Top 40 Weekly Cable Ratings: Week of 09/17/12

As it will be for just about every week, MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on ESPN will be the #1 show through December. This week it drew an impressive 10 rating in households. That is 10% of cable homes. The NFL Network, with a smaller penetration into homes, did manage a 4.6 rating.

TNT's MAJOR CRIMES continues to be the #1 scripted show on cable. It is also the #1 non NFL prgram on the chart, ranking #3 overall.

Also on the chart is THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY. It managed a 2.4 household rating and ranked #11. We'll see if Bravo and the NJ bunch have the legs to rate this high throughout the season.

US did well also, placing 6 original programs in the top 40, lead by #4 ranked ROYAL PAINS. Yea, it is formulaic, but its a winning formula.

RANK       PROGRAM NAME                           NET  RATING
===============================================================
   1   NFL REGULAR SEASON                        ESPN   10.0
   2   NFL REGULAR SEASON GAME                   NFLN    4.6
   3   MAJOR CRIMES                              TNT     3.2
   4   ROYAL PAINS                               USA     2.8
   5   PRE-KICK                                  NFLN    2.7
   6   SPORTSCENTER:           L                 ESPN    2.7
   7   SONS OF ANARCHY                            FX     2.6
   8   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.6
   9   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.5
  10   PERCEPTION                                TNT     2.5
  11   REAL HSWIVES OF NJ                        BRVO    2.4
  12   COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME                    ESPN    2.4
  13   WWE ENTERTAINMENT (WWE RAW)               USA     2.4
  14   COVERT AFFAIRS                            USA     2.3
  15   THE OREILLY FACTOR                       FOXNC    2.3
  16   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    2.3
  17   THE OREILLY FACTOR                       FOXNC    2.3
  18   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.3
  19   THE OREILLY FACTOR                       FOXNC    2.3
  20   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.2
  21   NASCAR SPRINT CUP                         ESPN    2.2
  22   THE OREILLY FACTOR                       FOXNC    2.2
  23   WHITE COLLAR                              USA     2.2
  24   VICTORIOUS                                NICK    2.2
  25   NCIS                                      USA     2.1
  26   MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN  L                 ESPN    2.1
  27   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    2.1
  28   GOOD LUCK CHARLIE                         DSNY    2.1
  29   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    2.1
  30   THE OREILLY FACTOR                       FOXNC    2.0
  31   NCIS                                      USA     2.0
  32   COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRIME                    ESPN    2.0
  33   NCIS                                      USA     2.0
  34   SPRINT CUP POST RACE                      ESPN    2.0
  35   LONG ISLAND MEDIUM                        TLC     2.0
  36   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    1.9
  37   FAMILY GUY                                ADSM    1.9
  38   NCIS                                      USA     1.9
  39   BIG BANG THEORY, THE                      TBSC    1.9
  40   SPONGEBOB                                 NICK    1.9

Each ratings point equals 1.147 million homes.