Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 5-7)
12/08/08 10:09 AM
By ED BARK
The Cowboys' last-ditch loss Sunday to the iron-willed Steelers had 1,700,608 D-FW viewers in its clutches for the game's final 15 minutes.
That was the peak audience for Fox's telecast, which averaged 1,474,746 viewers and drew 59 percent of all persons watching TV for its three hours, 15 minutes of mostly ups and then a big downer.
The audience for the game's closing 15 minutes -- 6 to 6:15 p.m. -- accounted for more than 25 percent of the D-FW viewing area's 6.64 million population, according to Nielsen Media Research's latest estimates. And that doesn't factor in bars and other out-of-home venues. The most-watched attraction opposite the Cowboys -- CBS' first half-hour of 60 Minutes -- had 59,787 viewers.
Fox's Eagles-Giants game, which preceded Dallas-Pittsburgh, averaged 531,1440 viewers to rank as Sunday's second most-watched attraction. NBC's Redskins-Ravens game then controlled the prime-time terrain with a chart-topping 298,935 D-FW viewers.
TNT made the only significant ratings mark in the cable world. Its third movie in the Librarian franchise drew 86,359 viewers from 7 to 9 p.m., with the premiere of the new series Leverage dipping to 73,073 viewers at 9 p.m. But those numbers fell short of all the prime-time attractions on the Big Four broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Football also scored big on Saturday. CBS' matchup between No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Florida had 345,436 viewers during mostly daytime hours. ABC's Oklahoma-Missouri game then kicked in with 418,509 viewers during prime-time hours.
CBS dominated Friday's prime-time Nielsens with Ghost Whisperer and two episodes of Numb3rs.
In Friday's local news derby, WFAA8 took the 10 p.m. golds in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. It also won at 6 p.m. in both ratings measurements.
Fox4 continued to roll merrily along at 6 a.m., easily sweeping the field. WFAA8 remained in a deep slumber at the waking hour, running a distant third in total viewers and finishing fourth behind CBS11 in the key 25-to-54 demographic.
The 5 p.m. verdicts were split. WFAA8 won in total viewers, with Fox4 tops among 25-to-54-year-olds.
The Cowboys' last-ditch loss Sunday to the iron-willed Steelers had 1,700,608 D-FW viewers in its clutches for the game's final 15 minutes.
That was the peak audience for Fox's telecast, which averaged 1,474,746 viewers and drew 59 percent of all persons watching TV for its three hours, 15 minutes of mostly ups and then a big downer.
The audience for the game's closing 15 minutes -- 6 to 6:15 p.m. -- accounted for more than 25 percent of the D-FW viewing area's 6.64 million population, according to Nielsen Media Research's latest estimates. And that doesn't factor in bars and other out-of-home venues. The most-watched attraction opposite the Cowboys -- CBS' first half-hour of 60 Minutes -- had 59,787 viewers.
Fox's Eagles-Giants game, which preceded Dallas-Pittsburgh, averaged 531,1440 viewers to rank as Sunday's second most-watched attraction. NBC's Redskins-Ravens game then controlled the prime-time terrain with a chart-topping 298,935 D-FW viewers.
TNT made the only significant ratings mark in the cable world. Its third movie in the Librarian franchise drew 86,359 viewers from 7 to 9 p.m., with the premiere of the new series Leverage dipping to 73,073 viewers at 9 p.m. But those numbers fell short of all the prime-time attractions on the Big Four broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.
Football also scored big on Saturday. CBS' matchup between No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Florida had 345,436 viewers during mostly daytime hours. ABC's Oklahoma-Missouri game then kicked in with 418,509 viewers during prime-time hours.
CBS dominated Friday's prime-time Nielsens with Ghost Whisperer and two episodes of Numb3rs.
In Friday's local news derby, WFAA8 took the 10 p.m. golds in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. It also won at 6 p.m. in both ratings measurements.
Fox4 continued to roll merrily along at 6 a.m., easily sweeping the field. WFAA8 remained in a deep slumber at the waking hour, running a distant third in total viewers and finishing fourth behind CBS11 in the key 25-to-54 demographic.
The 5 p.m. verdicts were split. WFAA8 won in total viewers, with Fox4 tops among 25-to-54-year-olds.