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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Jan. 10) -- CBS/ABC split spoils

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom
CBS' The Big Bang Theory again ranked as Thursday's top prime-time performer while ABC cashed in with new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.

Big Bang drew 481,894 D-FW viewers in setting the table for Two and a Half Men (344,210). The network's Person of Interest and Elementary also won their time slots with respective totals of 406,168 and 289,136 viewers.

The two comedies likewise prevailed with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. But ABC won the 8 to 10 p.m. hours in this key demographic with Grey's and Scandal.

NBC's regular time slot launch of 1600 Penn, which was sneak-previewed last month, fared poorly at 7:30 p.m. It had just 75,726 total viewers, running fourth in that measurement while occupying the same spot in the 18-to-49 demographic. But NBC's preceding new episode of 30 Rock was the night's overall ratings loser on the Big Four broadcast network. It drew 55,074 total viewers.

In late night, the Dallas Mavericks' overtime win at Sacramento averaged an identically pint-sized 55,074 viewers on Fox Sports Southwest. But ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! made its best showing to date in its new 10:35 p.m. slot with wins in both total viewers and 18-49-year-olds opposite NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno, CBS' Late Show with David Letterman and Fox4's syndicated combo of TMZ and Access Hollywood.

Here are Thursday's local news derby results.

WFAA8 and CBS11 tied for the top spot in total viewers at 10 p.m., with WFAA8 winning outright among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.

Fox4 ran the table at both 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while tying for first with Fox4 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: In light of the Newtown tragedy, KERA13 is airing the 2009 documentary A Reason To Live at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11th.

Distinguished Dallas filmmakers Cynthia Salzman Mondell and Allen Mondell are behind the camera in this one-hour look at young adult depression and suicide. It continues to be used as a teaching tool in classrooms.

Besides interviewing a number of troubled real-life young adults and their parents, the film also includes two reenactments of calls to crisis center hotlines. They're not labeled as reenactments, though, but should have been to avoid any viewer confusion.

The Mondells made Reason to Live at the request of a family friend whose son committed suicide. It's dedicated to Benjamin Cottrell Schepps -- 1984 to 2005.

This obviously isn't typical Friday night escapist TV after another work week. But it's a valuable and worthy film aimed both at treating depression and preventing young adult suicides. Most of the afflicted who tell their stories on camera have managed to overcome their demons or at least keep them at bay via therapy and/or medication.

"People need to know. Things get better," a young woman says just before the closing credits. In the context of this film, those are words to live by.
unclebarky@verizon.net