1. Audience Insight 2012
Fall Report
Primetime Profile
Season-to-Date
October 2011 - June 2012
A Project Funded by

2. Foreword
Overview of the Project. The Audience Insight project began with the launch of full time national Nielsen
measurement in October 2009. In addition to providing funding for the national Nielsen service, CPB recognized the
value of a deeper audience understanding for the whole system and funded the Audience Insight project. PBS Research,
working with City Square Associates, gathered feedback to understand our stakeholders’ audience information needs,
and released the first Audience Insight findings at the 2011 PBS Annual Meeting. A second set of findings was shared
at the 2012 Annual Meeting, covering the 2011-12 broadcast season through March. The present supplement includes
another three months of data to update the story, particularly for the benefit of those in the executive leadership of
public television, on both on the local and national levels.
In this Edition. In this booklet you will find three types of content. First, you will find a snapshot of the annual
reach of the PBS service overall, across the full day and full year, as well as the profile of the audience as compared to
U.S. TV households overall, and a profile of loyal viewers. Next, because the primary focus of the Audience Insight has
been primetime—which accounts for 80% of PBS’ total cume—the majority of the book is arranged around the key
genres in which PBS provides unique primetime content for the American public: Science & Nature, Arts & Drama,
News & Public Affairs, Independent Film, History, and Personal History. Each section shows the overall reach of the
genre, highlights “pop-out” events for the genre during this season-to-date, and offers a profile and average ratings for
key ongoing series within the genre. Finally, there are two short “spotlight” sections, one focused on pledge specials
and the other focused on PBS Kids. Each of these topics could easily fill a book of its own, so these spotlights should be
thought of as only a hint of what full-time Nielsen service has been able to tell us about these other important parts of
our schedule. The source for the majority of the information contained within this book is Nielsen NPower, 2011-12
broadcast season-to-date (October through June). Full day reach totals cover 9/19/11 through 9/9/12.
Value of Audience Insight. The Audience Insight work, and full time Nielsen generally, has informed the PBS
content strategy during the 2011-12 season. Through these insights, PBS has been working to build stronger nights that
benefit from organization around genres and program affinities. One example is the schedule change on Wednesdays,
taking advantage of the natural affinities between Nature and NOVA to start the night strong, and adding a third hour
of science-complementary programming. The result is 11% higher ratings season-to-date for Wednesdays (compared to
last season) and flow from program to program (36% of Nature viewers also watched NOVA). Similarly, Monday nights
have improved at 9 PM with the addition of a second Antiques Roadshow – the best way to maintain the lead-in audience
from the 8 PM Antiques Roadshow. The Nielsen data have also demonstrated that history programming can do well on
Tuesdays, leading the content team to focus in the coming season on a history strategy for Tuesday nights.
A final summary of the broadcast season will be published at the end of the year, providing a permanent record of the
2011-12 season, as well as some trend analysis using the 2010-11 broadcast season as our benchmark. As the project
continues, the primary goal remains to bring public television professionals to a common understanding of our audience
and illustrate how audience data can inform decisions.
Andy Russell, SVP Strategy and Research, PBS
Beth Walsh, Senior Director Research, PBS

3. Table of Contents Reach & Delivery
89%
1 FOREWORD In a year, PBS
3 Reach & Delivery
4 Audience composition;
reaches 89%
PBS vs. all TV for U.S.
of all U.S. TV
households
5 Loyal viewing AND networks
81%
6 night-by-night; hour-by-hour
Science Nature
81% of all
7
8 nature
pop-out: fabric of the cosmos
kids aged 2-8
9 nova
[ 10 Spotlight on Pledge ]
Arts Dr ama And more than 219 million
11 pop-out: fall arts festival persons aged 2+.
