By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE Raw on Monday, January 16 scored a 3.01 rating, up five percent compared to a 2.87 rating last week, but below a 3.10 rating for the 1-2-12 episode two weeks ago.

Raw averaged 4.29 million viewers, up seven percent from 4.00 million viewers last Monday up against the BCS National Title game. The first Monday of 2012 averaged 4.48 million viewers, four percent more than this week's Raw.

Raw continued its pattern of losing viewers in the second hour. The first hour averaged 4.32 million viewers and the second hour decreased slightly to an average of 4.26 million viewers. It marks 12 out of the last 13 weeks that Raw has seen a second hour decline in viewership.

-- On cable TV Monday night, Raw ranked #5 on cable behind History Channel programming and Fox's coverage of the Republican Party debate. Raw did rank #1 among males 18-34 & males 12-17 for the first time since Summer 2011 before pro and college football season began.

Raw ranked #2 among males 18-49, trailing "Pawn Stars" on History. Meanwhile, teen males continues to be on the decline. Raw ranked #6 in m12-17 and dropped to the lowest level since the Fall 2011 season premiere week. Raw's m12-17 rating was one full ratings point below the same week last year.

-- Last year's Raw this week on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday scored a 3.27 rating and averaged 5.02 million viewers. The first hour started at 4.80 million viewers and the second hour grew to an average of 5.25 million viewers. Raw has not reached that second hour viewership level since the April 11 episode when Edge announced his retirement.

Caldwell's Analysis: WWE continues to bleed viewers in the second hour and, even removing football competition from Raw for the first time in four months, the rating did not increase like it typically does in January. WWE is losing a grip on its future buyers - teen males 12-17 - and just trying to hold on to adult viewers, compared to History Channel, which is dominating the 10:00 p.m. EST hour.

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