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Ratings for OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) Continue To Drop Rapidly

We’re guessing now is about the time that panic is spreading over at OWN, Oprah Winfrey’s network. The new network that replaced Discovery Health launched a little over a month ago and is already facing some serious ratings trouble. The network, whose premiere episodes of Oprah Behind the Scenes boasted a healthy 1.1 million viewers, has shown an inability to keep those viewers watching. In the past week alone their ratings have dropped 34%.

We suspect the audience decline is due to a combination of factors ranging from the minimal amount of original (new) programming available on a daily basis and Oprah is not a consistent presence on the channel.

According to TVbythenumbers.com:

In its fifth full week of programming (1/31-2/6), OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network was down 17% vs. last week with last week among women 25-54 in total day (40,000 vs. 48,000), and down 34% among women 25-54 in primetime (54,000 vs. 82,000).

OWN is now well below last year’s women 25-54 averages for Discovery Health . OWN replaced Discovery Health which averaged 51,000 W25-54 Total Day, and 84,000 W25-54 in Prime Time during 2010.

Week of January 31 – February 6, 2011 (Live+Same Day ratings)

SELECTED NETWORKS Prime-time Women 25-54 (Live+SD)

Network (000s)
Lifetime 394
Hallmark 182
Oxygen 133
OWN 54
-
SELECTED NETWORKS Total Day Women 25-54 (Live+SD)

Network (000s)
LIFE 240
HALL 109
OXYG 90
OWN 40

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