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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Nov. 30 to Tues., Dec. 6) -- catchup round

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Apologies for the shortage of posts lately. But a trip to Minnesota for the Cowboys-Vikings game followed by a weekend diagnosis of pneumonia (which was already in development) have turned your friendly content provider into low-energy Uncle Barky. (That TEGNA8 management voodoo doll appears to be paying dividends, though. Kinda sorta joking.)

Anyway, here’s a big “snapshot” catchup round in reverse order from Tuesday to the previous Wednesday. But first the D-FW numbers for that Thursday night 17-15 Cowboys win on the NBC/NFL Network prime-time stage.

The game, which upped Dallas’ record to 11-1 and ultimately clinched a playoff spot, averaged 1,396,051 total viewers on NBC and added another 167,235 for the NFL Net simulcast. Hand calculator technology says that’s a grand total of 1,563,286 viewers.

Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Cowboys-Vikes had 567,657 viewers on NBC and 83,385 on NFL Net for a combined 651,042.

Both totals are well short of the season-to-date record set on Thanksgiving Day, when 1,941,385 total viewers and 782,532 in the 18-to-49 age range tuned to Fox to watch the Cowboys edge the Washington Redskins at Jerry’s Palace. Of course, nothing else mattered last Thursday night, when the most-watched TV attraction directly opposite the Cowboys, CBS’ 8:30 p.m. episode of Life In Pieces, drew 101,795 total viewers.

OK, let’s rewind further.

Tuesday -- CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of NCIS led all prime-time programming in total viewers with 378,097 while NBC’s jarring “fall finale” of the fall season’s most popular new series, This Is Us, easily ranked as the night’s top draw among 18-to-49-year-olds (137,905).

Monday -- NBC’s two-hour edition of The Voice was prime-time’s No. 1 attraction in total viewers with 247,217. CBS’ 9 p.m. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show special popped the most 18-to-49-year-old eyeballs with 76,970 -- based on two eyeballs per viewer.

Sunday -- Fox’s late afternoon starting Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Giants game comfortably led the NFL parade with 698,026 total viewers. NBC’s prime-time Seattle Seahawks-Carolina Panthers face-off edged CBS’ early starting Green Bay Packers-Houston Texans snow bowl for the No. 2 spot by a score of 472,622 viewers to 443,537.

Saturday -- Fox’s so-called “Bedlam” matchup between victorious Oklahoma and Oklahoma State topped the college football chain with 218,133 total viewers. That was just enough to outpoint CBS’ later starting Alabama-Florida mismatch, which had 210,862 viewers.

Cringe, Fox’s prime-time Big Ten championship game, in which Uncle Barky’s alma mater Wisconsin Badgers blew a three-touchdown lead to Penn State, came in third with 181,778 viewers. Bucky now gets the Cotton Bowl and unbeaten Western Michigan, which isn’t a bad consolation prize.

Friday -- NBC’s two-hour Dateline topped all prime-time programming with 181,778 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49 demographic. CBS’ colorized one-hour I Love Lucy Christmas special won the 7 to 8 p.m. slot with respective totals of 145,422 and 35,278 viewers.

Wednesday -- Fox’s 8 p.m. episode of Empire as usual ruled with prime-time’s strongest showings in both total viewers (305,386) and 18-to-49-year-olds (147,527). NBC fought hard, though -- particularly in total viewers -- with a pair of Christmas specials. The network’s annual Rockefeller Center tree lighting show pulled in 261,760 total viewers in the 7 p.m. hour to finish a competitive second to Fox’s Lethal Weapon (283,573). From 8 to 10 p.m., the Peacock’s sequel to Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors movie had a nice-sized 247,217 total viewers and won from 9 to 10 p.m. after Empire went away.

Finally, here are the weekday local news derby results in chronological order from Wednesday through Tuesday.

Wednesday -- NBC5 won in total viewers at 10 p.m. and also ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions in both ratings measurements and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Thursday -- CBS11 ran first at 10 p.m. in a downsized three-way race, with NBC5 waylaid by the Cowboys game. CBS11 and TEGNA8 tied for first among 25-to-54-year-olds.

TEGNA8 rose up for an uncommon 6 a.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 basked in ratings sweeps at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Friday -- TEGNA8 won a downsized three-way race at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4’s news was delayed deep into the night by Fox’s Washington-Colorado football game.

Fox4 had the most total viewers at 6 a.m. but NBC5 won among 25-to-54-year-olds. The Peacock again bloomed at 5 and 6 p.m. with across-the-board wins.

Monday -- TEGNA8 notched another 10 p.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 had the 6 a.m. edge in total viewers and tied NBC5 for first with 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 kept on winning at 5 and 6 p.m., running the table for the third straight weekday.

Tuesday -- CBS11 finally re-entered the winner’s circle with a 10 p.m. first in total viewers. Fox4 took the 25-to-54-year-old gold.

The 6 a.m. firsts were split between Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 in the 25-to-54 age range.

NBC5 continued to roll at 5 and 6 p.m. with its fourth consecutive weekday sweeps.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net