September 24 marked the sixth season kick offs of hit ABC series ‘Black-ish’ and FOX’s former flagship, ‘Empire,’ respectively.

For the latter, which saw its cancellation announced earlier this year (as we reported here), the pressure was on to carry on after the PR nightmare caused by former star Jussie Smollett‘s alleged hate crime hoax.  With its negative impact already seen and felt in the latter half of the Lee Daniels-helmed show’s season 5, hopes weren’t exactly high for the series’ season 6 premiere – despite being its last – to rebound to its former glory.

Similarly, ABC’s ‘Black-ish’ – albeit able to boast a scandal-free run (to date) – has seen a steady decline in its viewership since its 2014 debut as well (which pulled in a whopping 11.04 million viewers).  Once the ratings leaders for their respective nights, ‘Empire,’ now airing on Tuesday nights, not only had to face off with ‘Black-ish’ but also against the likes of NBC’s juggernaut ‘This Is Us’ and CBS’ ‘FBI.’

Look inside to see who came out on top:

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After springing a successful spinoff to Freeform in the form of the Yara Shahidi-led ‘Grown-ish,’ ABC’s hit series ‘Black-ish’ attempts to prove itself evergreen by sprouting a prequel in the form of the Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tika Sumpter-toplined ‘Mixed-ish.’

Executive produced by creator Kenya Barris and Tracee Ellis Ross (who portrays ‘Rainbow Johnson’ on ‘Black-ish’), ‘Mixed-ish’ tells the story of Ross’ character growing up as a biracial child in the 1980’s. Loosely based on the early life of Dr. Rania Barris (co-creator Kenya’s soon-to-be former wife), the comedy series also chronicles the dilemmas her family faces trying to adjust from “hippie life” to suburbia.

Despite being given an extra promotional push by securing biracial Pop icon Mariah Carey to sing its theme song (as we reported here), the series premiered on September 24 to a moderate audience.  Details inside:

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The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards aired live Sunday night (September 22) from its new network home, FOX, and while the move was trumpeted by the academy, ratings suggest viewers couldn’t have cared less.

Much like this year’s Oscars, the Emmys opted to go host-free and relied solely on a star-studded list of presenters to keep the show moving and deliver the punchlines.  Unknown to the ceremony at the time, their ratings would see them become the punchline.

Ringing in their lowest numbers to date, this year’s figure goes down in history as the first time in history viewership dipped below 7 million.

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With little warning Beyonce took to social media Sunday (September 15) to deliver a gift to her beloved fan base (better known as the #Beyhive).  Packaged in the form of a behind the scenes ABC special (as we reported here), the diva offered viewers an inside look at the creation of her ‘Lion King’-inspired album, ‘The Gift.’  Zooming to #1 on Billboard Soundtrack and R&B Album charts respectively, the set – kicked off by the anthemic ‘Spirit’ – was lauded by critics for its inclusion of the who’s who of the Afrobeats scene, feminist concepts, and socially conscious lyrics decorated with unapologetic themes of pro-Blackness.

In an effort to show fans how all that magic came to be, the Grammy-winner unveiled ‘Beyonce Presents: Making the Gift.’  Airing Monday (September 16), the special may have given viewers little time to prepare but still managed to hold its own against the night’s many forms of ‘must see TV’ including sports, news, and scripted programming.

Look inside to see just how many people tuned in.

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The talkshow sphere is undeniably crowded. However, it seems like it’s making room for two new names on bloc.

For, both Kelly Clarkson and Tamron Hall are off to ratings wins with their freshman shows.

Full story below…

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Not even a collection of stage-blazing performances from the likes of Missy Elliott, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Normani, and Taylor Swift were enough to help the MTV VMAs drum up an increase in viewership. After netting their worst ratings ever with the 2018 showing (click here for details), the hopes were probably a bit higher for the 2019 edition.

Preliminary figures revealed after its first airing offered a bleak outlook, one confirmed by newly furnished final figures that indicate this year’s take on the annual awards show were their lowest in history.

But, it’s not all bad news.  Click below to see what we mean:

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Fans of STARZ flagship series, ‘Power,’ apparently couldn’t wait to find out the fates of the show’s leading characters (Ghost, Tasha, Tommy, and Angela) as their viewership helped the high octane drama lead cable ratings among premium cable channels on Sunday night (August 25).

Giving the show some of its highest numbers to date, ‘Power’ not only topped its subscriber based competition but also came as the night’s top rated scripted series as well.

See the charts below and find out just how many people tuned in:

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As VH1’s ‘Love & Hip Hop‘ empire soars on a numbers front, its TV series ‘Basketball Wives’ finds itself skating on dangerously thin ice this season.


Find out why the show’s ratings have reached new lows below…


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One-time BET Awards darling Nicki Minaj turned from friend to foe of the network after a disagreement related to an intern’s tweet about Cardi B‘s historic Grammy win at this year’s telecast (click here to read).

Opting to remove herself and Young Money team as performers from this year’s BET Experience roster as a result – which was headlined by Cardi – Minaj also was a no-show to the June 23rd awards ceremony despite being nominated.  As we reported here, this year’s showing may have featured show-stopping performances from the likes of Cardi, Offset, H.E.R., Mary J. Blige. And the ratings reflected – with the show pulling in over 12 million in combined viewership (having aired across 8 Viacom networks, including MTV and VH1).

The Harajuku Barbie sees things differently, though. And seems to be focussing on the number of folk who tuned in to the broadcast on BET specifically.  Read her fiery weigh in below:

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Source: Getty

As has become commonplace, the BET Awards – Urban music’s biggest night – has been crowned a ratings winner!

Thanks to show-stopping performances from the likes of Cardi B, Lizzo, Mary J. Blige, H.E.R., and more, this year’s edition may be scribbled in history books as the ceremony’s lowest rated telecast ever but it still managed to continue the trend of seeing the network ahead of the Sunday night cable competition.

Details inside:

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A Jimmy Kimmel-curated ode to the legendary television creations of Norman Lear led to ABC winning the TV ratings war on Wednesday (May 22).

Titled “‘Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons,'” the special – directed by James Burrows and executive produced by Brent Miller, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Justin Theroux – took viewers down memory lane by recreating an original episode from each of the named series.

Led by an all-star cast including Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, comedians Wanda Sykes and Will Ferrell, Anthony Anderson, Woody Harrelson, Kerry Washington, and many more, the showing not only earned a load of laughs but saw its parent network, ABC, laugh all the way to the top of the night’s Nielsen ratings charts.

Curious to see just how many tuned in?  Look below to find out:

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Katy Perry’s star power is working wonders for the ‘American Idol’ brand.

Good news below…

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