Ratings Archives: July 1997

Unlike June, NBC did not dominate the other networks. Yes, it still won every week featured, but the battle between CBS and NBC was fairly tight.

ABC was airing original episodes of the TGIF sitcom STEP BY STEP. The series was not getting a lot of traction. It was averaging about 7.5 million viewers each week and ranking in the neighborhood of around the mid to upper 50's. It usually would lost the time slot to repeats of NBC's UNSOLVED MYSTERIES. At this point, the comedy was 6 years old and about to jump networks, from ABC to NBC the comming fall.

FOX aired the MLB All-Star game on Tuesday July 8th. It was the #2 program of the week and drew an impressive 16.7 million viewers and a 21 share. When you compare that to the 2012 Game, 15 years later, the game drew just under 11 million viewers. That is a drop of 35%. But it is still one of the top draws for a summer night.

Just to reflect for a moment, 15 years ago, SEINFELD was drawing 17-20 million viewers, for repeats, during the summer. In 2012, most repeat programs were lucky if they drew 5-6 million viewers. Tje over saturation of TV content is hurting the networks. From encore Saturdays to DVD and STREAMING whole seasons, to multiple local and cable reruns of a given popular series, in one night.

Nielsen Broadcast ratings charts for
June 30 to August 3, 1997