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Still not on speaking terms, veteran D-FW anchor John McCaa remains on the mend

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By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
John McCaa, mainstay news anchor of Dallas-based TEGNA8, remains off the air and on the mend after suffering a hairline fracture of his jaw under unusual circumstances.

In an email reply Wednesday to unclebarky.com, McCaa said he had a pair of back teeth extracted two weeks ago and hoped to have them replaced with implants.

But last week, while eating a piece of french bread with “the teeth on the opposite side of my mouth, I heard something that sounded similar to the cracking of ice underfoot in the winter. I immediately experienced some of the worst pain I have ever had.”

At Baylor Hospital in Irving, a hairline fracture was discovered.

“I was then transported to Baylor downtown where a terrific team of surgeons and medical professionals operated and put in place, beneath the skins, a pair of metal plates,” he says. “A surgeon later told me the fracture was a bad one. While much of the time people have their jaw wired shut, for me that’s not much of an option. So I am talking as little as possible.”

McCaa says he was released from the hospital on Christmas Day. “I still have some pain, but the greater problem is part of my jaw and lower lip are numb. The surgeon told me that that happens in any surgery near a nerve. I should recover full feeling, but have no idea how long that will take. I am home now for at least a week.”

McCaa wrote an “Uncut” commentary for wfaa.com Tuesday on the resilience of Garland, TX. “I am itching to get back to work,” he says. “You know, it is amazing to watch your own news room from home.”

He has another doctor’s appointment next week and will take it from there, McCaa says.

We wish him a quick recovery and a full return to the resonant voice that’s been a constant in D-FW since 1984.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon.-Tues., Dec. 28-29) -- Kennedy Center Honors a plus/minus for CBS

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS won the overall ratings war but lost the demographic battle Tuesday night with its annual two-hour telecast of the Kennedy Center Honors.

Airing from 8 to 10 p.m. with recipients Carole King, Cicely Tyson, George Lucas, Rita Moreno and Seiji Ozawa, the classy show won its time slot with 155,813 D-FW viewers. But it drew just 25,406 viewers in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49 age range. That put the Kennedy Center Honors behind Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast and NBC’s repeats of Chicago Med and Chicago Fire.

Tuesday’s top scorer in total viewers, CBS’ preceding NCIS repeat, had an audience of 226,637. It also topped all prime-time programming in the 18-to-49 measurement with 47,636 viewers.

The Monday night ratings parade was led by ESPN’s Monday Night Football matchup of the Broncos and Bengals. It averaged 347,038 total viewers and likewise easily won among 18-to-49-year-olds.

Here are the local news derby results.

Monday -- TEGNA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 cruised to two more 6 a.m. wins and NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m. The Peacock and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m., but NBC5 won outright with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Tuesday -- NBC5 swept the 10 p.m. competitions and Fox4 continued its long 6 a.m. winning streak.

TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while NBC5 took the 25-to-54 gold. At 5 p.m., Fox4 ran first in total viewers and NBC5 had the edge among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Sun. Dec. 27) -- new season low for cratered Cowboys

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ latest loss also achieved a new season low in total D-FW viewers, but nonetheless qualified as a moral victory. That’s because the game barely stayed above the magic one million mark.

Running until 2:58 p.m. on Fox, the 16-6 defeat at Buffalo averaged 1,005,701 viewers in dipping below the previous game’s record-setting 1,012,783 viewers during a home loss to the Jets. Cowboys-Bills drew 406,490 advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds to evade the low mark of 371,557 for a Sept. 27th home loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

The Cowboys’ followup act on Fox, the Green Bay Packers’ embarrassing 38-8 meltdown at Arizona, drew Sunday’s second biggest NFL crowd with 651,581 total viewers. At the opposite end of the ratings teeter totter, CBS’ competing New Orleans Saints-Jacksonville Jaguars game had just 141,648 total viewers.

Dallas’ season will grind to a halt with Sunday’s home game versus the Washington Redskins at noon on Fox. Although meaningless, the historic rivalry implications likely will keep that one from sinking below the one million mark or “beating” the low point set by Cowboys-Bills. Then again . . .

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs.-Sat., Dec. 24-26) -- Fox4 tops prime-time tornado coverage numbers

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The tornado devastation was widespread Saturday night. Fox4 photo

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
All four of DFW’s major TV news providers commendably threw themselves into non-stop, commercial-free tornado coverage Saturday night, with all prime-time network programming preempted.

Fox4 drew the most viewers from 6 to 10 p.m. Here’s the hour by hour total viewers breakdown, based on ratings from Nielsen Media Research.

6 to 7 p.m.

Fox4 -- 396,614
TEGNA8 -- 347,038
CBS11 -- 226,637
NBC5 -- 198,307

7 to 8 p.m.

Fox4 -- 304,543
TEGNA8 -- 262,049
CBS11 -- 205,390
NBC5 -- 148,730

8 to 9 p.m.

Fox4 -- 233,719
TEGNA8 -- 155,813
CBS11 -- 134,566
NBC5 -- 120,401

9 to 10 p.m.

Fox4 -- 240,802
NBC5 -- 141,648
TEGNA8/CBS11 -- 127,483 each

Fox4 also drew the most 25-to-54-year-old viewers (main advertiser target audience for news programming) in each of the one-hour segments. TEGNA8 rebounded to win in both ratings measurements in the regularly scheduled 10 p.m. news bloc.

Notably, Fox4 mostly went with a “backup” team of early morning meteorologist Evan Andrews and weekender Ali Turiano, with help down the backstretch from chief weekday weathercaster Dan Henry.

NBC5, TEGNA8 and CBS11 all deployed their No. 1 weathermen -- respectively Rick Mitchell, Pete Delkus and Larry Mowry. Joining them in supporting roles were NBC5’s Remeisha Shade, TEGNA8’s Ashton Altieri and CBS11’s Jeff Jamison.

From this perspective, based on four hours worth of channel changing and live tweeting, Mowry overall did the best in-studio job of calmly keeping viewers informed. But TEGNA8 initially outdid its rivals in getting reporters to various scenes of devastation for live dispatches and vivid accompanying video and interviews.

All in all, though, the four stations should be commended for their efforts on a night after Christmas that wasn’t at all jolly for those North Texans hit hardest.

Earlier Saturday, the Heart of Dallas Bowl on ESPN averaged 92,071 total viewers.

And in TXA21 yule log news, it burned brightest from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. on Christmas Day, when 42,494 viewers tuned in during each quarter hour. That was good enough to beat competition from NBC5’s Steve Harvey (28,330 viewers), the 2 to 2:30 p.m. episode of sister station CBS11’s Hot Bench (also 28,330 viewers) and Fox4’s Dr. Oz (21,247 viewers).

