NIELSEN TELEVISION SERVICES
IN THE UNITED STATES ..
.
Nielsen Television Index (NTI) provides continuing
estimates of TV viewing and national sponsored
network program audiences, including national
ratings 52 weeks per year. Data regularly reported
include persons audiences and household
audiences by market sections, Daily Ratings, Fast
National and Multi- Network Area Ratings,
Cost /1000 Estimates and Program and Brand
Cumulative Audiences. In addition, the National
Audience Demographics Report provides estimates
of audiences by persons categories within
household demographics. NTI's on -line multiphase
time -sharing computer systems offer clients direct
access to a wide range of special analyses.
Nielsen Station Index (NSI) measures television
station audiences in over 200 local markets, and
provides season -to-season reports (up to seven per
market per year), on viewing by time periods and
programs. NSI measurements include metro area
and Designated Market Area (DMA) ratings, station
total audiences, program pre- emptions, cumulative
audiences and "time viewed," and estimates of
viewing over a wide range of demographic
categories.
Nielsen Metered Market Service provides daily
and weekly reports on television audiences in New
York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco,
Philadelphia and Detroit (starting in Fall,1982) via a
sample of households with Audimeter ® instruments
linked directly to Nielsen computers.
Nielsen HomeVideo Index (NHI) provides
measurement services for the cable television
industry and related in -home video forms. This
includes audience measurements for the cable
satellite networks, local cable systems, pay -TV
services and program suppliers.
IN CANADA ..
Nielsen Broadcast Index (NBI) is the Canadian
counterpart of the Nielsen Station Index in the
United States. NBI measures television station
audiences in the 41 DMA's that comprise the total
Canadian national market. NBI report frequency
varies from 3 -18 weeks, depending on market size.
Report book features include demographics, special
vs. regular time period listings, trends, cumes, week by -week ratings and metro area ratings for major
reports.
Nielsen Television Index (NTI) publishes network
television audience measurement reports for 37
weeks of the year. These reports cover all programs
carried on Canadian networks: CBC, CTV, Global,
Radio -Canada and TVA.
IN BELGIUM ..
.
Diary measurement of national audiences two
months per year.
IN ITALY..
.
National audience reports are provided monthly,
nine times per year. They include data for the
national networks, foreign stations and all local
stations combined.
Three times per year, the local service reports on
household and persons viewing activity for all major
stations in 19 regions.
IN JAPAN...
Nielsen Station Index was established there in
1960, and produces Metered Market measurements
for the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya areas and diary
measurements for 7 other markets.
Copyright 1982 by A.C. Nielsen Company. Printed in U.S.A. All rights reserved.
Additional copies of this brochure at no charge are available
within U.S.A.. Canada, U.K., Ireland. Mexico and Japan upon
request to A.C. Nielsen Company. Nielsen Plaza, Northbrook,
Illinois 60062. U.S.A. and within Continental Europe, South
Africa, Brazil. Australia and New Zealand from A.0 Nielsen
Management Services S. A.. P O. Box 516. CH -6002 Lucerne.
Switzerland.
The Nielsen data in this booklet are estimates of the
audiences and other characteristics of television usage as
derived from Nielsen Television Index and Nielsen Station
Index measurements. The use of mathematical terms herein
should not be regarded as a representation by Nielsen that
such measurements are exact to precise mathematical values.
IELEV
Historically, each year has brought remarkable new
developments to the television industry. But neuer before in
history has the industry witnessed the rate and dimension of
change seen in the recent past and this change promises to
continue virtually unabated.
Both the traditional and new forms of television are
commanding high audience interest as documented by the
record viewing levels set during 1981. Millions of living rooms
and family rooms across the country have been transformed
into combined information, home services, and entertainment
centers.
Since television and cablevision have become even more
complex and competitive, it is imperative that the marketplace
has full confidence in the audience estimates provided. We are
grateful to you
our good clients and friends for your
continued expression of that confidence.
-
-
Highlights from the various reports and studies compiled by
the Nielsen Media Research services are contained in this, our
27th issue of the Nielsen Report on Television. We hope you
find it worthy of your review.
