Top 40 Weekly Cable Ratings: Week of 09/03/12

The 2012 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS were not enough to top cable's new hit drama MAJOR CRIMES. The 3.8 HH rating was not just the best of the week, but MAJOR CRIMES was the only one of just two dramas in the top 10, along with PERCEPTION.

Coverage of the 2012 Democratic National Convention helped networks like MSNBC and CNN in the ratings. Usually, we rarely see a news network in the top 40 chart, but this week, over 25% of the chart was news programming.

RANK       PROGRAM NAME                           NET  RATING
===============================================================
   1   MAJOR CRIMES                              TNT     3.8
   2   2012 VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS(S)                MTV     3.7
   3   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     3.4
   4   PAWN STARS                                HIST    2.9
   5   COLLEGE FOOTBALL AFT    L                 ESPN    2.9
   6   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.9
   7   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.9
   8   PAWN STARS                                HIST    2.8
   9   PERCEPTION                                TNT     2.8
  10   COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME  L                 ESPN    2.8
  11   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     2.7
  12   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     2.6
  13   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.6
  14   AMERICAN PICKERS                          HIST    2.6
  15   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.6
  16   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.6
  17   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     2.5
  18   LOVE AND HIP HOP ATLANTA                  VH1     2.5
  19   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     2.5
  20   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.4
  21   ROYAL PAINS                               USA     2.4
  22   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.4
  23   COLL FTBL SCOREBOARD    L                 ESPN    2.4
  24   COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME  L                ESPN2    2.4
  25   ARMY WIVES (ONWARD 1223)                  LIF     2.4
  26   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.4
  27   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.3
  28   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.3
  29   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    2.3
  30   LONG ISLAND MEDIUM(S)                     TLC     2.3
  31   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    2.3
  32   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.2
  33   AMERICAS CHOICE 2012                      CNN     2.2
  33   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.2
  35   COVERT AFFAIRS                            USA     2.2
  36   WHITE COLLAR                              USA     2.2
  37   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    2.2
  38   NCIS                                      USA     2.2
  39   MSNBC SPECIAL COVERAGE                   MSNBC    2.2
  40   T.I. AND TINY 2                           VH1     2.2

Each ratings point equals 1.147 million homes.