12 pop-out: Downton Abbey
13 masterpiece
[ 14 Spotlight on kids ] 1.35
News Public Affairs PBS outperforms most cable
15 PBS Newshour networks, including…
16 Frontline 1.04 Average audience household rating
One rating point = 1,147,000 households
17 Washington week; need to know
Independent Film 0.83 0.82
0.80
19 Independent lens 0.71 0.70
20 P.O.V.
History 0.43
Discovery
21 pop-out: prohibition
22 American Experience
Bravo
hgtv
Personal History
HBO
CNN
AE
PBS
TLC
23 pop out: Finding Your Roots
24 antiques Roadshow
Source: NPower, 9/19/11-9/9/12
3

4. Audience composition Loyal vs. light
PBS Full-Day audience reflects the diversity of America Definition of loyal viewers
Top 20% of PBS viewers who account for 84% of all PBS viewing
Education
44% 43% Age 4 yrs HS
Key 18-39 Age Age
7% 40-49 18-39 6%
PBS FULL DAY Loyal Light 14%
7% 6%
U.S. TV HOUSEHOLDS High School Grad
Age
40-49 18%
32% Age 65+
31% Age 65+ 45% 55% Age 47% 53% 13% 22%
37%
54% 50-64 1-3 yrs college
32%
25% 25% 31%
Age
50-64 33%
35% 4+ years college
18% 18% 45%
Median Age 65 Median Age 56
39%
12% 12% 12% 12%
Ethnic Profile Household Income
Median $48,000 Median $52,000
7% Hispanic
7% Hispanic
10% Black
7% Black
BLACK HH HISPANIC HH High COLLEGE 4+ INC $20K INC $60K+
school 40% 21% 23% 16% 37% 21% 26% 16%
grad
$40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K $100K+ $40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K $100K+
PBS vs. All U.S. TV Households LOYAL VIEWING NETWORKS
Season to date through June/primetime Loyal viewer Consumption of PBS OTHER Networks
2011-2012 Persons 18-99/Season To date Through June 2012
Education
Age
18-39 4 yrs HS Loyal PBS viewers accounted for 84% of all
U.S. TV Households 9%
PBS PRIME-TIME 10% Age minutes of PBS programming consumed.
40-49 Age 65+ Age 12%
10% 18% High School Grad 96 94 Loyal History viewers accounted for 77% of all
18-39
Age 39% 23% 88 87 minutes of History programming consumed.
45% 55% 48% 52%
25% 85 84 83 83 81
65+ 79 79 77 76
48% Age 1-3 yrs college
Percent of Total Minutes
Age 50-64 74 73 72 72
25%
31% 69 68
50-64 18% 32% 65
32% Age 40-49
62
4+ years college
Median Age 62 Median Age 47 38%
31%
Ethnic Profile Household Income
Discovery
History
Comedy
Median $ 47,600 Median $49,600
Fox nc
Msnbc
Bravo
Food
sci-fi
hgtv
espn
12% Hispanic
cnn
abc
nbc
usa
Fox
ae
cbs
tnt
7% Hispanic
PBS
tbs
tlc
12% Black
8% Black
41% 20% 19% 20% 39% 19% 21% 20%
$40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K $100K+ $40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K $100K+
4 5

5. Science Nature
Science Nature
Night-by-night
PBS Season To Date Primetime average Nightly Ratings
A
cross the 2011-12 season-to-date (through August), more than 78 million people have watched PBS
Households
Science Nature programming. The Science Nature genre on PBS includes such long-running series as
NOVA and Nature, along with newer series like NOVA scienceNow and specials like Inside Nature’s Giants.
Within this strand, Nielsen data revealed a strong affinity between Nature and NOVA, informing the re-invented
Wednesday night schedule. The two programs, combined with science-complement programs in the third hour
of prime have improved Wednesday night ratings by 11% over the previous season. Among other things, the
data show us that Nature is among the highest for composition of Hispanic households at 8% of the audience.
1.83 NOVA has one of the highest proportions of adults 40-49, and has 37% of households in the college 4+ category,
ARTS DRAMA
1.67 mirroring PBS primetime.
This genre was also represented in the schedule by a limited series from NOVA that received “pop-out” promotion,
“Fabric of the Cosmos.” The goals with any pop-out are to reach a large audience, attract new viewers to public
television, and retain those viewers who came to the event by offering them other programs they like. In the case
1.36 1.36
1.27 1.18 1.30 of “Fabric of the Cosmos” more than 12 million viewers watched the series, which included close to two-and-a-half
million new viewers (who hadn’t watched anything on PBS in the prior four weeks).