James D. Lyons
President
Media Research Group
1
cboices
ati
Viewer Ong nrbel
incieas
of c1atrei
According to the Federal Communications Commission, there
were 1,045 stations on the air ... 774 commercial and 271
public ... as of January 1, 1982.
Nielsen Television Index reports that as of 1981, 43% of
television households could receive the signals of 10 or more
television stations; this compares to only 20% in 1972.
However, the share of television homes able to receive TV
fare on 10 or more channels becomes 53%, when channels
programmed by the cable -only services are added to "stations
receivable."
STATIONS AND CHANNELS RECEIVABLE
PER TV HOUSEHOLD
%
-3 4
5
315¡
8
6
I
SHARE OF TV HOUSEHOLDS
8
7
9
10+
9
53
8
10 -11
10
12 -14
24
13'
15
NO OF CHANNELS
100%
1981
10-
3I5I
8
10
9
11
6
1
19'17"-
1
10
12
18
12
100%
7
15
NO OF STATIONS
1972
1
12 -14
43
13
20
11
100%
I
NO. OF STATIONS
1964
22
19
14
19
12
6
4
4
NO OF STATIONS
SOURCE NTI SAMPLE
2
100%
Nielsen estimates 81.5 million U.S. Households owned at least
one TV set as of January, 1982. More than half of these TV
homes owned more than one set and 86% owned color TV
sets.
TV OWNERSHIP
81.5
74 5
76.3 77.8
69.6
81
1
-
(MILLIONS)
86
85
60
TV HOUSEHOLDS
83
%
COLOR
ff (-)9
53 8
74
45
2
48
32 0
50
51
52
%
MULTI-SET
43
41
35
4.6
I
I
MARCH JAN.
1950
1955
JAN.
1960
SEPT. SEPT. SEPT
1965 1970 1975
SEPTEMBER
19781979 1980198
EFFECTIVE
DATE
TV OWNERSHIP U.S. CENSUS 1950-'70; NIELSEN ESTIMATES 1975-'81.
COLOR: ARF CENSUS 1985; NIELSEN ESTIMATES 1970-'81.
MULTI-SET: U.S. CENSUS 1980-'85: NIELSEN ESTIMATES 1970-111.
' AS OF 1979. ESTIMATES BASED ON JAN. OF FOLLOWING YEAR.
EFFECTIVE IN SEPT.
1
otnpse
S
fe
.N l oasaUd
ao
adults
"adtilts
oYe
eY
[ion
The total number of persons in TV households increased 15%
since 1970 (215.7 million vs. 187.2 million). The share of the
adult population (18 years and over) rose from 67% to 75 %,
whereas the non -adult population declined from 33% to 25 %.
f TOTAL PERSONS IN TV HOUSEHOLDS
21565
(MILLIONS)
200 17
18721
9
6
7
9
11
11
15
8
12
YEN
13
12
11
33
3U
10
12
6
6
11
6
EE,
13
12
6
13
5
14
11
13
8
w
7
WOMIN
1970
4
1,
1982. OTHERS BASED ON SEPT.
16
9
6
1981'
1975
NON -ADULTS
(AS % OF TOTAL PERSONS)
BASED ON JAN.
5
1
EACH YEAR
ADULTS
(AS
%
OF TOTAL PERSONS)
Television viewing levels increase throughout the day, reaching
a peak between 8PM and 10PM. Thereafter, TV usage falls off
rapidly as people go to bed.
There are extreme variations in TV usage levels from winter
to summer, particularly during late afternoon and evening
hours. In contrast, there are only minor differences in early
morning and late night.
PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLDS USING TELEVISION
7
8
9
10
11
12
NOON
AM
MON-SUN. EVENING
MON -FRI. AFTERNOON
MON. -FRI MORNING
12
1
2
3
4
PM
5
6
PM
6
PM
7
8
9
10
11
12
AM
SEPT. '80-AUG. '81
FEB.'B1
=.111 JULY
'81
NIELSEN ESTIMATES -TOTAL U.S. NY TIME. EXCEPT NYT + 3 HOURS IN
PACIFIC TERRITORY.
