimate fate of both shows.

And not every A18-49 eyeball = another A18-49 eyeball. There are sales teams at each Network spinning their numbers to specific ad clients in myriad ways. (As mentioned looks like Community has an "upscale" demo, that helps them on a sales basis.)

That being said the actual rating points sold to advertisers are primarily A18-49 based on a Commercial+3 day rating stream, and are not published in mainstream press. (Though if you looked at Live+Same Day ratings, it's a reasonable relative proxy.)

And the idea that *only* A18-49 ratings points are sold is also not true. CBS is able to sell their 50+ rating points, but not at as high a price as their younger demos of course.

Simple. They are easily digestible shows for the masses. You don't have to worry about missing a joke because you don't understand the reference. Everything you need to know is on the screen. You can watch Two and a Half Men while you're reading a book or folding laundry and you will be fine. If you try that while watching Community you'll be confused when you read the thread and can't understand why everyone is talking about Abed delivering a baby.

2 general ratings things think might be interesting:

1) Cable Ratings: only in the past couple seasons have original air Cable series been beating Broadcast. It's a pretty big shift, imo. (First one I can recall seeing is Sons of Anarchy beating Broadcast primetime couple years ago, and now there are of course many more cable series beating broadcast - from Jersey Shore to Walking Dead). The stat drives this home is that in the U.S., 99% of TV homes have FOX/CBS/NBC/ABC, where only ~87% have a cable/satellite/telco subscription. So Cable starts at that deficit in the ratings game and needs to overcome being in way less homes.

As an aside, I'm not sure if the ratings Wires posted are "Cable Ratings" (meaning % of Cable only homes watching say Walking Dead), or "TV ratings" (% of total TV viewers watching Walking Dead). It would need to be TV ratings of course for the Broadcast vs. Cable comparisons to be apples-apples.

2) NFL Ratings on Broadcast: the NFL rights are hugely expensive and every Broadcast Network that airs the NFL is losing money on it - there is no way to get enough advertiser dollars per football air to justify the NFL rights costs on Broadcast. This will become even worse in the upcoming renewals NBC/CBS/FOX have with NFL.

What compensates for this loss enough to make broadcasting the NFL the right decision?

Oh, this might be useful - so if you're curious, there are ~130 million A18-49 TV viewers (Nielsen universe estimates). Little more than half are W18-49.

So if a show did a 4.0 Rating A18-49, that means 4% of 130 million viewers watched it. For ratings, as fsoyars pointed out, the denominator does not change as it's TVs available in the universe.

Share is a different metric because the denominator would be "TVs actually on and in use", so it's a TV use market share stat. This is somewhat important to advertisers, but as pointed out the actual number of people watching is the most important thing.

Outside of TV viewing, Nielsen measures which households are playing video games, renting movies, etc.

And still CBS learned their lesson, after letting go of the NFC games, however many years ago that was to FOX. NBC tried the same thing, for the AFC, and CBS couldn't buy those rights up fast enough. NBC realized that football has other purposes that help them, I'm assuming, and they got back into the game as soon as they could (Sunday Night Football, which is really the new Monday Night Football) once they realized that, after many years of being stubborn. ABC clearly doesn't miss Monday Night Football, and even that's still highly watched on ESPN, which ABC owns.

I really wish someone would dig in on that DirecTV monopoly on Sunday Ticket, and make it so that cable subscribers can get that same access.