News from the Trades - For Week of June 8, 2009
Breaking news on cable television and the media industry.

Summer Provides Big Sizzle for Cable Networks
Summer 2008 saw cable networks average a 60 primetime share of all television households, more than doubling the broadcast networks' 30 household share despite record-setting viewership numbers for NBC's 2008 Summer Olympics coverage, according to Nielsen Media Research figures. Given cable's lineup of summer shows — particularly with the return of major blockbuster shows like TNT's The Closer, which averaged more than 8 million viewers during its 2008 summer run — TV historian Tim Brooks believes that cable will easily match or surpass the record 63 household share it set in 2007 for the period. Look for more than 120 scripted and reality series, to be launched by cable networks this summer, as cable networks take advantage of the broadcasters' decision to air mostly repeat programming during the summer months.
Multichannel News, p. 8, 6-8-09