5
climbs
to
household
to nearly 6
usage
ion
per day
31
TV households, on the average, viewed an estimated 6 hours
and 44 minutes a day during the 1980-'81 TV season; the
highest season average ever reported. This represented a 9minute annual increase over the 1979 -'80 TV season, with
even larger increases reported in February (+ 10 minutes) and
July ( +20).
AVERAGE HOURS OF HOUSEHOLD TV USAGE PER DAY
601
611
HOURS: MINUTES
5:30
FEB.
JULY
6:28
4:23
6 53
6 49
508
5
1965'66
197071
33
7:11
5:46
1975-197876
NIELSEN ESTIMATES BASED ON TOTAL U.S. HOUSEHOLDS
SEPT. -AUG. 48-WEEK AVERAGE EXCLUDING UNUSUAL DAYS.
6
626
79
635
6:44
7:22
5:48
7:32
6:08
197980
198081
TV
usag e eatei
Households
No
Cable Householdñ
_Pay
_Households With
amlptg
Pdults
On the average, TV households viewed over 49 1/2 hours of
television per week, however, certain homes viewed far more
than that. Households with 3 or more persons, and those with
non -adults, tuned in for about 60 hours a week. Pay Cable
households viewed substantially more television than either
those households with only Basic Cable service or no cable at all.
HOURS OF TV USAGE PER WEEK BY HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS
MONDAY -SUNDAY 24-HOUR TOTAL
6020
51:00
48-49
51
18
48
1
1
47:03
1
46:13
45:11
59:50
58:08
48:21
42:57
NOV. 1981
33:53
12
NOV. 1975
37:26
$20,000+
52:41
42:17 48:03
z°
D
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
43 59
38 41
+
crg
W O
O
50:15
órn
h
O
Vl
Of
O)
Q+
ó
§
N
(h
ci
N
co
Ci
M
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
a
co
Z
O
Z
CABLE SUBSCRIBER
Z
o
>
Z
Z
PRESENCE
OF
NIELSEN ESTIMATES' NATIONAL AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS REPORT
NON -ADULTS
7
In general, women view more television than men, older men
and women view more than younger age groups and younger
children view more than older children and teenagers.
WEEKLY VIEWING ACTIVITY FOR
NOVEMBER 1981
HOURS: MINUTES
PER WEEK
168:00
39:20
12%
36%
REMAINDER
32:37
/v
29:32
30:09
8
12%
10
12%
MON. -SUN.
SAT.
1
11 PM -1 AM
-8PM, SUN.
1
-7PM
8
8
8
13
12%
10
9
-- -
11
20
11
4
SAT.
&
SUN. 7AM -1 PM
7
15
14
20
16
MON.-FRI. 10AM- 4:30PM
14
19
16
MON.-FRI. 4:30-7:30PM
13
9
35
MON. -SAT. 8-11 PM,
SUN. 7 -11 PM
32
31
TOTAL
PERSONS 2+
18 -34
31
13
DISTRIBUTION
OF HOURS
IN WEEK
35-54
WOMEN
55+
This viewing activity is distributed disproportionately
throughout the day, reflecting each group's work, school
or leisure time schedule. For example, prime time (Monday Saturday, 8:00- 11:OOPM & Sunday 7:00- 11:OOPM) makes up
only 13% of the week's total available hours, yet with the
exception of children 1 -5 years, this time period accounts for
30% or more of the people's viewing.
WOMEN, MEN, TEENS AND CHILDREN
NIELSEN ESTIMATES
NATIONAL AUDIENCE DEMOGRAPHICS REPORT
35 43
11
26:30
27 04
1
13%
12
12
16
ri
27:41
-4 -^
22:28
11%
-416
1819
12
8
=2
14
7
1;1
8
7
13
10
12
13
13
8
12
11
17%
12%
8%
7
8
24:48
'>
10
1
ti
16
15
21
18
35
20
33
18 -34
35 -54
MEN
55
+
FEMALE
TEENS
MALE
6 -11
2-5
CHILDREN
9
Sunday
d
slot and
me
ti
popular
8.30-9.00 a1n the roost
me
mes
The 8:30 to 9:00PM time slot the most -viewed (Mon. -Sun.)
evening half -hour, and women account for the greatest share
viewing
of viewing throughout the evening.