0.92
Wednesday
PRIMETIME
Thursday
Saturday
Average
Tuesday
News Public Affairs
Monday
Sunday
Audience Reach 78.3 million viewers
Friday
attracting over
Fabric of the Cosmos
2.4 million new
Hour-by-Hour viewers
PBS season to Date Primetime Hourly Ratings
Households
Independent Film
Key
New Viewers
8:00 PM
Average audience household rating
9:00 PM
2,438,000
10:00 PM
2.40
Total
2.03 Viewers
1.89
12,441,000
History
1.46 1.47 1.43 1.48 1.49
1.41
1.35 1.35
1.30 1.31
1.19
1.14 1.12
1.04
0.91 0.99 1.01
0.77
Personal History
Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
Source: NPower, 9/19/11-9/9/12
6 7

6. Science Nature
Science Nature
Age Age Age
18-39 Age
PBS PRIME-TIME 18-39 18-39 PBS PRIME-TIME NOVA 18-39
11% NATURE 11%
Age 14% Age 15%
40-49 40-49
10% Age 10% Age Age
Age 40-49 65+ 40-49
Age 53% 47% 13% Age 58% 42% 14%
45% 55% 65+ 45% 55% 36%
65+ 42% 65+
48% 48%
Age Age Age
50-64 Age 50-64
50-64 50-64
32% 32%
ARTS DRAMA
ARTS DRAMA
31% 35%
Median Age 62 Median Age 60 Median Age 62 Median Age 58
Episode Profile Season-to-Date Average Minute Viewers Episode Profile Season-to-Date Average Minute Viewers
Date AA%
HH P40-49 P50- P65+ Key Date AA%
HH P40- P50- P65+ Key
News Public Affairs
News Public Affairs
Episode Name AA AA% 64 AA% Episode Name AA 49 64 AA%
% AA% “OB” = % AA% AA% “OB” =
Chasing the Wolverine
Birds of the Gods
R
R
2/1/12
1/4/12
3.7
3.2
1.5
1.3
3.1
2.5
5.3
5.0
“Original
Broadcast”
3.015 Ice Age Death Age
Iceman Murder Mystery
OB
OB
2/1/12
10/26/11
2.9
2.6
1.3
1.1
2.6
2.1
4.0
3.5
“Original
Broadcast” 2.881
The Himalayas R 2/15/12 2.7 0.8 2.0 4.4
Million Deadliest Volcanoes OB 1/4/12 2.5 1.3 2.0 2.9 “R” =“Repeat” Million
“R” =“Repeat”
My Life as a Turkey OB 11/16/11 2.6 1.1 2.1 3.9 Extreme Cave Diving R 2/15/12 2.5 1.1 1.9 3.3
The Animal House OB 11/2/11 2.4 0.8 1.6 3.8 The Fabric of the Cosmos: The OB 11/9/11 2.4 1.3 2.1 2.5
Nature Illusion of Time Nova
Arctic Bears R 12/28/11 2.3 1.1 1.8 3.0
Finding Life Beyond Earth OB 10/19/11 2.4 1.2 2.1 2.5
Fortress of the Bears OB 1/25/12 2.2 0.9 1.6 3.4 Education Ethnic Profile Education Ethnic Profile
What is Space? OB 11/2/11 2.4 1.1 1.8 3.1
Radioactive Wolves 4/25/12 2.1 0.9 1.7 2.9
Japan's Killer Quake R 9/28/11 2.4 1.2 1.8 2.7
Jungle Eagle OB 11/9/11 2.1 0.9 1.5 2.8
4 yrs HS Mystery of a Masterpiece OB 1/25/12 2.3 1.0 1.8 3.4 4 yrs HS
Independent Film
Independent Film
Kangaroo Mob OB 1/11/12 2.1 0.7 1.6 3.6 9%
9% Why Ships Sink OB 4/18/12 2.2 0.9 2.0 3.1
Raccoon Nation OB 2/8/12 2.1 0.6 1.8 3.3
12% Hunting the Elements OB 4/4/12 2.2 1.2 1.9 2.4
9%
Dogs that Changed the World R 10/9/11 2.0 0.8 1.6 2.6
High School Grad High School Grad
(Part 2) - Dogs by Design Building the Great Cathedrals R 10/5/11 2.1 0.7 1.7 2.9
23% 23%
Dogs Decoded R 10/12/11 2.1 0.9 1.8 2.2
7% Hispanic
7% Hispanic
7% Hispanic
8% Hispanic
Born Wild: The First Days of Life R 5/2/12 2.0 0.9 1.3 2.7
32% 32%
10% Black
8% Black
9% Black
8% Black
The Mystery of the Milky Way R 6/20/12 2.1 1.0 1.8 2.3
River of No Return OB 4/18/12 2.0 0.6 1.4 3.4
1-3 yrs college 1-3 yrs college
Giant Lives/Deep Thinkers/ OB 2/22/12 2.0 1.0 1.6 2.5
31%
Secrets of the Sun OB 4/25/12 2.0 0.7 1.8 2.4 31%
Voices of the Sea
25%
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Quan- OB 11/16/11 1.9 0.9 1.7 2.0 21%
Hummingbirds: Magic in the R 9/25/11 1.9 0.7 1.5 3.2 tum Leap
Air 4+ years college 4+ years college
Surviving the Tsunami: A NOVA OB 9/28/11 1.9 1.1 1.6 2.3
38% Special Presentation
37%
Radioactive Wolves OB 10/19/11 1.9 0.8 1.5 3.0
31% Japan's Killer Quake R 2/29/12 0.8 1.9 2.4
38%
Christmas in Yellowstone R 12/21/11 1.9 0.9 1.6 3.3 1.9
A Murder of Crows R 10/16/11 1.8 0.5 1.5 2.9 Deadliest Tornadoes OB 4/11/12 1.9 1.0 1.7 2.2
Household Income Household Income
History
History
Voices of the Sea OB 4/11/12 1.8 0.6 1.5 2.5 3D Spies of WWII OB 1/18/12 1.8 0.9 1.5 2.4
