Me-TV was watched by an average of 390,000 viewers during the second to last week of August (Monday, August 19th through Sunday, August 25th). That’s the largest number of viewers for the classic television digital specialty network since Nielsen numbers were first released back in April. The previous high was 380,000 viewers during the first week of August. To date, Me-TV is averaging 346,000 viewers a week.
The network also hit a new high in households, drawing 310,000 and breaking 300,000 for the first time. It is averaging 272,500 households per week.
Although miniscule numbers in comparison to the 6.1 million viewers CBS averaged during the week — and less than half the 890,000 viewers who watched The CW — the general trend over the past five months has been up. In April, the network averaged 342,000 viewers and 272,000 households. In August, in averaged 364,000 viewers and 286,000 households. It’s not much of an increase, but it’s an increase, and an increase suggests something is working.
My hope, unfounded as it may be, is that as ratings increase for Me-TV (and other digital specialty networks focusing on classic television like Antenna TV and Cozi TV) it will branch out from the big name classics like I Love Lucy, The Twilight Zone, Bonanza and M*A*S*H and air less well-known programs. Already Me-TV airs The Rebel and Mr. Lucky. Check back in early October to see how the network fared this month.
(All numbers courtesy of Media Life Magazine, which publishes broadcast ratings every Wednesday. Ratings were not published for the weeks ending May 12th and June 23rd.)