This was the third year for the TXA21 yule log, which ran from 9 p.m. Christmas Eve until 3 p.m. Christmas Day. KLUV radio (98.7 FM) again supplied the music, with the log perhaps hurt by balmy weather that negated any reason to actually have a fireplace in play.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Season finale

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
We bought this Double A battery-powered train for $3 at an estate sale. And guess what? It actually works!

Veteran cat Snickers and newcomer Bella so far have not gone Godzilla on it. At first they were intimidated, then more or less transfixed. They’re all aboard in this video, watching the little four-car gem go around and around the Christmas tree. All hail the simple pleasures of life.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 23) -- colorized Lucy tops the field

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
No show drew more D-FW viewers Wednesday than CBS’ colorized two-pack of I Love Lucy episodes. Not even Wheel of Fortune.

The 7 p.m. Christmas-themed opener had 191,225 viewers before the classic Vitametavegamin closer upped that total to 212,472. Let it be said that the color jumped off the screen, making both episodes come alive anew.

Lucy also led all prime-time programming among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.

On Fox Sports Southwest, Dirk Nowitzki surpassed Shaquille O’Neal for the No. 6 spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. But he did so in the early stages of the game, opposite Lucy. Only 21,247 total viewers witnessed it live. That audience ballooned to 77,906 by the time the Dallas Mavericks finally prevailed over the Brooklyn Nets in overtime.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby numbers.

CBS11 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 continued its long winning streak at 6 a.m. with two more firsts while NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m.

The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 22) -- dozing off

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
With Christmas Day just around the corner and millions of potential viewers packing for trips or bracing for incoming family, the Big Four broadcast networks offered a silent night of mostly reruns.

ABC had the only first-run attraction, a two-hour compilation reel titled The Year: 2015. It drew 106,236 D-FW viewers while being outdrawn in the first hour by CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans repeat (184,142) and in the second by Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (162,895).

The Year: 2015) likewise came up short among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, running behind NCIS: New Orleans, Fox’s reprise of Taraji and Terrence’s White Hot Holidays and Fox4’s news, which was the night’s biggest draw in this key demographic with a less than eye-popping 50,811 viewers.

Over on Fox Sports Southwest, the up-and-down Dallas Mavericks’ road loss at Toronto attracted scant attention with 35,412 total viewers and 15,879 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 again swept the 6 a.m. competitions and added a 5 p.m. win in total viewers and a 6 p.m. gold in the 25-to-54 demographic.

CBS11 ran first in total viewers at 6 p.m. and tied Fox4 for the top spot at 5 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 8

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
My favorite Christmas songs have varied over the years.

As a kid, it was “Silent Night,” which my Dad made me perform for guests while he played the keyboards rather than his instrument of choice -- the accordion.

Then came the Perry Como years, and his annual anthem, “Ave Maria.” Couldn’t get enough of it.

Nat King Cole’s version of “The Christmas Song” then took over. That buttery, resonant voice made it sound like a hymn.

But in later years, it’s been “O Holy Night.” You’ve gotta have a big set of pipes to fully pull it off. Patti LaBelle, accompanied by The Perri Sisters, did just that in this break-the-mold, sound barrier-breaking rendition. It’s arguably a little over the top, with her hair also going through the roof. But man, you won’t forget it. Some might even fall on their knees.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

And to all a good night: D-FW's list of 2015 TV newsroom exits (updated)

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By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Keeping track of all the goings in D-FW television news is part of what unclebarky.com is all about. And now it’s about time for our annual alphabetical list of 2015 departures.

Please remember. This is a compilation of on-camera personnel. No slight is meant to off-camera staffers, whose contributions remain valuable and, in many cases, indispensable. Still, TV viewers develop long-lasting or fleeting relationships with the people they see in their living rooms -- or other “platforms.” That’s just the way it is. And here we go again.

JULIE BOLOGNA -- She left TEGNA8 in April after three years as the station’s early morning weekend meteorologist. “Kiddos and a growing real estate business” were the primary reasons, Bologna said.

CALVERT COLLINS -- After three years as a nightside reporter, Collins put Fox4 behind her in July. She’s now a public relations manager with the Methodist Health System, which made her an offer “out of the blue” while she was still with Fox 4. “I was never unhappy at Fox,” Collins said. “This was just an incredible opportunity.”

TAMMY DOMBECK -- The veteran early morning traffic anchor was at CBS11 in an interim capacity before the station let her go in late April. She lately has been dabbling in acting and recently filmed a walk-on part in the upcoming Season 2 of ABC’s American Crime series, which is filmed in Austin. Dombeck also has worked with Jocelyn White on the weekly Designing Texas program.

BUD GILLETT -- He retired as a street reporter in July after a near-eternity in the trenches, the last 14 at CBS11. “As I’m part of gen-Deadhead: it’s been a long strange road,” Gillett tweeted. “37 years in DFW but am packing it in . . . Thanks, Texas. Love y’all.” He also had a long career as a Fox4 reporter and spent a total of 42 years as a TV reporter in major markets.

BRIAN GLENN -- The early morning Daybreak feature reporter got dropped by TEGNA8 in July after a two-year run. “As you know, that show has been trending down (in the Nielsen ratings) for months now,” Glenn said. “Management has constantly changed the tone and direction of the show. I was told that my performance was not what they were looking for in that particular position.” He now runs Brian Glenn Entertainment.

BYRON HARRIS -- After an awards-laden 40-year career as the dean of D-FW’s investigative reporters, Harris retired from TEGNA8 in October on his 69th birthday. He won two George Foster Peabody awards and six duPont-Columbia awards in addition to numerous other major recognitions of his work. “When you look at the world through your brain, it looks the same,” he said. “But then I see myself on television and I think, ‘My God, that guy looks old.’ In some ways, being old can be an advantage. But in some ways it’s a disadvantage. Television is a place for younger faces. To say that isn’t an issue would be wrong. It’s an issue.”

CHRISTINE LEE -- She spent several years as an NBC5 reporter whose primary beats were Irving and Grand Prairie. Lee now is a public relations specialist with planagency.com.

BABE LAUFENBERG -- After 17 years as CBS11’s featured sports anchor, he abruptly left in January. “It was just time,” Laufenberg said at the time. “Nobody owes me anything. I believe that. We just couldn’t figure out a deal that worked for them and worked for me.” Laufenberg continues to work the Dallas Cowboys radio broadcasts with Brad Sham. He also writes commentaries for dallasnews.com and does occasional television work.

STEPHANIE LUCERO -- After 30 years as a TV reporter, the last 18 for CBS11, she left the station in April to “follow my heart and move in a new direction.” Lucero since has become development director at Texans Can Academies and is on the board of the Press Club of Dallas.

