US REPORT – NOVEMBER 21, 2017

THE WALKING DEAD suffers six-year ratings low; U.S. Department of Justice blocks AT&T-Time Warner merger; FCC announces plan to roll back net neutrality

BROADCAST RATINGS:

Network Average:

Broadcast Primetime Live + Same Day – Monday, November 20, 2017

Ratings Report:

• ABC’s lineup on Monday night enjoyed pre-emptions from MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, first with DANCING WITH THE STARS scoring a 1.5 rating up from last week’s 1.4 (which adjusted down). Next, THE GOOD DOCTOR raked in a 1.9 on par with last week.
• Final rounds of THE VOICE on NBC hit a series low for a Monday episode at 1.7, down from 2.0 last week. THE BRAVE dipped by a tenth to 0.9.
• On CBS, KEVIN CAN WAIT ticked up a tenth to 1.4, and MAN WITH A PLAN improved by two tenths to 1.2. Both are likely to adjust down in finals due to inflation from MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. Otherwise, SUPERIOR DONUTS and SCORPION both gained a tenth to 1.0 and 0.9 respectively, while 9JKL held steady at 0.8.
• FOX’s LUCIFER, at 0.9, is down a tenth. THE GIFTED, meanwhile, fell a tenth from last week’s 1.0 that had adjusted up in the finals.
• SUPERGIRL on The CW managed another 0.5, while VALOR also maintained a 0.2.

CABLE RATINGS:

Top 25 Original Programs on Cable – Sunday, November 19, 2017

Of Note:

• THE WALKING DEAD on AMC suffered a six-year low on Sunday night with a 3.4 rating down from 3.9 previously. Last time it earned that low was with a 3.1 for the sixth episode of Season 2 on November 20^th, 2011. Viewership was also down at 7.85 million, its fewest since March 2012. Additionally, post-show TALKING DEAD fell two tenths to 1.1.
• Bravo’s THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA and XSCAPE: STILL KICKIN’ IT were each down a tenth from last week at 0.9 and 0.6, respectively.
• Elsewhere, TLC’s 90 DAY FIANCE lost a tenth to 0.5, while SHAMELESS on Showtime was even at 0.5. KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS on E! dipped a tenth as well to 0.4. OUTLANDER on Starz managed another 0.3 but fell to its lowest viewership of the season at 1.23 million.

OTHER NEWS:

• The Federal Communications Commission has announced it intends to repeal Obama-era net neutrality guidelines that ban Internet providers from blocking or throttling traffic, or from selling “fast lanes” for quicker access to consumers. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s proposal is expected to land the Republican-majority agency back in court. Said Democrat FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Pai’s plan would “[give] the green light to our nation’s largest broadband providers to engage in anti-consumer practices, including blocking, slowing down traffic, and paid prioritization of online applications and services.”
• The anticipated AT&T-Time Warner merger has been blocked by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit filed by the DOJ cautions that the transaction could drive up the cost of channels such as HBO, CNN and TBS to rivals and alleges that AT&Twould “use its control of Time Warner’s popular programming as a weapon to harm competition.” Valued at $108 billion, the merger was previously expected to be approved. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson stated in a press conference that the lawsuit “stretches the reach of antitrust law beyond the breaking point.”
• YouTube Red has picked up a new sports docuseries about Jay Williams, the College Basketball Hall of Famer who was chosen second overall in the 2002 NBA Draft but whose career was ended by a motorcycle accident a year later. The 8-episode series, titled BEST SHOT, will chronicle the lives of high school students Williams hopes to inspire. LeBron James is set to executive produce, with Michael John Warren to direct and Springhill Entertainment, Boardwalk Pictures, and Blue Ribbon Content producing. BEST SHOT will debut in 2018 – watch the trailer HERE.
• Viewers of NBC’s THE VOICE will now be able to vote for their favorite contestants using the Comcast Xfinity X1 remote. Appropriately using voice activation, users will be able to access their on-screen ballot by saying, “Vote for THE VOICE,” or by pressing the “info” button on the remote. A panel on the right side of the TV screen will then appear with the performers to be voted on.
• Supernatural thriller RUN FOR YOUR LIFE has received a pilot order from NBCUniversal’s Entertainment Networks Group, home to cable channels USA and Syfy. Hailing from Universal Television and Blumhouse Television, the hour-long Latino-centered drama depicts the last night of Dia de Los Muertos (aka Day of the Dead), when a grieving detective is thrust into a deadly game to bring someone back from the dead. Writer/producer team Chris Cullari and Jennifer Raite (12 DEADLY DAYS) will serve as co-executive producers, while Patricia Riggen (THE 33) is set to direct and co-executive produce the pilot. Josh Segarra (ARROW) will star as Julian Silva.
• CBS programming is now blacked out on Dish Network, due to the failure to renew a carriage deal between the two parties. Due to the disagreement, 28 local channels in 18 markets across 26 states will be off the air, affecting a large portion of Dish’s more than 13 million subscribers. Said Warren Schlichting, EVP of Marketing, Programming, and Media Sales at Dish, “CBS is attempting to tax Dish customers on programming that’s losing viewers, tax Dish customers on programming available for free over the air, and tax Dish customers for content available directly from CBS.”