Study Finds Republicans Favor Popular 'Non-Conservative' TV Shows

Nov. 11, 2010— -- Republicans are often labeled as the conservative party, but are they liberal in their TV viewing habits?

According to a new study from the media research company Experian Simmons, those who vote along Republican lines favored several mainstream TV shows with non-conservative themes and progressive storylines, including the Emmy-award winning ABC sitcom "Modern Family," which features a gay couple.

Conservatives also ranked shows including "Lie to Me," "Desperate Housewives," and "NCIS" high on their viewing lists.

The list's leader, on the other hand, may come as no surprise: the study, which was conducted this past spring, found that the "Glenn Beck Program" was the most-loved show among Republicans.

"The big shows with mass appeal tend to have above-average scores from Democrats and Republicans but with higher concentrations of Republicans," John Fetto, senior marketing manager at Experian Simmons told the Hollywood Reporter. "Looking at the Democrats' side, I don't mean to make light of it, but they seem to like shows about damaged people. Those are the kind of shows Republicans just stay away from."

No. 1 on the list for self-described liberals was the left-leaning "Countdown With Keith Olbermann." Last week, Olbermann was suspended from his MSNBC show for two days because of political contributions he made to three Democratic candidates during this year's election.

Also popular among Democrats: "Mad Men," "Dexter," and "90210."

But whether Republican or Democrat, some shows resonate accross party lines. According to Experian Simmons, shows like "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Mentalist" received similar ratings from both camps.

Below, check out the lists for the top 15 popular shows among Republicans and Democrats, as published in The Hollywood Reporter.

Popular Republican Shows

1. Glenn Beck

2. The Amazing Race

3. Modern Family

4. American Idol

4. V

6.The Big Bang Theory

6. The Mentalist

8. Survivor

9. Dancing With the Stars

10. Desperate Housewives

11. NCIS

12. The Bachelor

12. Lie to Me

14. How I Met Your Mother

15. Two and a Half Men