BECKY OLIVER -- The longtime Fox4 gumshoe retired from the station in June after 24 years of fingering alleged wrongdoers. “You get to do that at age 55 at Fox,” she said. “You get a very generous pension, retirement and medical package . . . The hardest thing for me has been juggling motherhood with a full-time job.” Oliver is now a licensed real estate agent.

GUY RAWLINGS -- He spent two years as a sports reporter/anchor at CBS11 before leaving in November to join Birmingham, Alabama’s WVTM-TV as a co-anchor of the station’s weekday early evening and 11 p.m. newscasts.

GEORGE RIBA -- He retired from TEGNA8 on Feb. 20th after 38 years as D-FW’s most enduring sports reporter and fill-in anchor. “I’m not checking out entirely,” said Riba, who’s also a longtime long distance runner with a personal best marathon time of 3 hours, 1 minute. “Hopefully I’ll be able to do something like voice-over work, commercials, part-time radio, maybe even bring back some drama-related activities. Who knows? I’m wide open to anything that’s fun and hopefully less time-consuming.”

CATHERINE ROSS -- She left NBC5 in the spring after three years as the Plano correspondent. Ross is now the Interactive Media Manager for the City of Frisco.

LATOYA SILMON -- Her two-and-a-half-year stint as a Fox4 reporter ended in July. Silmon is now a representative with Plexus Worldwide, whose “plant-based products have transformed my personal health,” she said. “When 2 a.m. wake-up calls and a rigorous work schedule took a toll on my health, Plexus helped put me on the road to wellness, and that’s what I want to do for others.”

JANET ST. JAMES -- The award-winning medical reporter left TEGNA8 in March after 19 years, the last 15 as the market’s premier health and wellness correspondent. James left to become assistant vice president for strategic communications for HCA North Texas. But in the week before she was scheduled to begin her new career, St. James learned she had “invasive breast cancer.” She went public with the news and in September recorded a “Keeping It Normal” video in which she said, “What I take out of cancer is really that life goes on.” She is now with HCA while continuing her treatments.

AMY VANDEROEF -- She left TEGNA8’s homegrown Good Morning Texas in February after serving as a co-host for nine years. “There’s no mud-slinging, no slammed doors,” Vanderoef said. “We just couldn’t come to terms on my contract so we decided to part ways.” She lately has her own website and also appears weekdays on the Rodney Anderson radio show (1190 AM).

MIREYA VILLARREAL -- After two-and-a-half years as a CBS11 investigative reporter, she moved up to the CBS network in June to become a Los Angeles-based national correspondent.

RAY VILLEDA -- He left NBC5’s reporting staff in June to join New York City’s WNBC-TV newsroom. Villeda had been with NBC5 since October 2011.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 7

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Yesterday we brought you Tom Petty. Today it’s Bob Hope. Uncle Barky’s Countdown to Christmas is nothing if not eclectic.

For those who remember, this is both historic and kind of sad. Hope, whose NBC Christmas specials were a fixture for decades, did a song for the last time on his 1993 edition, Bob Hope’s Bag Full of Christmas Memories. Guests Loni Anderson, Lynn Swann, Barbara Eden, The Judds and his dutiful wife, Delores, looked on at the end as Hope performed/lip synced “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever.” He was 90 at the time and died a decade later.

This clip also includes some still shots from Hope’s glory years and the closing credits for Bag Full. His final Christmas special, Hope for the Holidays, aired in 1994 as a compilation reel of highlights from past shows.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 21) -- MNF outscores festival of reruns, new ABC Christmas specials

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Two losing teams who’ve been eliminated from the postseason played for the hell of it on ESPN’s Monday Night Football. No matter. The Detroit Lions-New Orleans Saints game still rolled up the night’s largest TV audience opposite mostly repeats on the Big Four broadcast networks.

MNF averaged 283,296 D-FW viewers and 117,501 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic. CBS’ 7:30 p.m. rerun of The Big Bang Theory was the only program to come close, drawing 269,131 total viewers but dipping to 60,338 in the 18-to-49 age range.

ABC offered the only first-run programming among the Big Four. Its two-hour Great Christmas Light Fight had 127,483 total viewers before The Great Holiday Baking Show drooped to 92,071.

Here are Monday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 overcame skimpy lead-ins from Holiday Baking Show to win at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 continued its long 6 a.m. winning streak with two more firsts. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. and tied Fox4 for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 was tops in total viewers at 5 p.m. and was part of a three-way first-place tie in the 25-to-54 demographic with Fox4 and NBC5.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 6

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have yet to record a Christmas album and likely never will.

But they came out in force back in 2000 to perform the Petty-written “Christmas All Over Again” on TNT’s A Very Special Christmas. Originating from Washington, D.C., the 90-minute special was billed as a celebration of Special Olympics, with B.B. King, Jon Bon Jovi, Wyclef Jean and Macy Gray also among the participants while President Clinton beamed from the audience during the waning days of his second term.

Petty seems to be having a good time, and few Christmas songs have rocked harder over the years. You’ll be glad you took a look and had a listen.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun, Dec. 18-20) -- Cowboys hit season low vs. Jets

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
On a Saturday night full of holiday parties and other Christmas pursuits, the Dallas Cowboys’ 19-16 home loss to the Jets hit a season low in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.

Running until 10:30 p.m. on CBS11 and the NFL Network, Cowboys-Jets averaged a combined 1,012,783 total viewers and 412,841 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic. The previous low point in total viewers came on Nov. 15th, when Dallas lost 10 to 6 at Tampa Bay. That one averaged 1,090,690 viewers.

Cowboys-Jets dodged the low mark for 18-to-49-year-old viewers. The season-to-date record holder is still the Sept. 27th home loss to Atlanta, which drew 371,557 viewers in this key demographic.

But with the Cowboys now officially eliminated from the post-season, one of the closing two games could “top” both of those marks. My bet would be next week’s encounter with the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys close out their dismal season with a home game against the Washington Redskins.

ABC’s Democratic presidential candidate debate, which aired opposite the Cowboys game Saturday night, drew just 120,401 total viewers and 28,581 in the 18-to-49 age range.

On Sunday, CBS11’s late afternoon/early evening Steelers-Broncos game topped all NFL attractions. Fox’s prime-time Miss Universe pageant, now infamous for host Steve Harvey announcing the wrong winner, drew 134,566 total viewers.

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

NBC5 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 added another pair of wins at 6 a.m. and also ran the table at 5 p.m. At 6 p.m., Fox4 won in total viewers while NBC5 drew the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Incoming at NBC5: anchor/reporter Cory Smith

Cory+Smith

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fort Worth-based NBC5 has added Cory Smith to its news staff after the South Oak Cliff native’s three-year stint at ABC affiliate KSAT-TV in San Antonio.

