WWE Raw ratings up, audience grows in second hour

Raw increased eight percent from last week’s low level with a show that did the best job of keeping the audience in a long time.

Raw averaged 2.34 million viewers, not far off the 2.40 million for the show the day after the Royal Rumble. But more important was the ratings pattern where for the first time since August 26, the audience grew in the second hour. This isn’t unusual during daylight savings time but it is very unusual during standard time, particularly in the winter.

The first hour was up three percent from last week, but the second hour was up 11 percent and third hour was up nine percent.

The first-to-third hour drops were minor — four percent for women 18-49, five percent for men 18-49, teenage girls increased 14 percent, teenage boys dropped 11 percent, and over 50 dropped six percent.

Raw was first in 18-49 and eighth overall on cable, trailing only news shows on Fox News and MSNBC.

The show was down five percent from the same week last year.

The real story was the growth of teenagers and over 50 in hour number two, which also was stable in 18-49.

In particular, the big winner was Angel Garza, whose match with Cedric Alexander was the high point of the show.

The three hours were:

• 8 p.m. 2.40 million viewers
• 9 p.m. 2.41 million viewers
• 10 p.m. 2.20 million viewers