J
is
Year after year, Sunday evening continues to attract the
greatest number of viewers. Monday was the second most
popular November viewing night in both 1975 and 1981, but
note Friday has moved from last to a strong 3rd place.
PERSONS VIEWING PRIME TIME
(AVERAGE MINUTE)
BY HALF HOUR
%
SHARE
- NOVEMBER
TEENS
1981
TOTAL
12-17
MEN
WOMEN
18 -34
35 -54
55+
14
13
15
18 -34 35 -54
CHILDREN
55+
6 -11 2 -5
PERSONS
BY NIGHT OF THE WEEK
TOTAL PERSONS 2+ (MILLIONS)
NOVEMBER
2+
(MILLIONS)
106.9
8-8:30PM
13
10
10
8
12
5 100.3
1981 94
8:30 -9PM
14
13
9-9:30PM
15
9:30-10PM
16
10-10:30PM
17
J
15
13
11
14
15
14
12
12
15
15
14
12
11
8
1
8
10
7
5
7
3 97.7
92.1
90 5 90,2
86.4
102.0
88.5
1975 87.0 85.8 80.6 80.6 80.4 82.6 96.6
6 3 94.5
8
)
15
16
15
13
11
7
4 2 84.3
Q
O
2
f
Q
1n
O
10:30-1
1
PM
17
16
15
MON. -SUN. AVERAGE
16
13
11
7
4
1
77.6
8-11 PM EASTERN TIME, EXCEPT
7 -11 PM IN '81, 7:30- 10:30PM IN '75.
SUNDAY
-
EXCLUDING UNUSUAL DAYS.
10
oedies
e
Situation
m
program
popular
most ror
Situation Comedies attracted the largest prime time overall
audiences during November of 1981, recovering from a 2nd
place finish behind General Drama in 1980. Sit -Corns were
also the most popular type of programming for children and
teens. As for adults 18 -54, prime time audiences were highest
for Feature Films, while adults 55+ preferred General Drama.
AUDIENCE COMPOSITION BY SELECTED PROGRAM TYPE
TOTAL
PERSONS 2+
(MILLIONS)
CHILDREN 2 -5
CHILDREN 6-11
TEENS 12 -17
-
REGULARLY SCHEDULED NETWORK PROGRAMS 6 -11 PM
(AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCES)
27.19
1.43
23.92
83-
1.53
1.39
MEN 18 -34
2.65
MEN 35 -54
2.25
2299
2.85
1.41
2.51
72-
25.55
96
1.99
-
1.94
1.79
3.44
3.51
2.45
2.84
1670
36
3.03
MEN 55-I
2.83
2.77
2.73
2.87
2.56
WOMEN 18 -34
4.07
WOMEN 55+
3.65
4.78
GENERAL
DRAMA
(12)
4.26
4 01
I
1.26_
2.28
43
3.50
3
3 44
4 09
SUSPENSE
MYSTERY
DRAMA
(10)
SITUATION
COMEDY
(30)
NUMBER OF PROGRAMS NOVEMBER 1961.
--
62=
^-.61
1.67
1.89
3.37
1.28
3.52
3.91
FEATURE
FILMS
(7)
ALL
REGULAR
NETWORK
PROGRAMS
7 -11 PM
(
-.42
.36
3.71
WOMEN 35 -54
11.40
.25
= -
(71)
1.04
1.48
303
1.66
2.21
4 31
INFORMATIONAL 6 -7PM
ONE -A -W K.
MULTI-
(5)
WK.
(3)
Ye
view
than Soo-Black
Black
$1kousetiold
households
During the 1980 -'81 season, Nielsen Station Index produced
Black/American reports for thirteen markets: New York, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington, D.C.,
Cleveland, Houston, St. Louis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Memphis
and New Orleans. An average of 1V usage across all markets
showed that Black households viewed more television than
Non -Black households. The largest differences occurred during
the daytime, early and late fringe dayparts.