Smith will be co-anchoring the station’s weekend evening and late night newscasts, succeeding Johnny Archer. He’s moving to weekend mornings, teaming with incumbent Katy Blakey. Both Smith and Archer also will report three days a week.

The newcomer is a graduate of Bishop Dunne High School and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. In 2007 he interned at Dallas-based WFAA-TV before Belo Corp. sold it to Gannett, Inc., now known as TEGNA in terms of its TV holdings. Smith also worked as a production assistant for the Big Ten Network before anchoring and reporting for 6 News in Lawrence/Topeka, Kansas from 2010 to 2012.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 5

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Christmas night, 1995. Last regular season game of the year. Dallas Cowboys vs. the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium.

ABC’s Monday Night Football dressed it all up with a wobbly holiday poem recited by the late Frank Gifford. Accompanying images of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin were unwrapped by happy kids under a Christmas tree. The Cardinals were less than an afterthought. Frank capped it with “The Cowboys continue their Super Bowl mission. It’s Monday Night Football, a Christmas edition.” Then came Hank Wiliams, Jr.

The Cowboys went on to rout Arizona 37-13 before eventually beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX. It’s their last world championship to date. Aikman, Smith and Irvin now all reside in the NFL’s Hall of Fame while this season’s Cowboys are one punch away from an official knockout blow if they lose Saturday night to the Jets while either the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Redskins win on Sunday.

But that’s now. This was then.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 17) -- more boom times for Big Bang

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ The Big Bang Theory rang out 2015 with its last new episode of the year. As usual, it dominated.

The hit sitcom led off Thursday night by easily drawing more total D-FW viewers (467,438) and advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds (161,961) than any other TV attraction.

Fellow CBS comedies Life in Pieces, Mom and 2 Broke Girls also won their time slots in both ratings measurements.

At 9 p.m. the concluding hour of Barbara Walters’ annual 10 Most Fascinating People special gave ABC a win in total viewers. But NBC’s competing Running Wild with Bear Grylls won the hour among 18-to-49-year-olds in competition among the Big Four broadcast networks. Including the cable universe, the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football matchup between the Rams and Bucs was the 9 p.m. hour’s overall winner in the 18-to-49 demographic.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers while NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 again romped at 6 a.m. with twin wins and added sweeps at both 5 and 6 p.m.

LOCAL NEWS NOTES -- CBS11 is broadcast network simulcast home for the NFL Net’s Saturday night presentation of the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.

TXA21’s Yule Log will be firing up for a third straight season in tandem with Christmas music from KLUV radio (98.7 FM). Burn time is from 9 p.m. Christmas Eve through 3 p.m. Christmas Day. Last year, the Log drew as many as 48,818 viewers while outdrawing syndicated programming ranging from Fox4’s Dr. Oz to NBC5’s The Steve Harvey Show to The Queen Latifah Show on TXA21’s sister station, CBS11.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 4

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The great and greatly underrated Kenan Thompson has something for everybody in this SNL Sump’n Claus short film. So if you’ve been naughty, expect some cold cash and a cool song, too. It’s the least Sump’n Claus can do for you.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 16) -- Survivor season finale snuffs out carousel of reruns

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Airing opposite repeats on ABC, NBC and Fox, Wednesday’s two hour, 15 minute Survivor season finale put CBS at the head of the prime-time pack.

It hardly drew droves of D-FW viewers, though. Survivor averaged 212,472 from 7 to 9:15 p.m. before the rest of Fox4’s local newscast had 191,225 viewers to outdraw a truncated Survivor reunion tack-on (155,813).

Survivor also won among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds before the final 45 minutes of Fox4’s news nipped the reunion show.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 also continued its long 6 a.m. winning streak with another pair of firsts.

TEGNA8 swept the 6 p.m. competitions and added a 5 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4 won in total viewers at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 15) -- Republicans romp

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Not even the latest season finale of NBC’s The Voice could stop the Republicans from again riding herd in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.

CNN’s nine-candidate main debate, which fired up at 7:48 p.m. and ended at 10:05 p.m., outdrew everything else in sight Tuesday night. It averaged 446,191 total viewers and 149,258 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

The Voice, which went directly opposite the debate from 8 to 10 p.m., ran second on both counts with 361,202 total viewers and 95,271 in the 18-to-49 age range.

CBS’ NCIS won the bulk of the 7 p.m. hour in total viewers with 332,873.

Republican debate ratings this year have been unprecedentedly through the roof, with bombastic frontrunner Donald Trump obviously the straw that stirs this drink. On Tuesday night, the audience held steady from start to finish. (Nationally, CNN says the debate averaged 18 million viewers to rank as the network’s second most-watched program ever behind only the 23.1 million viewers for September’s GOP face-off.)

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

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

Fox4 again easily ran the table at 6 a.m. and also trounced the three network morning shows in both measurements during the 7 to 9 a.m. segment.

CBS11 drew the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds.

It was another split decision at 5 p.m., with NBC5 pulling in the most total viewers and TEGNA8 topping the 25-to-54 Nielsens.

LOCAL NEWS NOTE: TEGNA8 has hired Tim Gardner as the new executive producer of its early morning Daybreak program.

Gardner, 63, previously was news director at Birmingham, Alabama’s WVTM-TV for eight years before resigning in June and moving to Dallas to be with his family. He’s originally from Fayette, Alabama and is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Gardner also has worked for TV stations in Austin and San Antonio.

Daybreak has been struggling in the ratings. But in the 6 a.m. hour during the November “sweeps,” it bounced back up to third place in the key 25-to-54 demographic after CBS11 ran better than last in that measurement last May for the first time in station history. TEGNA also made history it would rather forget about by dropping to fourth. That likewise had never happened before in the most-watched 6 a.m. hour of D-FW’s local waker-uppers.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 3

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Earlier this month, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors was a ratings hit for NBC.

Twenty-five years ago, on one of Johnny Carson’s latter day Tonight Shows, Parton promoted the Peacock’s Home for Christmas, which starred her immediate and extended family.

This isn’t the interview where Carson famously said, “I would give about a year’s pay to peek under there.” Instead this is Dolly telling an attentive Johnny a couple of heartwarming stories about her past Christmases as a kid. So there’s no irony here. But these homespun tales remain affecting while Dolly looks all aglow. Here you go.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 2

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Local TV stations, including those in D-FW, used to spend considerable time and effort on their Christmas season promos.

