Ratings seem to be everything in the television business. Networks are constantly competing with other networks and moving television show times and days around just to get the best possible ratings. I’d say the most competitive time of day is primetime. I decided to do some research on my own and see how one of my favorite shows rates on the scale.
The Hit comedy Two and a Half Men staring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones airs Monday nights at 9:00 on CBS. This is one of my favorite shows to watch because it is humorous and there is nothing else on television that I care to watch on Monday nights.
Some shows that Two and a Half Men competes with at the nine O’clock hour are, ABC's Dancing With the Stars, FOX's 24 or now New Amsterdam, NBC’s Deal or No Deal, and the CW’s Gossip Girl which has now been switched to One Tree Hill.
| Top 20 Network Primetime Series: Total Households | ||||||||||||
| Rank | Program Name | Net | Day | Time | Household | Viewers | ||||||
| Rating/Share | Audience | |||||||||||
| 1 | FOX | Wed | 9:00 PM | 15.2/24.0 | 17,185,000 | 25,742,000 | ||||||
| 2 | FOX | Tue | 8:00 PM | 14.0/21.0 | 15,767,000 | 24,758,000 | ||||||
| 3 | DANCING WITH THE STARS | ABC | Mon | 8:00 PM | 13.0/20.0 | 14,651,000 | 20,515,000 | |||||
| 4 | DANCING W/STARS RESULTS | ABC | Tue | 9:00 PM | 11.0/17.0 | 12,370,000 | 17,487,000 | |||||
| 5 | CBS | Mon | 10:00 PM | 10.3/17.0 | 11,587,000 | 16,065,000 | ||||||
| 6 | CBS NCAA POST GUN SU 2(S) | CBS | Sun | 7:17 PM | 8.9/16.0 | 10,011,000 | 14,359,000 | |||||
| 7 | CBS | Sun | 7:23 PM | 8.7/14.0 | 9,768,000 | 13,359,000 | ||||||
| 8 | CBS | Mon | 9:00 PM | 8.6/13.0 | 9,723,000 | 14,235,000 | ||||||
| 9 | APPRENTICE 7 | NBC | Thu | 9:00 PM | 7.7/13.0 | 8,662,000 | 12,132,000 | |||||
| 10 | ABC | Sun | 8:00 PM | 7.5/12.0 | 8,467,000 | 12,964,000 | ||||||
| 11 | DATELINE FRI | NBC | Fri | 9:00 PM | 7.1/12.0 | 7,982,000 | 10,628,000 | |||||
| 11 | DEAL OR NO DEAL 3/27(S) | NBC | Thu | 8:00 PM | 7.1/12.0 | 8,037,000 | 11,397,000 | |||||
| 13 | ABC | Sun | 9:01 PM | 7.0/11.0 | 7,946,000 | 11,362,000 | ||||||
| 14 | DANCING W/STARS RECAP(S) | ABC | Tue | 8:00 PM | 6.8/11.0 | 7,653,000 | 10,504,000 | |||||
| 15 | PRIMETIME:WHAT WOULD U DO | ABC | Tue | 10:02 PM | 6.7/11.0 | 7,583,000 | 9,916,000 | |||||
| 16 | FOX | Wed | 8:00 PM | 6.6/11.0 | 7,421,000 | 10,051,000 | ||||||
| 17 | CBS NCAA BSKBL CHMP SA-2(S) | CBS | Sat | 9:00 PM | 6.5/12.0 | 7,361,000 | 10,417,000 | |||||
| 18 | CBS | Sun | 9:24 PM | 6.3/10.0 | 7,096,000 | 9,804,000 | ||||||
| 18 | CBS | Mon | 8:30 PM | 6.3/10.0 | 7,127,000 | 10,667,000 | ||||||
| 20 | NBC | Mon | 9:00 PM | 6.2/9.0 | 6,972,000 | 10,140,00 | ||||||
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As you can see, Two and Half Men had the highest ratings and most viewers for its time slot this week. However what would happen to the show’s ratings if FOX moved American Idol’s day and time to Mondays at nine O’clock?
I believe that the show’s ratings would decline. American Idol has almost two times the rating share and audience than Two and Half Men. The amount of American Idol viewers is also almost two times the amount of Two and Half Men viewers. People would more likely want to view the performances and results of American Idol than watch a comedic episode of Two and Half Men. Personally, I would choose to watch Two and Half Men over American Idol, but I don’t believe I speak for the majority. There is also the idea of reality vs. fiction. I think American people feel as if they need to stay “caught up” or informed about reality more than a fictional story line. There is also the watercooler effect that plays an impact on what people are viewing. People are more likely to discuss what Simon Cowell said to a contestant or who got voted off on American Idol than what happened in a half hour episode of Two and Half Men.
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