Fox is claiming the “longest winning streak in broadcast history,” winning its seventh straight season in the 18-49 demo. It also claimed victory in the May 2011 Sweep by the largest margin in five years.
Averaging a 3.5 rating and 10 share rating, Fox declared that the final tally showed it beating #2 CBS by 21%, ABC by 40% and NBC by 52%.
Fox said it once again drew the youngest audience among the Big Four networks and with originals closed the season with:
The most-watched program in TV history – SUPER BOWL XLV
The No. 1 show on Television – AMERICAN IDOL
The No. 1 comedy among Women – GLEE
The No. 1 scripted series among Men – FAMILY GUY
The No. 1 scripted series among Teens – GLEE
The No. 1 new scripted series among Young Adults – RAISING HOPE
The No. 1 new scripted series among Teens – RAISING HOPE
In addition, in Live + Same Day ratings, FOX won the May 2011 sweep by +29% among Adults 18-49 rating – the largest May sweep margin of victory in five years (since its own +33% advantage in May 2006).
The numbers from Fox are in line with the preliminary ones put out earlier by CBS, which had emphasized its win in total viewers, except that Fox picked up even more steam in the final days of the season as “American Idol” aired its final episodes of the season.
Preliminary broadcast network season averages and year-over-year performance through 5/25/2011 (based on Nielsen Most Current ratings) are:
Adults 18-49
FOX: 3.5/10 (-5%)
CBS: 2.9/8 (-9%)
ABC: 2.5/7 (-7%)
NBC: 2.3/6 (-15%)
Total Viewers
CBS: 11.6 million (-3%)
FOX: 9.8 million (-3%)
ABC: 8.5 million (-2%)
NBC: 7.0 million (-16%)
