Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., April 20) -- in a remote control universe, size still matters
04/21/10 09:52 AM
By ED BARK
Today's seminar on the value of lead-in programming to local late night newscasts is brought to you by Uncle Barky's Department of Redundancy Department.
That's because we've said it many times before, but it always bears repeating because some readers remain skeptical. After all, one only has to press a button while embedded on a couch rather than laboriously rise and waddle to the TV set for the purpose of cranking to another channel. So why would anyone be beholden to the station they've been watching if they generally prefer another 10 p.m. newscast?
Well, maybe one of the newscast teases sucks you in during breaks from your 9 p.m. show. Or perhaps inertia is more powerful than a speeding locomotive. Maybe one newscast is pretty much like any other to you, so who cares?
Whatever the case, NBC5 won Tuesday's 10 p.m. newscast competitions with help from its network's 9 p.m. Parenthood, which on the same day was officially picked up for a second season. In the old 'n' dismal Jay Leno Show days, the lead-ins invariably were skimpy each weeknight.
Parenthood drew 217,162 D-FW viewers, easily besting competition from CBS' The Good Wife repeat and Fox4's 9 p.m. newscast (156,085 viewers apiece) while ABC's new episode of V pulled in fourth with 135,726 viewers.
NBC5's late night newscast then held on to enough viewers -- 176,444 -- to beat runners-up WFAA8 and CBS11 (162,871 each) and Fox4 (142,512).
It was the same story with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. Parenthood led the way in this key demographic at 9 p.m. before NBC5 triumphed at 10 p.m. For the record, Parenthood also won among 18-to-49-year-olds, the preferred advertiser target audience for entertainment programming. NBC5 did likewise at 10 p.m.
WFAA8 enjoyed the same network largesse on Monday night, riding a 9 p.m. win by ABC's Castle to twin victories at 10 p.m. End of seminar. There'll be a test tomorrow.
Elsewhere in prime-time Tuesday, Fox's American Idol won as always at 7 p.m., this time with 380,033 total viewers. ABC's Dancing with the Stars results show, which at last evicted whiny, weepy, left-footed Kate Gosselin, ran second at that hour with 271,452 viewers.
At 8 p.m. it was all-out war between Fox's Glee and ABC's Lost. Each show had 318,956 viewers in whipping CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles rerun and the second hour of NBC's The Biggest Loser. But Lost nipped Glee among 18-to-49-year-olds, by a score of 189,173 to 185,911.
In other local news derby results, NBC5 returned to the 6 a.m. winner's circle with first place finishes in both total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds.
The Peacock also crowed at 6 p.m. in total viewers, with Fox4 tops among 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 had the 5 p.m. edge in total viewers, but Fox4 again was golden in the 25-to-54 demographic.
Today's seminar on the value of lead-in programming to local late night newscasts is brought to you by Uncle Barky's Department of Redundancy Department.
That's because we've said it many times before, but it always bears repeating because some readers remain skeptical. After all, one only has to press a button while embedded on a couch rather than laboriously rise and waddle to the TV set for the purpose of cranking to another channel. So why would anyone be beholden to the station they've been watching if they generally prefer another 10 p.m. newscast?
Well, maybe one of the newscast teases sucks you in during breaks from your 9 p.m. show. Or perhaps inertia is more powerful than a speeding locomotive. Maybe one newscast is pretty much like any other to you, so who cares?
Whatever the case, NBC5 won Tuesday's 10 p.m. newscast competitions with help from its network's 9 p.m. Parenthood, which on the same day was officially picked up for a second season. In the old 'n' dismal Jay Leno Show days, the lead-ins invariably were skimpy each weeknight.
Parenthood drew 217,162 D-FW viewers, easily besting competition from CBS' The Good Wife repeat and Fox4's 9 p.m. newscast (156,085 viewers apiece) while ABC's new episode of V pulled in fourth with 135,726 viewers.
NBC5's late night newscast then held on to enough viewers -- 176,444 -- to beat runners-up WFAA8 and CBS11 (162,871 each) and Fox4 (142,512).
It was the same story with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. Parenthood led the way in this key demographic at 9 p.m. before NBC5 triumphed at 10 p.m. For the record, Parenthood also won among 18-to-49-year-olds, the preferred advertiser target audience for entertainment programming. NBC5 did likewise at 10 p.m.
WFAA8 enjoyed the same network largesse on Monday night, riding a 9 p.m. win by ABC's Castle to twin victories at 10 p.m. End of seminar. There'll be a test tomorrow.
Elsewhere in prime-time Tuesday, Fox's American Idol won as always at 7 p.m., this time with 380,033 total viewers. ABC's Dancing with the Stars results show, which at last evicted whiny, weepy, left-footed Kate Gosselin, ran second at that hour with 271,452 viewers.
At 8 p.m. it was all-out war between Fox's Glee and ABC's Lost. Each show had 318,956 viewers in whipping CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles rerun and the second hour of NBC's The Biggest Loser. But Lost nipped Glee among 18-to-49-year-olds, by a score of 189,173 to 185,911.
In other local news derby results, NBC5 returned to the 6 a.m. winner's circle with first place finishes in both total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds.
The Peacock also crowed at 6 p.m. in total viewers, with Fox4 tops among 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 had the 5 p.m. edge in total viewers, but Fox4 again was golden in the 25-to-54 demographic.