It matters to commercial TV companies because they're told by the advertising companies that only 16 to 34 year olds buy things. This is because everyone who works in advertising is aged 16-34 and thinks everybody over 40 is decrepit and senile. (Their favourite film is Logan's Run).

It shouldn't matter to the BBC because they have no advertisers to please, but it does because (to be said in child-throwing-a-tantrum voice.) "that's the audience commercial TV chase so we have to as well."

Ultimately all TV executives are morons who can't think for themselves.

I don't think it matters to the BBC, it shouldn't anyway. For the British commercial channels, I don't think they place as much importance to it as much as the American networks but generally a higher 16-34 rating (or ABC1) means more ad revenue for them.

For e.g. Heartbeat was getting 5m+ which is good but because of its poor demographics, there probably wasn't much demand for spots during it by advertisters. Whereas, something like Take Me Out or another entertainment show which gets a 1/3 fewer viewers than Heartbeat, probably makes ITV almost double in ad revenue per hour than Heartbeat due to a younger and more affluent audience watching it.

Heartbeat is a bit of an extreme example though. I'm sure 95% of shows getting 5m+ on ITV would be recommissioned. I mainly just post the demo info on here because it's interesting to see how certain programmes skew age-wise etc.

Have BARB released the ratings yet?

Friday 21 January Overnights
BBC One (inc. HD)
19:00- The One Show - 4.30m (19.5%)
19:30- A Question of Sport - 3.77m (15.9%)
20:00- EastEnders - 9.03m (36.5%)
20:30- QI - 3.90m (15.7%)
21:00- Hustle - 5.74m (24.4%)

ITV1 (inc. HD)
19:00- Emmerdale - 7.76m (35.2%) , +1: 50k
19:30- Coronation Street - 9.74m (41.2%) , +1: 50k
20:00- Children's Hospital - 3.38m (13.7%) , +1: 130k
20:30- Coronation Street - 8.44m (34.1%) , +1: 60k
21:00- Comedy Rocks - 2.90m (12.3%) , +1: 80k

Thanks to MattJ for the ratings
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Some low-ish ratings last night IMO, such as The One Show being under 20% which is unusual, Corrie only getting 8.4m for episode 2, QI under 4m and Comedy Rocks under 3m (although no worse than last week). Hustle continuing to rate well this series.

Edit: Just read that QI was a repeat, which would explain why it was under 4m.

ITV1 (inc. HD)
21:00- Comedy Rocks - 2.90m (12.3%) , +1: 80k

What a fail! Jason Manford needs to quit.

Same day last year:

BBC1
19:00- The One Show: 5.23m (23.8%)
19:30- A Question Of Sport: 4.12m (17.5%)
20:00- Eastenders: 9.55m (38.2%)
20:30- QI: 4.03m (15.5%)
21:00- Silent Witness: 6.07m (23.6%)

ITV1
19:00- Emmerdale: 7.69m (34.9%)
19:30- Coronation Street: 9.80m (41.7%)
20:00- Dancing on Ice Friday: 3.35m (13.4%)
20:30- Coronation Street: 9.60m (37.0%)
21:00- Popstar To Operastar: 3.67m (14.8%)

Kinda depressing.

Thanks for posting rzt.

Everything pretty much as expected there. A relief Comedy Rocks didn't fall, but it didn't increase either and it's still a poor rating. Hustle continues to do very well on Fridays and I think ITV should start airing dramas on Fridays again, when BBC1 isn't airing them. Emmerdale & the first Corrie are very strong and the predictable drop off for the 2nd Corrie with the big switch off before CR.

Also for the first time in ages I think it's been a great week of EE quality wise. I hope it can continue like that, although the recent poor quality hasn't hurt ratings at all.

EDIT:

Mondays-stuff like three part thrillers need to air here. It's the one day where there seems to be room for 2 dramas to air on both BBC1 and ITV1. Also if ITV establish a good drama brand on Mondays again then they can regain the drama lead, because we know BBC1 air a lot of factual here during the year.
Tuesdays-IMO a strong rating show needs moving to the 8pm slot, providing a good lead in for factual in the 9pm slot. I would have suggested TV Burp in the past, but Saturdays are looking pretty weak as it is atm. Perhaps something like Family Fortunes, then good factual at 9pm.
Wednesdays-they're ok as they are imo. Not much else can be done here with the footie in the way.
Thursdays-entertainment. POG, Comedy Rocks, Benidorm, 71 Degrees.
Fridays-drama series. L&O & other 6 parters.

Then stuff like Popstar To Operastar should move to Sundays and a reshuffle of the weekend entertainment shows.

It is made by Kudos though, who have a strong success rate with BBC dramas. I don't believe any of ones you listed are from Shine.

The BBC didnt axe it, the writer wanted to end it after series 3 but decided to write a shorter, 4th series to wrap it up.

Not sure I agree with the prententious crap label, if you mean dfferent from the usual detective drama (apart from Luther) then yes. Should the BBC not bother with any sort of orginal drama series? Paradox wasnt great but not dreadful, Survivors I enjoyed immensely and gained a cult following, Luther was excellent and Mistresses had a loyal following.

Good rating again, and the share is well up on the last 2 series.


If that's the case then fair enough. I don't really know anything about the show other than its ratings.

Sad about Larkrise. I guess the writing was on the wall with this series being held to six episodes. There was a suggestion that the scriptwriter was in two minds about whether he wanted to continue, but if the will was there from the BBC no doubt it would have gone on. Obviously its not.

