Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Oct. 7 to Sun., Oct. 17) -- catching up with Rangers, Cowboys, local news derby numbers
10/18/10 11:02 AM
By ED BARK
Missed ya'll after taking a road trip through Little Rock, Memphis and Nashville in ongoing effort to become Southern fried.
Now it's time for a big, fat ol' ratings roundup starring the scintillating Texas Rangers and the destitute Dallas Cowboys.
Sunday's 24-21 loss at Minnesota on Fox's featured NFL game drew 1,426,694 D-FW viewers. The previous Sunday's home defeat, co-starring the Tennessee Titans, averaged a slightly smaller 1,378,214 viewers on CBS.
As WFAA8 sports anchor Dale Hansen will be quick to tell you, the Rangers' post-season run can't touch those numbers. Not yet anyway. But the North Texas Nine continues to both make team history and build ratings momentum. Even though all seven games have been on a somewhat less accessible cable network (TBS), with more than half of them in afternoon hours.
Let's circle the Nielsen base paths after first noting that the Game 1 ALDS win against Tampa Bay averaged 180,068 viewers, as previously posted.
Game 2 ALDS, Oct. 7th at Tampa Bay -- 235,474 viewers see the Rangers coast to a 6-0 win.
Game 3 ALDS, Oct. 9th in Arlington -- 491,725 viewers cringe as the Rangers blow a late-inning lead to the Rays.
Game 4 ALDS, Oct. 10th in Arlington -- The Rays even the series at 2-2 while 380,914 viewers get that sinking feeling from noon to mid-afternoon.
Game 5 ALDS, Oct. 12th at Tampa Bay -- Prime-time at last, and good times, too. Cliff Lee pitches Texas to a 5-1 win before the biggest crowd to date -- 713,347 viewers. The Rangers near the one million mark with a peak audience of 990,375 for the closing 15 minutes of the game.
Game 1 ALCS, Oct. 15th in Arlington -- The Yankees deploy a stun gun with a 5-run eighth inning that wipes out a 5-1 Texas lead. But a record Rangers crowd of 928,044 absorbs the blow. A peak audience of 1,115,038 viewers from 10 to 10:15 p.m. puts the team in Cowboys territory for the first time in its history.
Game 2 ALCS, Oct. 16th in Arlington -- Texas quickly regroups with a mid-afternoon/early evening 7-2 win to even the series at 1-1. The TV audience falls off, but not off a cliff. Overall, the game averages a very nice-sized 616,387 viewers.
Monday night's pivotal Game 3, with Lee back in the saddle, has a fighting chance to average 1 million viewers locally. But a blowout win by the Yankees would negate any chance of that. Game time is 7 p.m. on TBS. Be there.
LOCAL NEWS DERBY COMPENDIUM
We're going to do a chronological weekday buzz round here to give you an overall view of which station might have some momentum heading into the November sweeps ratings period (Oct. 28 to Nov. 24th).
Thursday, Oct. 7th -- CBS11 ran the table at 10 p.m. with wins in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming on most stations. Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and also won at 5 and 6 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 took the 5 and 6 p.m. golds in total viewers.
Friday, Oct. 8th -- WFAA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in both ratings measurements while also sweeping the 5 p.m. competitions and winning at 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic. CBS11 nipped WFAA8 at 6 p.m. in total viewers. NBC5 topped the 6 a.m. ratings in total viewers, with Fox4 taking the 25-to-54 gold.
Monday, Oct. 11th -- Fox4 had the only sweep, running the table at 6 a.m. WFAA8 again won at 10 p.m. in total viewers, but CBS11 took first with 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 had the 5 and 6 p.m. golds in total viewers while CBS11 and Fox4 respectively ran first at those hours among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Tuesday, Oct. 12th -- WFAA8 and CBS11 split first-place finishes at 10 p.m., with respective wins in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4 remained strong in the early mornings with a doubleheader win at 6 a.m. WFAA8 flexed at 5 and 6 p.m. by running the table at both hours.
Wednesday, Oct. 13th -- It was the same story at 10 p.m., with WFAA8 winning in total viewers but CBS11 on top with 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 claimed a rare 6 a.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 again ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 topped the 5 and 6 p.m. competitions in total viewers and tied for first with CBS11 at the earlier hour in the 25-to-54 demographic. CBS11 won outright at 6 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday, Oct. 14th -- CBS11 ran a dominant first at 10 p.m. on both scorecards while Fox4 comfortably controlled the 6 a.m. competitions. Fox4 added twin wins at 5 p.m., with CBS11 doing likewise at 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 15th -- The 10 p.m. gold in total viewers went to CBS11 while NBC5 finally perked up to win at that hour with 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4 again swept the 6 a.m. races and WFAA8 closed out the week with doubleheader wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.