Reality Check: Shows without actors or scripts are no fad
When Bravo launched its new series Top Chef late last month, it demonstrated - yet again - just how durable reality shows are for basic-cable networks.

A competitive home-design show, Top Design drew 1.8 million viewers in its 11 p.m. time slot on Jan 31, helped in no small measure by airing after the season finale of Top Chef. That cooking competition closed out its second season with 3.9 million viewers, including 2.9 million from the prized 18-to-49 viewer range. (more…)

Affluent Favor Cable TV
The affluent are voracious media consumers - as well as shoppers attuned to value for dollar, confirms a new study from Nielsen.
According to U.S. Census estimates, 17 percent of U.S. households are affluent - earning a household income of $100,000 or more.
That number is projected to rise by 22 percent by 2010. In such households, cable TV is a staple, with favorites including The Golf Channel, BBC America, CNN Headline News, CNBC and ESPN.
Nielsen analysts found that the affluent household profile trends toward larger white families, with household heads working in white-collar jobs, female heads of household between the ages of 35 and 54, and residency in one of 17 major Nielsen markets
Inside Information online (2-21-07) (more…)

Cable nets Survive 24, Idol
Even Jack Bauer couldn’t lift the broadcast networks out of the primetime ratings dungeon.
Despite strong debuts for the new seasons of Fox’s 24 and American Idol, television’s most-popular show, cable continued to widen its lead over the broadcast networks in January as part of a double-digit edge in viewership share for the 2006-07 TV season to date.
Several cable networks posted record January ratings. (more…)