HOUSEHOLDS USING TELEVISION%
63
63
61
60
57
NON -BLACK HOUSEHOLDS
64
50
BLACK HOUSEHOLDS
45
44
43
39
32
30
30
31
23
19
16
DAYPART
M-F
9AM-NOON
M F
NOON-4 30PM
M-F
4.30-6PM
M-F
6-730PM
Note. Dayparts are based on ETZ and should be read as one hour earlier in CTZ
Source Nielsen Station Index Black/American reports
12
M-F
7:30-8PM
S-S
8-11PM
M-F
11-11 30PM
11
M-F
30PM-1AM
S-S
i-1AM
Black
ck a°dience5
Black
rrogramfeaturing
perforters attract
Although prime time showed the least difference in TV usage,
programs featuring Black performers achieved higher ratings
in Black households than in Non -Black households across all
markets.
HOUSEHOLD RATINGS%
Market
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Philadelphia
Detroit
Washington, D.C.
Cleveland
Houston
Black
Jeff erson
Non -Black
i
Index
Black
Benson
Non -Black
Index
206
217
163
23
12
192
18
12
16
35
26
26
17
30
17
32
29
17
15
176
188
193
30
18
167
34
33
16
213
24
138
26
27
20
18
28
26
22
Atlanta
Baltimore
Memphis*
New Orleans
38
28
21
181
18
12
19
147
22
14
36
34
26
22
138
155
17
11
20
12
150
163
142
133
138
165
173
147
150
157
155
167
Average
32
18
178
22
14
157
St. Louis
12
16
Source Nielsen Station Index Black/American reports. October/November, 1980.
*Memphis Black/American report, November 1980-February 1981.
19
15
13
17
15
15
Pay Cable subscribers, in general, have tended to view more TV
than either Non -Cable or Basic Cable households.
During both Prime Time and Late Night, a sizeable portion
of the viewing of Pay Cable households was to the Pay Cable
offerings, usually first run, uncut movies. Viewing during Late
Night (M -F 11:30PM -1AM) to other-on -air stations
(independen-s, public and subscription TV) is also significant
SOURCE OF HOUSEHOLD VIEWING
COMPOSITE
H'HOLDS
TV
USAGE'
61.2 64.3 63.3
PAY CABLE
0.9
1
CABLE ORIGIN.
0 g
0
OTHER-ON -AIR
76
NTWK -AFFIL.
5
2.3
8,-1.0
-
PRIME TIME (MON. -SUN. 8 -11 PM)
PAY CABLE
H'HOLDS
70.0 73.2 70.6
105
BASIC CABLE
H'HOLDS
65.7
NON -CABLE
H'HOLDS
59.1 62.2 62.0
109 120
2.4
'1 9
65.6 60.5
2
2.2
2.6
32
100 114
9.6
107
55.7
53.6 54.1
53 8
68 87 95
54.7 53.7
53.5
49 0
NTWK
SHARE
NOVEMBER
88
84
'79
'80
'81
79
'80
131
85
82
81
91
88
87
79
'80
81
'79
'80
'81
MAY BE LESS THAN SUM OF RECEPTION SOURCES BECAUSE OF SIMULTANEOUS VIEWING
"% NTWK /% TV USAGE
14
among Pay Cable subscribers as well as Basic Cable and Non Cable households.
Generally, viewing to cable fare has increased over the last
two years
no doubt due in part to more programming now
being made available.
-
SOURCE OF HOUSEHOLD VIEWING
TV USAGE*
- LATE FRINGE (MON. -FRI. 11:30PM-1AM)
COMPOSITE
H'HOLDS
PAY CABLE
26.0 28.2 26.7
28.3 39.3 35.5
PAY CABLE
0.4 0.8 12
CABLE ORIGIN. F0 34_0 3.-0 41
H'HOLDS
1
27.3 25.8 22.2
NON -CABLE
H'HOLDS
25.3 26.7 25.3
62 6.3
51
111
BASIC CABLE
H'HOLDS
-1
r1
0.8
7
1
0.7 0.7
I
86
OTHER -ON -AIR
NTWK -AFFIL.