They tend to be much briefer now, the equivalents of E-cards in rushed and more impersonal times. In the 2014 holiday season, though, Fox4 put together an enthusiastic, imaginative and amusing 30-second spot in which the stars of its still No. 1-rated Good Day program more or less went caroling.

Tim Ryan, Lauren Przybyl, Evan Andrews and Chip Waggoner, all of whom remain in place a year later, are very much up to the challenge of merrily acting this one out. The spot also is very well-produced and looks all aglow. So if you’re looking for a model of how these things can still be done, look no further than this little gem.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 14) -- NBC hits high note with The Voice and Adele special

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC remained on a holiday season high Monday, sweeping prime-time in total D-FW viewers with Part 1 of The Voice’s latest season finale followed by Adele Live In New York City.

The Voice commanded its 7 to 9 p.m. slot with 389,532 viewers before Adele easily won the 9 p.m. hour by holding on to most of them (361,202).

Both shows held off ESPN’s Monday Night Football matchup between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins. But MNF had the edge with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, averaging 174,664 to 114,325 for the Voice and 136,555 for Adele.

ABC’s two-hour The Great Christmas Light Fight only flickered from 7 to 9 p.m. with 113,318 total viewers and 25,406 within the 18-to-49 motherlode. Still, that was enough to beat Fox’s Gotham and Bones reruns in total viewers. But Gotham beat both Christmas Light Fight and CBS’ competing new episode of Supergirl among 18-to-49-year-olds.

Over on FX, the extended Season 2 finale of Fargo drew 49,577 total viewers and 19,054 in the 18-to-49 demographic. That doesn’t sound like much, and isn’t. But Fargo is the kind of show that picks up substantially more viewers via DVR and other forms of delayed playback. For starters, though, it was no match at 9 p.m. for Adele, MNF, etc. Fargo already has been renewed for a third season.

Here are Monday’s local news derby results.

NBC5 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 edged the Peacock among 25-to-54-year--olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 again cruised to twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m.

Fox4, NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for the top spot in total viewers at 6 p.m., with Fox4 alone in first place with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 1

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Perhaps you’ve heard. A new Star Wars movie is coming out this week.

The attendant commercialism seems crasser than ever. But wait, the original 1977 film led to the worst excess of all -- CBS’ Nov. 17, 1978 presentation of The Star Wars Holiday Special.

Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were all willing participants in what still ranks as possibly the all-time dumbest idea in pop culture history. Not only that, it had the temerity to preempt episodes of Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk.

Here’s CBS’ introduction of the two-hour Star Wars Holiday Special, which also included guest appearances by Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Diahann Carroll, Harvey Korman and Jefferson Starship. We’ll continue Uncle Barky’s annual Countdown to Christmas on each weekday until the big day is here. Even if it’s nigh unto impossible to top this.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 11-13) -- Cowboys put up another big number

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Lambeau Field scoreboard was the latest to leave the Dallas Cowboys offense for dead Sunday. But as usual, they rolled up another big number in the D-FW ratings.

The Cowboys’ 28-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, which ran until 6:31 p.m. on Fox, averaged 1,416,480 viewers, with 609,734 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49 age range.

The season highs are still the Thanksgiving Day trouncing by the Carolina Panthers (1,664,364 total viewers) and the Oct. 4th overtime road loss to the New Orleans Saints (746,290 viewers in the 18-to-49 demographic). Those games respectively were on CBS and NBC.

The Peacock’s Sunday Night Football matchup, with the New England Patriots routing the Houston Texans, came up second on the NFL charts with 460,356 total viewers. Fox’s Cowboys-Packers warmup act, the Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears, averaged 417,862 total viewers.

Saturday was a slim day for TV viewing, with CBS’ annual afternoon telecast of the Army-Navy game ranking highest among the Big Four broadcast networks with 155,813 total viewers. In prime-time, ABC’s reprise of Mary Poppins led all programming with 134,566 viewers.

Friday’s highest prime-time scorers were CBS’ The Amazing Race in total viewers (191,225) and Dateline NBC among 18-to-49-year-olds (66,690).

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. The Peacock also had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. Fox4 and TEGNA8 tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Dec. 9-10) -- Hello, Dolly!

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Bombarded with bad news at home and abroad, TV watchers are showing they want homey, snuggly and happy endings.

CBS scored big again earlier this month with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer before NBC lit up the prime-time ratings with The Wiz Live!. The Peacock struck again Thursday night with the holiday movie Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. It resoundingly won its 8 to 10 p.m. slot in D-FW with 332,873 viewers.

Only CBS’ new 7 p.m. episode of The Big Bang Theory did better -- and just barely. It drew 347,038 viewers before the second half of NBC’s Michael Buble’s Christmas in Hollywood beat CBS’ competing Life in Pieces by a score of 219,554 viewers to 191,225.

ABC lagged way behind in the 7 p.m. hour, with its new Toy Story at 20: To Infinity and Beyond luring just 49,577 viewers. Fox’s Bones ran third in that slot with 134,566 viewers.

In the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic, Dolly had just enough oomph to win its two hour time period with 50,811 viewers. Buble matched that mark, but the night’s runaway winner as usual was Big Bang (117,501 viewers).

On Wednesday, CBS took the first two hours of prime-time in total viewers with Survivor and Criminal Minds. Fox4’s local news then came up big with a comfortable win at 9 p.m.

Fox4’s news also won its time slot with 18-to-49-year-olds, as did Survivor at 7 p.m. But Fox’s Taraji and Terrence’s White Hot Holidays, which paired the two principal Empire stars, edged Criminal Minds for the 8 p.m. win in this key demographic.

Here are the Wednesday and Thursday local news derby results.

Wednesday -- Fox4 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 also notched two more 6 a.m. wins and had the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 6 p.m. NBC5 ran first in total viewers at 6 p.m. and likewise won in that measurement at 5 p.m. The Peacock and Fox4 shared the top spot at 5 p.m. in the 25-to-54 age range.

Thursday -- Fox4 and NBC5 again collected all the golds.

NBC5 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 wore the 25-to-54 crown.

Fox4 continued its long unbroken winning streak at 6 a.m. with another matched pair. NBC5 then swept the 5 p.m. competitions. At 6 p.m., the Peacock had the most total viewers while Fox4 prevailed with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

D-FW 10 p.m. newscast lead-ins still very much matter. Let us count the ways

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TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscasts cashed in on all six lead-in advantages, including two from How to Get Away with Murder. ABC photo

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Same-night TV audiences are still difference-makers for local late night newscasts -- the sequel.

Not that the hierarchies of the Big Four broadcast networks can be convinced of this anymore. In mid-October, CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves dismissed the so-called “overnight” Nielsen ratings as “virtually meaningless” because increasing numbers of viewers are watching programming in other ways and no longer at the appointed hour.

