Football, football and more football. The TV week from after Christmas through New Year’s weekend saw six of the top seven ratings slots in the key 18-49 demo go to football games and related programming. Two of those games were on cable networks and cable put two more programs in the top 50 – yet another football game and pro wrestling. In all, cable/satellite networks managed to put an unusually high 15 shows in the top 100 for all of television, as calculated by the TVB, based on data from The Nielsen Company.
Top 100 Broadcast and Subscription TV* Primetime Programs
Cable’s top program, NFL on ESPN, ranked #2. Its second highest-rated program ranked #7.
Blue = Broadcast Red = Subscription TV
| RANK | PROGRAMS | NETWORK | (START) DATE |
# TLCST |
P18-49 Live+SD US AA% |
| 1 | NBC NFL TUESDAY SPECIAL(S)-12/28/2010 | NBC | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 8.1 |
| 2 | NFL REGULAR SEASON L | ESPN | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 7.1 |
| 3 | NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | NBC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 6.9 |
| 4 | OT, THE | FOX | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 4.4 |
| 5 | FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 | NBC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 6 | DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES | ABC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 3.8 |
| 7 | FIESTA BOWL L | ESPN | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 3.3 |
| 8 | SOY TU DUENA MON | UNI | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 3.1 |
| 9 | UNDERCOVER BOSS | CBS | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 3.0 |
| 10 | NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN EVE ’11(S)-12/31/2010 | ABC | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 2.8 |
| 11 | SIMPSONS ENCORE | FOX | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.7 |
| 12 | EXTREME MAKEOVER:HOME ED. | ABC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.7 |
| 13 | FAMILY GUY ENCORE | FOX | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.6 |
| 14 | TWO AND A HALF MEN | CBS | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 2.4 |
| 15 | FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2 | NBC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.3 |
| 16 | BROTHERS & SISTERS | ABC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.3 |
| 17 | BIG BANG THEORY, THE | CBS | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 2.3 |
| 18 | CLEVELAND ENCORE | FOX | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.2 |
| 19 | CSI: MIAMI | CBS | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.2 |
| 20 | MODERN FAMILY SP-12/29(S)-12/29/2010 | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 2.2 |
| 21 | AMER FUNN HOME VIDEOS | ABC | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.1 |
| 22 | 60 MINUTES | CBS | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 2.1 |
| 23 | MIKE & MOLLY | CBS | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 2.1 |
| 24 | CRIMINAL MINDS | CBS | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 2.0 |
| 25 | SOY TU DUENA GR NCH 12/27(S)-12/27/2010 | UNI | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 2.0 |
| 26 | NCIS | CBS | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 2.0 |
| 27 | MODERN FAMILY | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 2.0 |
| 28 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | CBS | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.9 |
| 29 | NBC NHL 1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | NBC | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.9 |
| 30 | CSI: MIAMI SPECIAL(S)-01/02/2011 | CBS | 01/02/2011 | 1 | 1.8 |
| 31 | RULES OF ENGAGEMENT | CBS | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.8 |
| 32 | $#*! MY DAD SAYS | CBS | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.8 |
| 33 | COPS 2 SP-NY 8:30P(S)-01/01/2011 | FOX | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.7 |
| 34 | HAWAII FIVE-0 | CBS | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.7 |
| 35 | AMER MOST WANTED SP-NY 9P(S)-01/01/2011 | FOX | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.7 |
| 36 | MENTALIST, THE | CBS | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 37 | OFFICE | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 38 | MIDDLE, THE | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 39 | CSI | CBS | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 40 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU 12/29(S)-12/29/2010 | NBC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 41 | WWE ENTERTAINMENT | USA | 12/27/2010 | 2 | 1.6 |
| 42 | EVA LUNA WED | UNI | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 43 | EVA LUNA TUE | UNI | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 44 | 48 HOURS MYSTERY SP-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | CBS | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 45 | COLL FTBL BOWL GAME L | ESPN | 12/28/2010 | 3 | 1.5 |