9J 3 57
21.9 22.3
3
199
249_4
7
45
21 2
18.5
51`-'
21
4
1
19.4 178
35'45-
55
22 2 22.5
20
NTWK SHARE**
84
79
75
65
63
60
BO
75
80
88
84
NOVEMBER
79 '80
'81
79
'80
'81
'79
'80 '81
'79
'80 '81
MAY BE LESS THAN SUM OF RECEPTION SOURCES BECAUSE OF SIMULTANEOUS VIEWING
% NTWK/% TV USAGE
79
1
5`
Currently there are well over 300 different commercial
programs which independent distributing organizations offer
for sale to individual local stations, including network affiliates,
as well as independent stations. Many of these programs were,
at one time, on network schedules, and many have never been
seen on TV as other than "syndicated" programs. As a result,
individual stations can supplement network offerings, provide
diverse regional programs and offer national programs
attuned to the preferences of the local area. The top 15
syndicated programs among different segments of our
population are listed here. The programs are ranked by their
average ratings (within their areas of coverage) as reported by
Nielsen Station Index's Cassandra computerized reporting
pYOas
op 15 syndicated
Top
service.
TEENS 12 -17
WOMEN 18+
NIELSEN /CASSANDRA
RANKING OF
SYNDICATED PROGRAMS
NOVEMBER 1981
AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD RATING (COMPUTED)
ALL DATA PRESENTED SUBJECT TO QUALIFICATIONS.
PROGRAM AVERAGES SHOWN ARE WEIGHTED BY MARKET
UNIVERSE.
TOTAL U.S. HOUSEHOLDS
%
Mkts.
Rating
Family Feud PM
PM Magazine
M*A*S*H
Hee Haw
Tic Tac Dough
Lawrence Welk Show
Dance Fever
Entertainment Tonight
You Asked For It
Joker's Wild
Barney Miller
Little House on the Prairie
Jeffersons
Solid Gold Original
Adventures of Pinocchio
113
11.2
10.0
9.7
7.6
7.4
7.3
93
184
176
109
164
119
106
6.3
6.3
94
63
6.3
100
42
5.9
5.8
5.5
5.3
5.2
60
177
9
6.1
ft
%
Mkts.
Rating
Program Name
Mkts.
Rating
M*A*S*H
Family Feud PM
PM Magazine
Hee Haw
Happy Days Again
Barney Miller
184
113
M*A*S*H
PM Magazine
Family Feud PM
Hee Haw
184
9.4
93
8.5
8.0
176
154
100
109
97
13.9
13.2
12.7
9.7
8.8
8.7
8.7
8.4
You Asked For It
94
8.4
119
106
164
136
8.1
8.1
8.1
94
100
109
106
164
119
6
Entertainment Tonight
Lawrence Welk Show
Muppet Show
Little House on the Prairie
Jeffersons
93
42
60
7.8
7.7
7.5
Barney Miller
Tic Tac Dough
Entertainment Tonight
Lawrence Welk Show
Dance Fever
Bart Starr
Vince Dooley
In Search Of...
Solid Gold Original
Kung Fu
ft
%
Mkts.
Rating
Happy Days Again
Laverne & Shirley
154
97
184
Good Times
What's Happening?
61
12.1
10.8
9.8
9.4
9.3
8.4
Program Name
MA`SH
Charlie's Angels
Welcome Back. Kotter
Little House on the Prairie
Jeffersons
Solid Gold Original
Brady Bunch
Dance Fever
Wonder Woman
Family Feud PM
Pink Panther
34
23
49
42
60
177
73
119
45
113
7.9
7.4
7.1
7.1
6.8
6.5
6.4
6.2
29
6.1
Mkts.
Rating
136
14.0
14.0
12.3
11.8
11.8
11.4
10.6
9.9
9.5
9.5
CHILDREN 2 -11
MEN 18+
ft
%
Program Name
Tic Tac Dough
Laverne & Shirley
You Asked For It
Dance Fever
16
ft
Program Name
113
176
7
59
177
37
7.3
5.7
5.6
5.0
4.9
4.9
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.4
4.3
4.2
Program Name
Muppet Show
Scooby Doo
Pink Panther
Happy Days Again
Tom and Jerry
Laverne & Shirley
Brady Bunch
Daffy Duck /Porky Pig
Flintstones
Wonder Woman
Bugs Bunny
Adventures of Pinocchio
Mighty Mouse Show
Little House on the Prairie
Woody Woodpecker & Friends
63
29
154
108
97
73
12
53
45
80
9
9.3
11
9.0
8.9
8.9
42
49
9.1
pew °rk
Top 1 5
pYoams
Many different programs rank in network television's Top 15
in the course of a year. Those shown here were the regular
network programs that ranked at the top during Nielsen
Television Index measurements, from October 26- November
23, 1981.
