MediaBuyerPlanner: NBC’s The Office – loved by the critics but slow to catch on among audiences – has shot from a barely top-30 show into the top 10 with the new C3 ratings; most hits, however, have seen notable drops with the new ratings and a major shift in top 10 shows.
Networks have pointed out that the drop in hit shows when measured by C3 ratings is a result of the fact that hit shows are more likely to be recorded and watched later via DVRs, writes MediaPost. That makes them the most susceptible to ad skipping. Too, C3 has measured the season only through Oct. 14. Rankings may well change as the season moves forward.
The Office tied for 30th in the 18-49 demo using program ratings last year; this year, with C3, it is in ninth place. Fox’s House moved from sixth to second.
ABC’s new Private Practice is in eighth place, while Grey’s Anatomy remains in first – though its ratings have dropped from a 10.1 to a 7.4. Desperate Housewives has fallen from second to third place.
ER moved from fourth place in the first three weeks of last season to 25th place this year.
Some series, though they lost ratings points in the move to C3, moved up in the rankings. Heroes, for example, went from a 5.7 to a 5.0 but leapt from tenth to sixth place. Law & Order: SVU slipped from a 5.2 to a 4.3, but rose from thirteenth to tenth.
The drop in the C3 metric over last year’s live program rating measurement may limit network inventory. It may not have an adverse impact on pricing, however, if demand is high.
Related stories:
- Final C3 Stats Similar to Live Program Ratings
- Carat Publicly Endorses C3; Accreditation Delayed until Jan.
- Agency-Side Scuffle Ensues over C3 Ratings
- Fox Prime Time Unit Costs Soar 26%; NBC Drops 16%
- Ratings for Most Top 25 Shows Increase with Nielsen DVR Data
