By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE Raw on Monday, January 2, 2012 scored a 3.10 rating, up from a 2.93 rating the previous two weeks to close 2011. It was the first Raw above the 3.00 mark since the end of November.

Despite the encouraging rating, Raw's viewership was not as encouraging. Raw averaged 4.44 million viewers, down four percent from an average of 4.46 million viewers for the day-after-Christmas edition last week.

Most concerning was Raw's Fall 2011 problem resurfacing with viewership declining in the second hour despite a C.M. Punk WWE Title match, 1-2-12 reveal, and main event handicap match featuring John Cena.

The first hour averaged 4.53 million viewers and the second hour declined to an average of 4.34 million viewers, which was 250,000 viewers below the second hour average last week.

-- Raw was hurt by plenty of cable TV competition Monday night and it being a U.S. holiday. The head-to-head Fiesta Bowl on ESPN averaged 13.7 million viewers, which is on the high-end of an NFL Monday Night Football game. Also, Raw's second hour nemesis, History Channel programming, averaged 6.5 million viewers in the 10:00 p.m. EST hour.

On cable TV prime time Monday night, Raw ranked #4 in overall viewers (#6 overall behind mid-day college football).

-- Looking at the demographic ratings, Raw saw week-to-week increases in every demographic except males 12-17, which scored the second-lowest rating of the last four months.

The key increases were in adult viewers. Among males 18-49 & males 18-34, Raw scored its highest rating in six weeks.

-- Last year, on Jan. 3, 2011 against ESPN's BCS bowl coverage, Raw averaged 4.49 million viewers with the reverse hourly pattern compared to this year's Week 1. Last year's first hour averaged 4.34 million viewers (identical to 2012 second hour) and the second hour averaged 4.66 million viewers.

Caldwell's Analysis: A mixed bag start to 2012 with the tough competition affecting viewership. It's not time hit the panic button yet, but WWE will probably start pushing for The Rock to become re-involved in the show somehow, even if he's not appearing in-person. Next week, Raw will be up against the BCS National Title game, so don't look for any viewership improvement until *potentially* two weeks from now depending on whether they can create momentum next week.

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