The size of a program's audience is but one of the number
of ways to assess its worth or success. For example, many
programs below the top 15 are successful because they
appeal to a specific target audience that advertisers wish to
reach.
TOP 15 REGULARLY SCHEDULED
NETWORK PROGRAMS
WOMEN 18+
Program Name
Dallas
60 Minutes
One Day at
NOVEMBER 1981
NIELSEN AVERAGE AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
2 OR MORE TELECASTS
115 MINUTES OR LONGER)
MASH
a Time
Alice
Three's Company
NBC Monday Night Movies
Jeffersons
60 Minutes
Dallas
Three's Company
M*A*S*H
Too Close For Comfort
One Day at a Time
ABC Sunday Night Movie
NFL Monday Night Football
Archie Bunker's Place
Dukes of Hazzard
Magnum. P.I.
Alice
Facts of Life
Happy Days
Love Boat
Average Audience
%
28.1
27.7
24.0
23.4
22.7
22.4
21.9
21.8
21.7
21.3
21.2
21.0
20.9
20.9
20.9
%
24.5
21.3
Magnum. P.I.
Too Close For Comfort
ABC Sunday Night Movie
Love Boat
Little House on the Prairie
Hart to Hart
Facts of Life
TOTAL U.S HOUSEHOLDS
Program Name
Average Audience
MEN 18+
Program Name
60 Minutes
NFL Monday Night Football
CBS NFL Football Game 2
CBS NFL Football Game 1
ABC Sunday Night Movie
Dallas
NFL Football Game 2 -NBC
Fall Guy
Archie Bunker's Place
MA *S *H
Three's Company
One Day at a Time
That's Incredible
NBC Sunday Night Movie
Too Close For Comfort
NFL Football Game 1-NBC
18.4
18.3
17.9
17.7
17.4
17.3
17.3
17.2
16.9
16.5
16.5
16.2
16.2
TEENS 12 -17
Program Name
MASH
CHIPS
Mork & Mindy
NBC Friday Night Movie
Magnum, P.I.
Diff'rent Strokes
CHILDREN
Avers ,ge Audience
%
23.2
21.4
18.7
18.4
17.4
16.4
16.2
15.4
15.0
14.6
14.6
14.3
14.2
13.9
13.8
13.8
Average Audience
Three's Company
Laverne & Shirley
Happy Days
Too Close For Comfort
Greatest American Hero
ABC Sunday Night Movie
Facts of Life
Private Benjamin
Love Boat
20.1
19.3
18.0
16.7
15.7
14.8
14.6
13.6
13.5
13.4
12.9
12.4
12.4
12.3
2-11
Average Audience
Program Name
Dukes of Hazzard
Greatest American Hero
Walt Disney
Smurfs II
Incredible Hulk
Mork & Mindy
Laverne & Shirley
Here's Boomer
Happy Days
CHIPs
Smurfs
%
20.5
I
Best of the West
Benson
Mr. Merlin
Kid Super Power
I
%
28.2
24.7
24.4
23.0
22.9
22.1
21.7
20.1
19.6
18.6
18.1
17.4
17.4
16.7
16.1
17
Meda Research
a service of
A.C. Nielson Company
NORTHBROOK
Nielsen Plaza
Northbrook, IL 60062
312/498 -6300
NEW YORK
1290 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10104
212/708-7500
ATLANTA
,
62 Perimeter Center East, N.E
Atlanta, GA 30346
404/393 -1010
CH
410 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago. IL 60611
312/828 -1170
DALLAS
MENLO PARK
333 W. Campbell Road
Suite 350
Richardson. TX 75080
70 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
214/669 -1700
415/321 -7700
LOS ANGELES
Suite 1203.6290 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
213/466 -4391