Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of May 14 - 20
Audiences way down for NBA Playoffs second round without Chicago  Bulls

(May 24, 2012) The NBA Playoffs semi final round didn't top the viewing records of last year's telecasts. Without the Chicago Bulls in the second round, the league lost the interest of millions of Black households compared to 2011.

During this period last year, the Bulls and Miami Heat were the No.1 cable show with 4.3 million black viewers. The most watched match-up last week was between the L.A. Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder which drew 2.8 million.

TNT easily won the most watched Top 25 cable network battle with 17.8 million watching 10 NBA games. ESPN followed with 7.7 million for four games. BET was third with 3.9 million for three of its shows.

The total number of viewers watching the Top 25 shows in black households, according to Nielsen, was up 12 percent to 38 million.

Top 25 Cable Shows in Black Households

   Rank | Program | Network | AA Rating | AA Share | Viewers 2+

1	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	15.0	22.4	2,836
2	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	14.0	20.1	2,566
3	NBA PLAYOFFS-CONF SEMIS	ESPN	13.6	22.4	2,581
4	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	12.0	19.5	2,259
5	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	11.1	16.4	1,963
6	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	9.8	15.5	1,789
7	NBA PLAYOFFS-CONF SEMIS	ESPN	9.7	14.2	1,728
8	NBA PLAYOFFS-CONF SEMIS	ESPN	9.5	15.5	1,711
9	NBA PLAYOFFS-CONF SEMIS	ESPN	9.5	15.3	1,732
10	THE GAME	BET	9.1	12.9	1,807
11	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	8.7	13.3	1,622
12	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	8.5	13.6	1,570
13	BASKETBALL WIVES 4	VH1	8.2	12.1	1,603
14	NBA PLAYOFFS- ROUND 2	TNT	8.1	13.2	1,485
15	LETS STAY TOGETHER S2	BET	7.3	10.4	1,433
16	LA LAS FULL COURT LIFE 2	VH1	6.2	8.7	1,217
17	HOUSE OF PAYNE	TBS	5.6	8.7	1,120
18	WWE ENTERTAINMENT	USA	5.4	7.4	1,150
19	HOUSE OF PAYNE	TBS	5.0	8.1	943
20	NBA PLAYOFFS PRE-GAME	TNT	4.9	7.9	874
21	NBA PLAYOFFS PRE-GAME	TNT	4.5	6.4	849
22	WWE ENTERTAINMENT	USA	4.5	6.2	864
23	BASKETBALL WIVES 4	VH1	4.3	5.9	844
24	KEEPING UP KARDASHIANS	E! TV	4.2	6.0	756
25	THE GAME	BET	4.1	5.8	752

Source: Nielsen Media Research. Ranked by percent of African-American households watching. Based on live and same day viewing. Number of viewers shown in thousands (1,000 = 1 million). Representing more than 13.45 million television households in the U.S., the African-American television audience is the largest minority segment in Nielsen's measurement samples. All times eastern.

Click here to view the previous week's Top 25 TV shows


Go to Target Market News homepage


RECENT STORIES
Rainbow PUSH, R.L. Polk hold forum to share automotive data with Black media

Nielsen: Black consumers are 'above average' in many of their online activities

Nielsen: Black consumers are 'above average' in many of their online activities

Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of May 7 - 13 Blacks rise to half the total audience for some NBA Playoff games

Honorees named for 2012 Marketing to African Americans with Excellence (MAAX) Awards

Black TV Ratings for Week of May 7 - 13 'Scandal' finally gives ABC the No.1 show and week's most watched network title

ASPiRE channel, launching next month, names Paul Butler general manager

R&B singer Keyshia Cole returns to BET in new docu-drama, 'Family First'

Allied Integrated Marketing launching an African-American division, Allied Moxy

Black Cable TV Ratings for Week of April 30 - May 6 Black viewers 42% of NBA Playoffs' total audience in first round games

Bounce TV announces original comedy series from 'Think Like A Man' producers

Black TV Ratings for Week of April 30 - May 6 ABC's 'Scandal' hits No.1 for first time, but CBS still most watched network

MadameNoire.com reports growth in unique visitors to more than 1.5 million

Click here for more recent news stories and our news archive

Return to top of page