| 46 | KENNEDY CENTER HONORS(S)-12/28/2010 | CBS | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 47 | BETTER WITH YOU | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 48 | COPS SP-NY 8P(S)-01/01/2011 | FOX | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 49 | ABC MON MOVIE OF WK-12/27(S)-12/27/2010 | ABC | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 50 | COUGAR TOWN SP 1-12/29(S)-12/29/2010 | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 51 | ABC FRI MOVIE OF WK-12/31(S)-12/31/2010 | ABC | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 52 | DEFENDERS, THE | CBS | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 53 | GLEE SP-12/28 9P(S)-12/28/2010 | FOX | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.4 |
| 54 | GLEE | FOX | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 55 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES WED-SP(S)-12/29/2010 | CBS | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 56 | SOY TU DUENA THU | UNI | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.3 |
| 57 | OUTSOURCED | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 58 | HAPPY NEW YEAR, C. BROWN(S)-12/30/2010 | ABC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 59 | OUTSOURCED 12/30(S)-12/30/2010 | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 60 | NEW YR EVE-C DALY PRIME(S)-12/31/2010 | NBC | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 61 | HOUSE | FOX | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 62 | BONES | FOX | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 63 | COUGAR TOWN SP 2-12/29(S)-12/29/2010 | ABC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 64 | OFFICE 10:30P | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 65 | CASTLE | ABC | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 1.2 |
| 66 | RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR(S)-12/28/2010 | ABC | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 67 | 48 HOURS MYSTERY 9PM-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | CBS | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 68 | BONES-THU 9P | FOX | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 69 | MY STRANGE ADDICTION | TLC | 12/29/2010 | 2 | 1.1 |
| 70 | NCIS | USA | 12/27/2010 | 4 | 1.1 |
| 71 | 30 ROCK | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 72 | AQUI Y AHORA TUE | UNI | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 73 | DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA WE | UNI | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.1 |
| 74 | LAW & ORDER: SVU | USA | 01/02/2011 | 4 | 1.0 |
| 75 | MINUTE TO WIN IT 12/31 8P(S)-12/31/2010 | NBC | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 76 | V SPECIAL 3-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | ABC | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 77 | LAW AND ORDER:SVU | NBC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 1.0 |
| 78 | UNDERCOVERS | NBC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 79 | CSI: NY SPECIAL – 12/31(S)-12/31/2010 | CBS | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 80 | HUMAN TARGET | FOX | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 81 | NO ORDINARY FAMILY | ABC | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 82 | MINUTE TO WIN IT 12/31 9P(S)-12/31/2010 | NBC | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 83 | CRIMETIME SAT 8PM SP-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | CBS | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 84 | AMERICAN PICKERS | HIST | 12/27/2010 | 3 | 0.9 |
| 85 | NCIS SPECIAL – 12/31(S)-12/31/2010 | CBS | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 86 | HUMAN TARGET SP-12/29 9P(S)-12/29/2010 | FOX | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 87 | V SPECIAL 2-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | ABC | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 88 | TBS PRIME MOVIE | TBSC | 12/31/2010 | 4 | 0.9 |
| 89 | EXTREME COUPONING | TLC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 90 | BLUE BLOODS SP – 12/31(S)-12/31/2010 | CBS | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.9 |
| 91 | PAWN STARS | HIST | 12/27/2010 | 8 | 0.8 |
| 92 | COMMUNITY | NBC | 12/30/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 93 | CLOSER, THE | TNT | 12/27/2010 | 2 | 0.8 |
| 94 | DETROIT 1-8-7 | ABC | 12/28/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 95 | LIE TO ME | FOX | 12/27/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 96 | TODDLERS & TIARAS | TLC | 12/29/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 97 | V SPECIAL 1-1/1(S)-01/01/2011 | ABC | 01/01/2011 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 98 | FELIZ 2011! 12/31(S)-12/31/2010 | UNI | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 99 | MEET THE BROWNS | TBSC | 12/29/2010 | 4 | 0.8 |
| 100 | YEAR OF THE QUARTERBACK L | ESPN | 12/31/2010 | 1 | 0.8 |
*Subscription TV is programming delivered to the household by wired cable, telco or alternate delivery systems (ADS) such as satellite.
Source: 12/27/10-1/2/11 The Nielsen Company NTI Live + Same Day estimates.
Ranked by average audience % (ratings); in the event of a tie, impressions (000’s) are used as a tiebreaker.
Ad-Supported Subscription television only. Programming under 25 minutes excluded.
More at TVB.org
Click here for the top 100 in Adults 25-54.
