Food Network Scores Best-ever September
NEW YORK – September 27, 2012 – Food Network has launched into autumn with its best September in network history (up over 20% from September 2011), posting a .6 among adults 25-54 and was watched nightly by an average of 1.1 million P2+ total viewers making it the highest-rated, most-watched September ever. The network also ranked 8th among ad-supported cable networks A25-54 for the month, up one spot from last year, according to Nielsen Media Research*.
Sunday night series The Great Food Truck Race revved up ratings with an average .9 rating for adults 25-54 after premiering six episodes of the seven-week stunt. Also driving September’s success were primetime hits Restaurant Stakeout (averaging .9 adults 25-54, outpacing season one by 13%) and Restaurant Impossible (averaging .9 adults 25-54, up over 50% from the same timeslot a year ago). Food Network also saw success in its weekend daytime programming block, with Pioneer Woman posting .6 women 25-54, gaining +50% over year ago timeslot.
Food Network Delivers Best 2nd Quarter Ever
2nd Quarter Finished Highest-Rated and Most-Watched
Ties as Best Quarter in Network History
Ranked #7 Cable Network
NEW YORK – June 25, 2012–Food Network delivers its highest-rated, most-watched 2nd quarter* ever posting a .6 among adults 25-54 (up 20 percent from 2011) making it ranked 7th* among ad-supported cable networks, up two spots from 2011. The quarter’s ratings delivery also ties as the network’s highest-rated quarter in network history, the most recent title holder being 1st quarter of this year. Food Network was watched nightly by an average of nearly 1.2 million total viewers (585k adults 25-54, up 17% vs. 2Q 2011).
Food Network Star season eight continues its success, having been watched by over 12 million adults 25-54 since its premiere in May and averaging a 1.0 adults 25-54 rating, up 28% over year ago time period delivery. The series culminates in a viewer vote to determine this year’s winner, revealed in the July finale on July 22nd.
Strong performances came from primetime network juggernauts Chopped, with its second installment of the ‘All Stars’ stunt having averaged a 1.3 adults 25-54, doubling year ago time period (+97%) and Restaurant: Impossible, whose new episodes have averaged a .9 adults 25-54 in 2nd quarter. Newcomers to the line-up, Mystery Diners (averaged .7 adults 25-54 rating, +40% year ago time period) and Restaurant Stakeout (averaged .8 adults 25-54, +58% year ago time period) were solid, resulting in season two pick-ups for both series to return this fall.
*at time of release according to Nielsen Media Research
Food Network Delivers Best Quarter in History
1st Quarter Finished Highest-Rated and Most-Watched
Ranked #9 Cable Network
NEW YORK – March 26, 2012–Food Network delivers its highest-rated, most-watched quarter ever posting a .6 among adults 25-54 (up 20% from 2011) and was watched nightly by an average of 1.3 million total viewers (645k adults 25-54), making it ranked 9th * among ad-supported cable networks for the quarter, up two spots from 2011. March also culminated as the 7th consecutive month that Food Network has had “highest-ever” individual, monthly delivery.
Food Network’s Sunday night tentpole programming continues to drive the record-breaking success, beginning with Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off posting a 1.3 adult 25-54 rating for the season, having premiered as the #1 show in its timeslot. Returning series, Worst Cooks in America has averaged a 1.1 adult 25-54 rating over its seven-week run, with the upcoming finale to air Sunday, April 1st at 9pm.
Other standout primetime performers include Restaurant: Impossible which averages a .9 adult 25-54 rating and up 68% over year ago timeslot, Chopped (averaging a 1.0 adults 25-54 rating in its regular timeslot), Cupcake Wars (averaging .7 adults 25-54 rating) and newcomers Restaurant Stakeout, which has averaged a .9 rating adults 25-54 since premiering on March 14th and season two of Sweet Genius which premiered March 15th has averaged a .7 adults 25-54 rating, up 17% from season one.
*at time of release according to Nielsen Media Research
Review: Restaurant Stakeout
Last month I wrote about a new series coming to the Food Network that wasn’t really that new. Restaurant Stakeout was a retooling (or so it would seem) of a pilot the Network ran last fall called Mystery Diners. Tonight there was a sneak peek of the finished product.
Food Network’s description:
Follow tough-love restaurateur Willie Degel as he busts the bad habits of struggling restaurants on Food Network’s new show, Restaurant Stakeout. See what really happens when waiters, bartenders and kitchen and service staff think no one is watching. Armed with hidden-camera footage and covert surveillance from restaurants across the country, Willie doesn’t hold anything back. He tackles kitchen hazards and impossible customers alike, but is it enough to make a difference?
My thoughts:
I could live without the Jersey Shore seediness but I guess “asshole” is de rigueur on reality TV these days. On the whole I prefer Mystery Diners because it combined the key elements of feel-good shows like Restaurant: Impossible with gotcha shows like To Catch a Predator while Restaurant Stakeout is more about Degel’s Tony Soprano-esque personality than anything. Mystery Diners had more substance; Restaurant Stakeout is more gimmick.
Enough contrasting, the production value of Restaurant Stakeout was top notch. The music was pretty good, the cinematography was spot on as well. The cut-aways to Degel sitting behind a desk like Donald Trump while pontificating about service were pretty cheeky. That being said, he was absolutely on target in his evaluation of the service team at Las Vegas’ Firefly Tapas Bar. Sadly enough, it is a common site at most American restaurants.
There were certain scenes that just seemed acted rather than the result of hidden cameras. In particular one argument between an experienced server and a newbie about snaking a table. Those kind of arguments go on everyday and they get quite heated. I’ve seen hundreds of them. That’s why I think this one seemed staged. The emotions seemed right but there was just something about the body language that felt off. In fact, one of the servers in the dispute, Diane, was constantly showing up on camera doing outrageous things. She just came off as as fake. But most things seemed on the up and up, just not the scenes with Diane.
However both variations on this concept (Mystery Diners and Restaurant Stakeout) help demonstrate why 50% of new restaurants fail within two years – the pure, unbridled selfishness of the employees. And that’s a very good thing. Just knowing that you might be exposed as a thief on national television would surely put a dent in the rampant pilferage of today’s restaurant employees and their “Occupy Wall Street” sense of entitlement. Wanting something is not the same thing as earning something.
Tune in for the series premiere Wednesday, March 14 at 10 pm EST to catch the drama.
