TRAC Scheduling Assistant
January 2012
Let’s Boot Up Another Year
Dates to Remember:
1/1:
New Years Day
1/4 – 1/5:
PBS at TCA Press Tour
1/15:
Golden Globe Awards on NBC
1/16:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
If there were one way to characterize the January NPS it
would have to be “nice effort.” The programming staff at
PBS should be given credit for trying a few fresh, if not
risky, approaches to the primetime schedule. The idea to
stack “Downton Abbey” repeats ahead of the new series of episodes is worth a try – after all the series has
won major awards, did well in OB and seems to be a true hit for Masterpiece Classic. The schedule should
also get a good bounce from the season premiere of Antiques Roadshow and new western-themed episodes
from American Experience. Of course, there are a ton of repeats and some challenges to overcome, but overall
the NPS gives us a good start for the New Year.
January 2012 NPS – A Week by Week Walkthrough
Week 1 (1/1 – 1/7)
Title (Common Carriage in bold)
Sunday, 1/1
Great Performances “From Vienna: The New…2012”
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey” (r)
Antiques Roadshow “Tulsa, OK” (season premiere)
Antiques Roadshow (r)
Martin Luther “Driven to Defiance” (r)
Egypt’s Golden Empire “The Warrior Pharaohs” (r)
Egypt’s Golden Empire “Pharaohs of the Sun” (r)
Frontline
Nature “Birds of the Gods” (r)
NOVA “Deadliest Volcanoes” (r)
NOVA “Deadliest Earthquakes” (r)
Antiques Roadshow “Tulsa, OK” (r)
The This Old House Hour
Independent Lens “Taking Root: The Vision of…” (r)
Washington Week
Need to Know
Great Performances “Herbie Hancock, Gustavo…”
Tavis Smiley Reports “Dudamel: Conducting a Life”
Monday, 1/2
Tuesday, 1/3
Wednesday, 1/4
Thursday, 1/5
Friday, 1/6

Projected
Rating
1.4
1.2
2.8
1.7
0.9
1.4
1.3
1.0
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.3
0.4
0.2
The NPS begins the year in a predictable fashion as the annual Great Performances New Year’s show
takes a repeat play in prime. “Downton Abbey” finishes up the first series repeats and hopefully wets the
appetite for the premiere of new episodes next week. Monday should get a solid bounce when ARS
premieres its 16th season. The repeat ARS in the 2nd hour is still outperforming most other titles that
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programmers try in that slot. A repeat of Martin Luther is a throw away. Tuesday looks tough with the 1st
two hours showing repeats of Egypt’s Golden Empire – the block is not Common Carriage and presents a
great opportunity to go your own way. The Wednesday repeats look promising, especially the “deadliest”
titles from NOVA.
Week 2 (1/8 – 1/14)
Title (Common Carriage in bold)
Sunday, 1/8
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey” (r)
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey”
Antiques Roadshow “Tulsa, OK”
Antiques Roadshow (r)
Martin Luther “The Reluctant Revolutionary” (r)
Egypt’s Golden Empire “The Last Great Pharaoh” (r)
Billy the Kid: American Experience
Frontline
Nature “Kangaroo Mob”
NOVA “Bombing Hitler’s Dams”
The This Old House Hour
Independent Lens “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”
Independent Lens “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”
Great Performances “Let Me Down Easy”
Monday, 1/9
Tuesday, 1/10
Wednesday, 1/11
Thursday, 1/12
Friday, 1/13

1.2
2.1
2.8
1.7
0.8
1.3
1.5
1.0
1.3
1.6
1.1
0.6
0.4
0.5
Sunday looks good with a 2-hour premiere of the new set of “Downton Abbey” episodes. Monday will
chug along as usual, but there is an opportunity in the 3rd hour to take advantage of the lead-in eyeballs.
Despite Egypt’s Golden Empire in the 1st hour, AMEX “Billy the Kid” should do well for your schedule.
Wednesday could be strong with new episodes from Nature and NOVA. We’re not sure what to think
about Thursday with two episodes of Indy Lens, but then again most stations have a plan in place for the
night.
Week 3 (1/15 – 1/21)
Title (Common Carriage in bold)
Sunday, 1/15
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey” (r)
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey”
Masterpiece Mystery! “Sherlock: A Study in Pink” (r)
Antiques Roadshow “Tulsa, OK”
Antiques Roadshow (r)
In Performance at the White House “…Civil Rights…” (r)
Custer’s Last Stand: American Experience
Frontline
Nature “Broken Tail: A Tiger’s Last Journey” (r)
NOVA “3D Spies of WWII”
Inside Nature’s Giants “Sperm Whale”
The This Old House Hour
Independent Lens “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”
Independent Lens “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”
Great Performances “Anna Bolena”
Monday, 1/16
Tuesday, 1/17
Wednesday, 1/18
Thursday, 1/19
Friday, 1/20

Projected
Rating
Projected
Rating
1.3
1.8
1.1
2.7
1.6
0.8
1.6
1.0
1.4
1.6
1.5
1.1
0.6
0.4
Tuesday could be strong with “Custer’s Last Stand”, but it’s ashamed that the doc is 2-hours – too long
for the audience. As always Wednesday is all Common Carriage, but it’s the 2nd and 3rd hour that hold
real promise for audience.
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Week 4 (1/22 – 1/28)
Title (Common Carriage in bold)
Sunday, 1/22
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey” (r)
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey”
Masterpiece Mystery! “Sherlock: The Blind Banker” (r)
Antiques Roadshow “Eugene, OR”
Antiques Roadshow (r)
American Masters “Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune”
Wyatt Earp: American Experience (r)
Geronimo: American Experience (r)
Frontline
Nature “Fortress of the Bears”
NOVA “Mystery of a Masterpiece”
Inside Nature’s Giants “Shark”
The This Old House Hour
Frontline (r)
Independent Lens “Have You Heard from Johannesburg”
Great Performances “Tony Bennett Duets 2”
Monday, 1/23
Tuesday, 1/24
Wednesday, 1/25
Thursday, 1/26
Friday, 1/27

1.2
1.7
1.1
2.7
1.6
0.5
1.3
1.2
1.0
1.6
1.4
1.4
1.1
0.4
0.5
1.2
The first 2 hours of prime on Monday will perform, but it’s a stretch to think “Phil “Ochs” will draw a
crowd in the 3rd hour. Tuesday’s repeats of “Wyatt Earp” and “Geronimo” may perform reasonably well,
but the night looks iffy overall. Wednesday could be very strong considering that all three titles as new
episodes and two have popular creatures.
Week 5 (1/29 – 1/31)
Title (Common Carriage in bold)
Sunday, 1/29
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey” (r)
Masterpiece Classic “Downton Abbey”
Masterpiece Mystery! “Sherlock: The Great Game” (r)
Antiques Roadshow “Eugene, OR”
Antiques Roadshow (r)
Secrets of the Dead “Sinking Atlantis” (r)
Annie Oakley: American Experience (r)
Jesse James: American Experience (r)
Frontline
Monday, 1/30
Tuesday, 1/31

Projected
Rating
Projected
Rating
1.2
1.6
1.1
2.7
1.5
1.1
1.3
1.2
1.0
Repeats rule for the waning nights of the month. Hopefully by this point “Downton Abbey” has picked up
steam and doing well. Tuesday looks relatively strong – at least for the first 2 hours.
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