Cable TV Ratings – 4/19/09

For the week ending on April 19, USA Network and Nickelodeon dominated Nielsen Media’s Top 20 Cable TV ratings. WWE RAW, USA Network’s powerhouse, took the No. 1 and No. 3 positions. SpongeBob SquarePants occupied seven of the week’s top twenty spots. The most-watched episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, featuring a guest voice appearance by Johnny Depp, attracted more than 5.75 million viewers. The Nickelodeon series’ second most-watched episode, resting comfortably at No. 4, drew approximately 5.2 million viewers.

According to Nielsen Media, cable TV ratings for the week ending on April 19 were as follows:

1. WWE Entertainment - USA
2. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
3. WWE Entertainment - USA
4. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
5. In Plain Sight - USA
6. Penguins of Madagascar - NICK
7. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
8. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
9. Hannah Montana - DSNY
10. Penguins of Madagascar - NICK
11. WWE Entertainment - USA
12. Law & Order: CL - USA
13. NCIS - USA
14. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
15. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
16. Deadliest Catch - DISC
17. SpongeBob SquarePants - NICK
18. Back at the Barnyard - NICK
19. The O’Reilly Factor - FOXN
20. NCIS - USA

Ratings for the 2009 season premiere of USA Network’s In Plain Sight were slightly down from 2008, attracting approximately 5.11 million viewers. This drama series chronicles Deputy United States Marshal, Mary Shannon, as she balances her job with the Federal Witness Security Program (WITSEC) and her dysfunctional personal life. Shannon’s best friend and partner, Marshall Mann, helps her with assignments. In Plain Sight is filmed on location in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The series premiered on June 1, 2008, becoming USA Network’s top-rated series debut since Psych. The pilot episode drew 5.3 million viewers, outshining the network debut of Law & Order: Criminal Intent by 40% and the series premiere of Burn Notice by 32%.