Then in November, Fox chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman said the network had decided to stop reporting the overnights and instead publicize “Live +3” ratings that take into account On Demand, DVR, iPhone and website viewing of programming. “It’s time for us to ‘walk the walk’ and change the conversation,” they said in a joint memo to Fox staffers. This is in large part because same-day ratings “do not reflect how we monetize our content.”

Unclebarky.com addressed this topic earlier in the fall with a piece on how very important same-night, appointed hour viewing is to network affiliate stations across the land. This is especially true with late night local newscasts, which air at 10 p.m. in D-FW on Fox4, NBC5, CBS11 and ABC affiliate TEGNA8.

Now we have more concrete details on how “lead-ins” can still make or break these newscasts. Or at the very least give them important advantages, particularly during ratings “sweeps” periods.

The November “sweeps,” which ran from Oct. 29th through Thanksgiving Day eve, included 19 weeknights of head-to-head competition. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving as usual didn’t count after three of the four combatants (excepting CBS11) took holiday dispensations.

The 10 p.m. newscasts often are significantly helped or hindered by the 9:45 to 10 p.m. audiences furnished by their respective networks. A bad lead-in can derail the 10 p.m. ratings and a bounteous one can help fuel them. It’s true that no one has to laboriously rise from the couch to “change the channel” anymore. But even in push-button times, many viewers remain inclined to stay with the station they’ve been watching. Perhaps they’re hooked on one of those ramped-up “sweeps” teases during commercial breaks. Or maybe they stick around out of sheer inertia.

Over the years, TEGNA8 generally has been best able to weather the storm of a lousy lead-in and still remain competitive in the 10 p.m. ratings. But every station wants a helping hand from their network -- and TEGNA8 is no exception.

During the November “sweeps,” the station received a lead-in advantage from the ABC network on six of the 19 weeknights. It ran first on all six of those nights in the total viewer ratings.

TEGNA8 also was the only station that rebounded from worst to first -- but on just one night. ABC’s Tuesday, Nov. 3rd episode of Wicked City, which since has been canceled, put TEGNA8 behind a fourth place eight-ball in the last 15 minutes of prime-time (9:45 to 10 p.m.). But TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. news spring-boarded into first place, barely beating NBC5 after it got the night’s biggest lead-in from NBC’s Chicago Fire.

CBS11, on the other hand, is very unlikely to win or be in contention at 10 p.m. unless its network supplies the biggest lead-in of the night -- or very close to it. CBS programming was No. 1 from 9:45 to 10 p.m. on six nights in the November sweeps. CBS11’s newscast ran first on two of those nights and second on the four others.

Fox4 had a lead-in advantage on just two nights in total viewers. Both came on Wednesdays, when its 9 p.m. local newscasts have been jet-fueled by the Fox mega-hit Empire. Fox4’s only first place finish at 10 p.m. came on one of those Empire nights. It finished third on the other night. How about on nights when Fox4’s 10 p.m. news got the worst lead-in of the four stations from the 9 p.m. news? Fox4’s 10 p.m. news ran last on all four of those nights.

NBC5 received the largest lead-in audiences from its network on five nights. It won at 10 p.m. on two of those nights, ran second on two others and also logged a third-place finish.

The late night newscasts on NBC5 also were plagued by NBC’s The Player, which furnished the worst lead-in on all four Thursdays it aired. The station’s 10 p.m. newscasts couldn’t dig out of those holes, running last once, third twice and second once. On Friday nights, Dateline NBC likewise crushed NBC5’s spirits. It also provided D-FW’s worst audience lead-in on four occasions. NBC5 logged two last-place finishes and two third-places on those nights.

All told, stations getting the biggest 9:45 to 10 p.m. lead-ins from their networks won 11 of the 19 late night news competitions. Stations inheriting the worst lead-ins ran last on 9 of those 19 nights. In the end, TEGNA8 finished first in total viewers for the entire November sweeps ratings period, followed by NBC5, CBS11 and Fox4. (Among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming, Fox4 took the top prize, trailed by TEGNA8, NBC5 and CBS11. Fox4’s 9 p.m. newscast provided the largest or second-largest 25-to-54-year-old lead-in on 12 of those 19 nights.)

At the network level, though, viewers increasingly are being encouraged to watch their shows at any old time in any new way. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC can still make money via these expanding “platforms.” But in reality, how many D-FW viewers watch the local 10 p.m. newscasts beyond their appointed hours or via a cell phone app. Precious few, that’s how many. Which makes those supposedly antiquated same-night lead-in ratings a continued lifeline if not the lifeblood for the local news operations at Fox4, NBC5, TEGNA8 and CBS11.

We’ll close with a night-by-night breakdown of how it went down with total viewers in the November sweeps.

THURSDAY, Oct. 29

Biggest 9:45 to 10 p.m. lead-in: TEGNA8 with Scandal. Worst: NBC5 with The Player (CBS11’s 10 p.m. news delayed by Thursday Night Football run over).

10 p.m. order of finish: TEGNA8, NBC5, Fox4

FRIDAY, Oct. 30

Biggest lead-in: TEGNA8 with 20/20. Worst: NBC5 with Dateline NBC (Fox4’s 10 p.m. news delayed by World Series run over).

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, NBC5

MONDAY, Nov. 2

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with NCIS: Los Angeles. Worst: Fox4 9 p.m. local news

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, NBC5, Fox4

TUESDAY, Nov. 3

Biggest lead-in: NBC5 with Chicago Fire. Worst: TEGNA8 with Wicked City

Order of finish: TEGNA8, NBC5, CBS11, Fox4

WEDNESDAY, Nov.4

Biggest lead-in: TEGNA8 with CMA Awards. Worst: NBC5 with Chicago PD

Order of finish: TEGNA8, NBC5, Fox4, CBS11

THURSDAY, Nov. 5

Biggest lead-in: TEGNA8 with How to Get Away with Murder. Worst: NBC5 with The Player

Order of finish: TEGNA8, NBC5, Fox4, CBS11

FRIDAY, Nov. 6

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with Blue Bloods. Worst: NBC5 with Dateline NBC

Order of finish: CBS11, TEGNA8, Fox4, NBC5

MONDAY, Nov.9

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with NCIS: Los Angeles. Worst: Fox4’s 9 p.m. news

Order of finish: CBS11, TEGNA8, NBC5, Fox4

TUESDAY, Nov. 10

Biggest lead-in: NBC5 with Chicago Fire. Worst: TEGNA8 with Wicked City

Order of finish: CBS11, NBC5, Fox4, TEGNA8

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11

Biggest lead-in: Fox4 with Fox4’s 9 p.m. news on Empire night. Worst: TEGNA8 with Nashville

