| With every major milestone in television history, | | | | the real impact is manifest in the all-time high share |
| change has come with both positive and negative | | | | gap between broadcast and ad-supported cable, now |
| effects. Ratings have often fluctuated until viewing | | | | at 44 points, or 6.4% more shares of late night |
| audiences have adjusted their routines to | | | | viewership heading to cable than in 2008. |
| accommodate the appearance of one program or | | | | Rising Prices |
| the removal of another, the adjustment of a time | | | | As TV audiences are shifting their viewership |
| slot, or the selection of a new program that suits | | | | patterns, television advertisers are also shifting their |
| changes in their tastes or lifestyles. Sometimes, these | | | | media spends, meaning high competition and high cost |
| fluctuations subside and the network continues to | | | | for national spots. According to MediaPost’s |
| see rating success despite changes; other times, | | | | Media Daily News, CBS alone has seen double-digit |
| ratings continue to decline as viewers take their | | | | price increases, while ratings continue to fall. This is |
| attention elsewhere. | | | | good news for ad-supported cable advertising, which |
| We can see this change occurring in broadcast late | | | | offers targeted niche viewership in growing markets |
| night television viewership right now. Following | | | | and the ability to advertise locally for less than its |
| NBC’s major milestone of the departure of Jay | | | | broadcast competitors. In fact, analysis by the CAB |
| Leno from The Tonight Show, late night television | | | | shows that viewership on ad supported cable is up |
| viewership has been in flux. Ratings have shown the | | | | across all age ranges in the late night market, |
| American late night viewing audience looking | | | | showing increases of 11% (A 18-49), 8% (A18-34), |
| elsewhere for entertainment during the 11:30 p.m.-1 | | | | and 12% (A25-54). |
| a.m. M-F time slot, with more and more turning away | | | | Original Programs |
| from the broadcast seven to ad-supported cable | | | | Ad-supported cable has always relied on its wide |
| television for their late night entertainment needs. | | | | selection of quality original programming to achieve |
| Ad-supported cable now has a great opportunity to | | | | advertising success. The shift away from broadcast |
| offer advertisers lower prices, more targeted | | | | in weekday late night viewership is no exception. |
| demographics, and more audience members turning | | | | Since the passing of The Tonight Show’s torch |
| to cable channels for late night programming than any | | | | and the subsequent audience fragmentation, the CAB |
| time in recent years. | | | | shows ad-supported cable originals experiencing |
| Divided Audiences | | | | double-digit growth. Original programming has seen a |
| After 17 years of holding the top ratings position for | | | | 19% increase in viewership across viewing households |
| his time slot nearly every weekday evening, Jay | | | | versus the same period in 2008; it has also seen an |
| Leno left NBC’s The Tonight Show on May 29, | | | | 18% increase in the 18-49 age group specifically, the |
| 2009. His departure from the 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. M-F | | | | same group with which The Tonight Show dropped |
| time slot and subsequent replacement by former | | | | 22% since O’Brien’s inception. |
| Late Night host Conan O’Brien has had a | | | | With every television milestone comes change; it is |
| negative impact on NBC’s ratings. | | | | up to advertisers to adjust their strategy to target |
| According to the Cable Advertising Bureau (CAB) | | | | their audiences with the most effective vehicles |
| analysis of Nielsen Galaxy Live data, The Tonight | | | | possible. The numbers are clear: since the late night |
| Show has suffered a 27.7% decrease in viewership | | | | transition, cable television advertising offers the |
| versus its standing one-year previous, when Leno | | | | strongest audiences and the most accurate targeting |
| was still at the helm. And while other broadcast | | | | for the most value. Insight Media Power Of Cable |
| seven affiliates have seen spillover from disenchanted | | | | offers more in-depth, comparative descriptions of |
| audiences (CBS’ Late Show with David | | | | how cable measures up to your other media options |
| Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson | | | | and how cable can work for you. Learn more about |
| have both shown growth since the NBC transition), | | | | the Power of Cable. |