Thing is, getting 6 to 7 million to watch against DOI is no easy task. Larkrise was sufficiently different to become a brand of its own, like an hours dreamy escape and had a large devoted audience. Pitching something different in that slot is once again in that vague hit and miss zone that tv companies have to contend with.

EDIT: Like Cranford though,LRTC has the possiblity of returning in a few years for a holiday special I guess.

Is this just general relief or are you a big fan?

I was looking forward to Outcasts and Kudos/BBC are putting a lot into publicising the show with a twitter feed and a facebook page. What I've seen so far suggests more style than substance though, and that is a pity because it's a good cast.

The BBC also have Silk waiting for a February slot. The press screening was at the start of January and rumour is mid to late February. It could take Tuesday or Wednesday (assuming Outcasts gets Monday) or the BBC might just let it sink on Fridays when Hustle ends as there is little or no buzz around the show.

Don't ITV have Vera and Monroe for February/March which could turn the tables for them if the BBC's new shows flop.

Dont you think UD will run at 9.00 with Countryfile and AR preceding? Its the kind of show which should run later imo.

Could this be the end for Taggart? I think what is likely to happen is it will do a High Road and be only shown in Scotland and made for export, as it does well in Scotland and abroad.
I notice also my prediction that The Biggest Loser would fare badly has come true. This show really is more suited to a digital channel.

Other ratings, thanks to DS:

BBC Two
20:00 - Mastermind: 2.50m (10.1%)
20:30 - Life In A Cottage Garden: 1.61m (6.5%)
21:00 - Can't Take It With You: 1.62m (6.9%)
22:00 - Fast And Loose: 1.35m (6.7%)

Channel 4 (inc HD)
20:00 - Relocation: Phil Down Under: 1.58m (6.4%)
21:00 - The 50 Funniest Moments 2010: 1.63m (7.9%)

Five (inc HD)
20:00 - Ice Road Truckers: 1.51m (6.1%)
21:00 - CSI: 1.47m (6.3%)
22:00 - NCIS: 1.16m (6.2%)

Source: Digital Spy

And last Friday's Hustle had an official rating of 7.04m (26.4%), timeshifting 1.24m, 2nd highest rating since 2004. (thanks to MattJ) Kidnap and Ransom had 6.50m (23.5%).

Maybe ITV1 should drop the second Friday Coronation St and show films in this slot, with a break for News At Ten. ITV know Fridays after 8.30 are quite weak for them, but a decent film every Friday would pull in 4 million viewers.
Sounds like an odd question, but would I be right in saying Marco has been cancelled as it was a disaster?

A relief for ITV I should have said. I've personally never watched the show, although it doesn't look that bad.


Some more decent ratings for Ch4 there. The shows airing against the soaps have performed very well this week. Mon/Tues/Wed has seen some big standout ratings and Thu/Fri have performed solidly. It must be the first week in a while where there have been no 8-11pm flops!

Also a solid night for Ch5 there. I'm pretty sure it was The Mentalist airing at 9pm, but either way 1.5m for a repeat is excellent, considering some new episodes were getting less than that. IRT also made a strong return. Ch5 have managed 1m+ in almost every 8-11pm slot this week, just missing out on Mon & Tues at 8pm. The schedule is pretty decent atm with a strong mix of factual and US drama, but there aren't really many standout ratings with CSI and NCIS facing tough competition.

Brilliant timeshift for Hustle. Its most watched episode since episode 2 of series 1. Hustle is a show which has built its audience over last few years. Series Averages:

2007- 5.54m
2008- (did not air)
2009- 6.20m
2010- 6.45m
2011- 6.94m*

*currently airing

It's brilliant how its ratings have grown in the last few years. I read last week that another series has be commissioned for next year, which is no surprise.


I think a problem is that there's not many films that would get 4m+. There's the Harry Potter and James Bond franchises. But apart from that, ITV don't really have many films which would get 4m+ (Pirates of the Caribbean/Indiana Jones do well but they're with the BBC). And yes, Marco's Ratings Burnout has been axed.

I was simply arguing against GeorgeS's claim above that UD wouldn't be able to match LRTC's ratings.

I suspect you're right - AR will end up taking the 8pm Sunday slot next January, which I find annoying because it'll mean BBC1's pre-watershed drama will be restricted to soaps (Eastenders, Holby, Casualty, Waterloo Road.) and adventure series (Doctor Who, Merlin). Which seems too slim.

Unless anyone can think of any pre-watershed drama I've forgotten or any forthcoming series that might go out before 9pm.

As ever when Chris Evans appears TOS rating is down. Does anyone know if we have seen the last of the short-lived hour long editions of this programme as QOS now seems to be a permanent fixture in its old 1930 slot.

Anyone know how the first two episodes of American Idol did on ITV2 on Thursday/Friday?

Has Cowell's leaving affected the figures in the UK too?

Thursday's episode had 483,500 (2%) and 78,000 (0.37%) on +1. That's way down from last year's premiere rating of 1.24m, so it looks like Cowell leaving has had a major impact on its figures. No rating reported for Friday yet.

Yeah, I would presume we've seen the last of 1 hour editions - the 'entertainment' focus on Fridays with Evans doesn't seem to be working terribly well for them. And the QOS repeat fills the slot nicely, and seems to perform just as well as it used to despite the Monday late night airing!