Order of finish: Fox4, NBC5, TEGNA8, CBS11

THURSDAY, Nov. 12

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with Elementary. Worst: NBC5 with The Player

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, Fox4, NBC5

FRIDAY, Nov. 13

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with Blue Bloods. Worst: NBC5 with Dateline NBC

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, NBC5, Fox4

MONDAY, Nov. 16

Biggest lead-in: NBC5 with Blindspot. Worst: TEGNA8 with Castle

Order of finish: NBC5, TEGNA8, Fox4, CBS11

TUESDAY, Nov. 17

Biggest lead-in: NBC5 with Chicago Fire. Worst Fox4 with 9 p.m. local newscast

Order of finish: NBC5, TEGNA8, CBS11, Fox4

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18

Biggest lead-in: Fox4 with 9 p.m. local news on Empire night. Worst: CBS11 with Code Black

Order of finish: NBC5, TEGNA8, Fox4, CBS11

THURSDAY, Nov. 19

Biggest lead-in: TEGNA8 with How to Get Away with Murder. Worst: NBC5 with The Player

Order of finish: TEGNA8, Fox4, NBC5, CBS11

FRIDAY, Nov. 20

Biggest lead-in: CBS11 with Blue Bloods. Worst: NBC5 with Dateline NBC

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, NBC5, Fox4

MONDAY, Nov. 23

Biggest lead-in: NBC5 with Blindspot. Worst: TEGNA8 with Castle

Order of finish: CBS11, TEGNA8, NBC5, Fox4

TUESDAY, Nov. 24:

Biggest lead-in: TEGNA8 with Dancing with the Stars. Worst: Fox4 with 9 p.m. local newscast

Order of finish: TEGNA8, CBS11, NBC5, Fox4

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 8) -- NBC/CBS share the wealth

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s The Voice led all prime-time programming Tuesday while CBS tickled the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old audience with its annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The Voice drew 361,202 total D-FW viewers to win the 7 p.m. hour against CBS’ NCIS before NCIS: New Orleans bested NBC’s Chicago Med by a score of 262,049 to 233,719. Both CBS dramas were in reruns.

NBC then bounced back to take the 9 p.m. slot with Chicago Fire (205,390 viewers).

In the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic, NBC won the first two hours of prime-time before the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show cashed in the night’s biggest haul with 85,744 viewers.

Fox’s Scream Queens again was Tuesday’s low achiever in both audience measurements. In what likely was the series’ two-hour last gasp, Scream Queens lured 49,517 total viewers and a sub-puny 15,879 in the 18-to-49 realm.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

NBC5 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but TEGNA8 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 rolled as usual at 6 a.m. with another sweep. The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and NBC5 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

At 5 p.m., NBC5 won in total viewers and shared first place with TEGNA8 among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 7) -- time-sharing Cowboys roll up more big numbers

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A snore-fest until the climactic, crazy, closing minutes, the Dallas Cowboys-Washington Redskins game on Monday Night Football again had no problem surpassing the one million viewer mark.

Running from 7:30 to 10:44 p.m., the Cowboys’ 19-16 win on a 55-yard Dan Bailey field goal averaged 467,438 D-FW viewers on ESPN and 743,652 for the home market simulcast on TEGNA8. That’s a grand total of 1,211,090 viewers.

Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Cowboys-Redskins had 266,759 viewers on ESPN and 263,583 viewers on TEGNA8 for a total of 530,342.

This is interesting on two fronts. For one, younger viewers clearly are more amenable to choosing a cable network rather than an old-line broadcast network. In that respect, ESPN edging TEGNA8 in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic is an eye-opener.

Also, the Cowboys continue to draw less than 50 percent of their viewership from the motherlode 18-to-49 age range, even though the ESPN audience surpassed that percentage while TEGNA8 fell well short. If you’re a broadcast network bean-counter, you hate to see that.

The season-to-date record holder in total viewers is still CBS’ Thanksgiving Day game versus the Carolina Panthers, which averaged 1,664,364 despite the Cowboys being routed. The Oct. 4th overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints on NBC’s Sunday Night Football still has the top mark among 18-to-49-year-olds with 746,290.

Monday’s top prime-time performer among non-Cowboys attractions was NBC’s 7 to 9 p.m. edition of The Voice with 290,378 total viewers and 79,393 in the 18-to-49 age range.

The Peacock’s following two-episode sneak preview of Eva Longoria’s Telenovela had a tough time getting noticed. Each episode had 70,824 total viewers. In the 18-to-49 arena, Episode 1 drew 38,108 viewers and Episode 2 had 28,581.

Also of note: At 6:30 p.m., TEGNA8’s homegrown Cowboys special anchored by Dale Hansen beat CBS11’s Wheel of Fortune in total viewers by a score of 240,802 to 212,472. In the 18-to-49 measurement, TEGNA8 cruised with 101,622 viewers while NBC5’s runner-up Extra had 31,757.

The Dallas Mavericks’ road win against the New York Knicks drew just 35,412 total viewers on Fox Sports Southwest, with 25,401 in the 18-to-49 realm. That’s at least a far better percentage than the Cowboys drew, but otherwise a mere pimple in comparison.

OK, here are Monday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 won the downsized three-way 10 p.m. race in total viewers, but Fox4 ran first by a thin margin with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 remained in total control at 6 a.m. with another pair of dominating wins. TEGNA8 swept the 6 p.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 4-6) -- That's life. Sinatra 100 bombs with the "kids"

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS put on a classy show in honor of Frank Sinatra Sunday night in his 100th birthday year.

But Ol’ Blue Eyes got a big black eye in the most sought after audience demographic -- advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. The two-hour Sinatra 100 -- An All-Star Grammy Concert drew just 34,933 viewers in this age range despite contributions from John Legend, Lady Gaga, Usher, Zac Brown, Alicia Keys, Adam Levine, Garth Brooks, Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and many others. That put it fourth from 8 to 10 p.m. behind NBC’s Sunday Night Football (a league-leading 215,948 viewers despite Pittsburgh’s one-sided romp over Indianapolis); Fox’s Family Guy and Last Man Standing, ABC’s Quantico and Blood & Oil; and Fox4’s local 9 p.m. newscast.

In total viewers, Sinatra 100 perked up to the No. 2 spot, but trailed Sunday Night Football by a margin of 460,356 to 177,060. Less than one in five of Sinatra 100’s viewers were within the 18-to-49-year-old motherlode.

Earlier Sunday, Fox’s Eagles-Patriots game did even better than Sunday Night Football, amassing 637,742 viewers for Philadelphia’s upset win. The still breathing Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Redskins on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, with TEGNA8 the home broadcast market in D-FW.

