Prime-Time Ratings Bring Speculation of a Shift in Habits

It is the police procedural that has network executives scratching their heads this season: The Case of the Disappearing Viewers. Across the television landscape, network and cable, public television and pay cable, English-language and Spanish, viewing for all sorts of prime-time programming is down this spring — chiefly among the most important audience for the business, younger adults.

In the four television weeks starting March 19, NBC lost an average of 59,000 viewers (about 3 percent) in that 18-to-49 age category compared with the same period last year, CBS lost 239,000 (8 percent), ABC lost 681,000 (21 percent) and Fox lost 709,000 (20 percent). The losses could not have come at a worse time for the networks, which are about to enter the television upfronts, the traditional season when advertising dollars are committed for the fall season. Though there seems to be no one reason for the decline, many executives say they are concerned that long-term changes in watching habits are taking a significant toll on viewership. The broadest explanation is the time of year. Each spring, viewership tends to decline because of factors like daylight saving time, which hurts the 8 p.m. shows especially because outdoor light discourages indoor viewing. And many television research executives said “nice weather” this spring may be encouraging people to spend more time outdoors.