The White Lions OB 5/9/12 1.7 0.6 1.5 2.5 Extreme Ice R 12/28/11 1.8 1.2 1.4 2.2
Median $ 47,600 Median $ 47,600
Deep Thinkers OB 4/4/12 1.7 0.8 1.4 2.5 Venom: Nature's Killer R 5/30/12 1.8 0.6 1.5 2.1
Salmon Running the Gauntlet R 5/23/12 1.6 0.7 1.3 2.6 Bombing Hitler's Dams OB 1/11/12 1.7 0.8 1.3 2.6
Giant Lives OB 3/28/12 1.6 0.6 1.1 3.0 Smartest Machine on Earth R 5/2/12 1.7 0.8 1.2 1.8
Superfish R 6/20/12 1.6 0.6 1.4 1.9 42% 21% 20% 20% Killer Subs in Pearl Harbor R 5/23/12 1.6 0.8 1.3 2.4 42% 21% 20% 20%
Cracking the Koala Code OB 5/16/12 1.5 0.5 1.0 2.6 Cracking Your Genetic Code OB 3/28/12 1.6 0.6 1.2 2.2
Median $43,900 Median $49,800
Median $45,900
Radioactive Wolves R 10/23/11 1.4 0.6 1.4 2.2 Separating Twins OB 2/8/12 1.6 0.6 1.1 2.0
Personal History
Personal History
Black Mamba R 5/30/12 1.4 0.6 1.2 1.7 What Darwin Never Knew R 12/21/11 1.5 0.8 1.3 1.9
Echo: An Elephant to Remem- R 2/29/12 1.4 0.4 1.2 2.1 Universe or Multiverse? OB 11/23/11 1.5 0.7 1.2 2.0
ber
43% 20% 18% 16% The Great Inca Rebellion R 5/16/12 1.5 0.6 1.1 2.3 42% 19% 20% 20%
American Eagle R 11/27/11 1.2 0.4 1.1 1.8
1.4
Christmas in Yellowstone 12/25/11 1.0 0.4 0.9 1.6 $40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K 100K+
$ $40K $40K-$59K $60K-$100K $100K+
8 9

7. Arts Dr ama
Science Nature
A
cross the 2011-12 season-to-date (through August), more than 81 million people have watched PBS Arts
Drama programming. The Arts Drama genre on PBS includes such long-running series as Masterpiece,
Great Performances, and Live from Lincoln Center, as well as the PBS Arts Festival and specials like the
National Memorial Day Concert. During the 2011-12 season-to-date, British Drama, specifically Masterpiece’s
2011 - 2012 PLEDGE SPECIAL P2+ REACH “Downton Abbey,” attracted large audiences, including more young women than the series typically reaches.
Sunday night ratings are up 3% at 9 PM and 17% at 10 PM over last season—and not just as a consequence of
“Downton.” Masterpiece had several other strong offerings, including “Sherlock” and “Case Histories.” The success
ARTS DRAMA
with British drama has informed the content strategy for 2012-13, including the addition of more British drama
How many viewers did we reach? as a lead-in to Masterpiece.
6,680 60S Pop Rock Soul
6,038 Big Band Vocalists
In addition, it should be noted that “Downton Abbey” was designated as a “pop-out” program and included more
6,034 Celtic Woman: Believe
than 4.8 million new viewers among its total audience of over 17 million viewers. This genre was also represented
5,845 GreatPerf Phantom
in the schedule of “pop-outs” by the PBS Fall Arts Festival on Friday nights from October through December. The
4,906 Superstars 70S Soul
9-episode run reached close to 19 million viewers, with more than 3.7 million of those being new viewers.
4,627 Dr Wayne Dyer Wishes
News Public Affairs
4,153 GreatPerf Andrea Bocelli
3,257 The British Beat Audience Reach 81.5 million viewers
2,872 GreatPerf Tony Bennett
2,522 Peter Paul Mary
“60’s Pop Rock
2,240 Oscar Hammerstein Soul” reached
attracting over
2,187 Il Volo Takes Flight 6,680,000 viewers
Fall Arts Festival
2,076 Yanni El Morro
2,033 Buddy Holly: Listen
3.7 million
1,528 Paul Simon At Webster Key new viewers
1,479 Santana Live Montreux P2+ REACH (000)
1,476 Easy Yoga Easing Pain
Independent Film
1,296 Idina Menzel Live
1,169 Human Nature Motown
1,134 Horses of the West
New Viewers
3,764,000
Doris Day from PBS special “Big Band Vocalists”
Total
Household Audience Duplication March 2012 Viewers
The pledge audience has significant Pre-Pledge Pledge
18,819,000
overlap with the regular audience.
History
65% of the audience who watched
regular programming during February
came back during pledge in March 65%
Personal History
43.0MM 38.7MM
Source: Nielsen NPower Reach Frequency Duplication Report, 6-min qualifier, Feb/Mar 2012
10 11