Saturday’s menu of college football championship games was paced by CBS’ afternoon Alabama-Florida matchup, which pulled in 290,378 total viewers. In prime-time, Fox’s Michigan State-Iowa encounter (276,214 viewers) whipped CBS’ competing Clemson-North Carolina game (169,978).

Friday’s prime-time leader in total viewers again was CBS’ Blue Bloods with 162,895 in the 9 p.m. hour. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, Fox’s Masterchef Junior ranked No. 1 with 60,338 viewers.

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 led among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 continued its long winning streak at 6 a.m. with two more golds. CBS11 swept the 6 p.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Romo gets a Tony award for sleepover skit on Late Late Show with James Corden

Seen it yet? You should. Here’s the Tony Romo sleepover sketch with host James Corden on his CBS Late Late Show.
Ed Bark



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 3) -- The Wiz Live! stands up to Thursday Night Football

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Ratings-wise, there were two games in town Thursday night -- NBC’s The Wiz Live! and the CBS/NFL Network presentation of Thursday Night Football.

Follow the yellow brick road, which says that The Wiz stood toe-to-toe with the Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions matchup while outdrawing the NFL among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. That hadn’t happened all season when both CBS and NFL Net are combining forces.

The Wiz, which ended at 9:45 p.m. and ushered in an early start for NBC5’s late night newscast, drew 361,202 total D-FW viewers. Packers-Lions, featuring a near-miracle “Hail Mary” win by Green Bay on the last play of the game, averaged 297,461 viewers on CBS and added another 77,906 for the NFL Net simulcast. That’s a slightly higher total of 375,367 viewers.

Among 18-to-49-year-olds, though, The Wiz had 177,839 viewers to best the combined total of 139,731 for CBS and NFL Net. CBS had 111,150 of those viewers.

Let’s also note that The Wiz was an extraordinarily ambitious production that for the most part came off flawlessly. NBC also sold a lot of commercial time, to the point where the breaks at times made it seem that The Wiz was the one interrupting all that paid advertising.

ABC’s 8 to 10 p.m. CMA Country Christmas special came in as Thursday’s No. 3 prime-time draw with 184,142 total viewers and 44,598 in the 18-to-49 age range.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

NBC5’s expanded 10 p.m. newscast ran first in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). CBS11 got counted out by the Thursday Night Football overrun.

Fox4 cruised to another pair of 6 a.m. wins and NBC5 ran wild at 5 and 6 p.m. with across-the-board first-place finishes.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 2) -- Empire's fall finale again juices Fox/Fox4 newscasts

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Local Fox affiliate stations, including D-FW’s Fox4, can be forgiven for going into mourning following Wednesday’s fall finale of Empire.

It’s not scheduled to return until March 30th. That’s a very long time to go without the most popular Fox prime-time series since American Idol was at full power.

The 8 p.m. episode of Empire drew 453,274 D-FW viewers and 209,596 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old age range. Ratings have been on a bit of a decline in this second season. But Empire still soared above all other prime-time programming. On opposition networks, the runner-up Wednesday night in total viewers, CBS’ Criminal Minds, had 247,884 of them. The best showing among 18-to-49-year-olds was by ABC’s Modern Family (76,219).

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast again benefited from Empire’s tailwind, easily winning its slot with 339,955 total viewers and 123,852 in the 18-to-49 realm.

CBS led off Wednesday night with Survivor drawing the most total viewers in the 7 p.m. hour (177,060). NBC’s competing Christmas in Rockefeller Center was tops with 18-to-49-year-olds (63,514).

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

Fox4 kept the Empire momentum rolling at 10 p.m. with wins in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

The station also ran first at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. in both ratings measurements. TEGNA8 logged Wednesday’s other sweep with a pair of 5 p.m. golds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 1) -- Rudolph still reigns in most desired audience demographic

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ annual airing of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer led all prime-time programming Tuesday in the audience measurement that networks most bank on.

The gift that keeps on giving drew 107,934 D-FW viewers in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic. That was just enough to outpoint NBC’s resident super power, The Voice, which had 104,798 viewers of the 18-to-49 persuasion in direct combat from 7 to 8 p.m.

The Voice whipped Rudolph in total viewers by a score of 354,120 to 269,131. But the shiniest ratings bauble of all belongs to the resilient reindeer, now in his 51st year as a TV special.

NBC won the 8 p.m. hour in both ratings measurements with its new Chicago Med before the 9 p.m. golds were split between CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans in total viewers and Fox4’s local newscast among 18-to-49-year-olds.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 once again ran the table at 6 a.m. CBS11 took the top spot in total viewers at 6 p.m. and shared the lead among 25-to-54-year-olds with NBC5.

The 5 p.m. spoils went to NBC5 in total viewers and Fox4 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Nov. 30) -- The Voice and Monday Night Football draw biggest crowds while double shot of Superstore does decent business

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC as usual commanded the 7 to 9 p.m. slot Monday with The Voice before ESPN’s less than stellar Monday Night Football matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns took the last hour of prime-time and beyond.

The Voice drew 389,532 D-FW viewers while also pulling in the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds (130,204). Monday Night Football ran an overall second for the night with respective totals of 262,049 and 127,028 viewers.

The Peacock’s sneak preview of its new Superstore comedy series tailed off substantially from The Voice but still had a solid sampling. The 9 to 9:30 p.m. episode had 205,390 viewers to run third behind football and CBS’ first half-hour of NCIS: Los Angeles (219,554 viewers). From 9:30 to 10 p.m., Superstore slipped to 162,895 total viewers, running behind football, NCIS: L.A.’s second half (198,307) and the closing half-hour of Fox4’s local newscast (169,978).

Among 18-to-49-year-olds, though, Superstore beat everything except football, holding steady with 98,447 viewers in each half-hour.

CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of Supergirl also performed well in total viewers with 240,802. Its 18-to-49-year-old audience was 69,865, which pretty much makes it “older-skewing.”

ABC’s triple shot of Christmas specials was paced by an 8 p.m. reprise of A Charlie Brown Christmas, which had 191,225 total viewers and 63,514 in the key 18-to-49 demographic.

Monday’s lowest scoring prime-time attraction among the Big Four broadcast networks was Fox’s 8 p.m. hour of Minority Report. It drew just 56,659 total viewers and 25,406 within the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Here are the local news derby results for the first post-holiday, post-“sweeps” weekday in which all four stations are playing for keeps again.

TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for first at 10 p.m. in total viewers, but TEGNA8 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 again frolicked at 6 a.m., more than doubling the totals of its closest rivals in both ratings measurements.

NBC5 had a very nice time at 5 and 6 p.m. with a pair of doubleheader wins.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net