Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., April 22-23) -- sweeps start early, three stations split opening night spoils
04/24/15 11:21 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The four-week May “sweeps,” last big ratings period of the 2014-15 TV season, include a sizable chunk of April this time out.
They began on Thursday, April 23rd, with CBS expectedly getting off the mark first with a new episode of The Big Bang Theory. The juggernaut sitcom ranked No. 1 in prime-time in both total D-FW viewers (460,284) and advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds (163,998).
ABC’s second half-hour of Grey’s Anatomy then won from 7:30 to 8 p.m. with 299,882 total viewers and 129,306 in the 18-to-49 range.
CBS broke back through in total viewers with its 8 p.m. episode of Mom (223,168). But ABC’s Scandal ran first from 8:30 to 9 p.m. in that measurement (202,246 total viewers) while ruling its entire hour among 18-to-49-year-olds (78,845).
Then along came Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast, which opened the sweeps with a doubleheader win -- 188,292 total viewers and 69,384 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.
Sweeps eve Wednesday belonged entirely to Fox/Fox4 in the total viewer realm. Fox’s two-hour American Idol ruled from 7 to 9 p.m. with 285,934 viewers before Fox4’s newscast drew a time slot-winning 271,986.
The news likewise topped the 18-to-49-year-old demographic with 85,153 viewers. But the 7 to 9 p.m. hours were a free-for-all, with CBS’ Survivor taking the first half-hour (100,922); Idol regrouping to win from 7:30 to 8 p.m. with the same total; ABC’s Modern Family taking the 8 p.m. top spot (129,306); and CBS’ Criminal Minds winning from 8:30 to 9 p.m. (91,460).
Here the four-way local news derby results.
Wednesday -- The 10 p.m. sweeps eve races were won by Gannett8 in total viewers and NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 ran the table as usual at 6 a.m. while the Peacock swept the 5 p.m. competitions. Gannett8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m., but Fox4 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday -- Since this was the first day of the May “sweeps,” let’s do a complete breakdown of where they stand out of the starting gates.
10 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 195,272
NBC5 -- 166,679
CBS11 -- 152,731
Fox4 -- 141,572
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 72,011
NBC5 -- 67,862
Gannett8 -- 62,528
CBS11 -- 27,263
6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 108,097
NBC5 -- 76,714
Gannett8 -- 65,556
CBS11 -- 48,121
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 58,379
NBC5 -- 33,486
Gannett8 -- 22,818
CBS11 -- 17,780
6 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 152,033
CBS11 -- 135,993
NBC5 -- 110,189
Fox4 -- 93,452
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 55,712
Gannett8 -- 54,230
NBC5 -- 42,673
CBS11 -- 21,929
5 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 145,059
NBC5 -- 131,111
Fox4 -- 106,005
CBS11 -- 86,478
25-to-54-Year-Olds
NBC5 -- 45,993
Fox4 -- 42,080
Gannett8 -- 39,413
CBS11 -- 9,779
A lot could change between now and the May 20th closing day. Place your bets.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The four-week May “sweeps,” last big ratings period of the 2014-15 TV season, include a sizable chunk of April this time out.
They began on Thursday, April 23rd, with CBS expectedly getting off the mark first with a new episode of The Big Bang Theory. The juggernaut sitcom ranked No. 1 in prime-time in both total D-FW viewers (460,284) and advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds (163,998).
ABC’s second half-hour of Grey’s Anatomy then won from 7:30 to 8 p.m. with 299,882 total viewers and 129,306 in the 18-to-49 range.
CBS broke back through in total viewers with its 8 p.m. episode of Mom (223,168). But ABC’s Scandal ran first from 8:30 to 9 p.m. in that measurement (202,246 total viewers) while ruling its entire hour among 18-to-49-year-olds (78,845).
Then along came Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast, which opened the sweeps with a doubleheader win -- 188,292 total viewers and 69,384 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.
Sweeps eve Wednesday belonged entirely to Fox/Fox4 in the total viewer realm. Fox’s two-hour American Idol ruled from 7 to 9 p.m. with 285,934 viewers before Fox4’s newscast drew a time slot-winning 271,986.
The news likewise topped the 18-to-49-year-old demographic with 85,153 viewers. But the 7 to 9 p.m. hours were a free-for-all, with CBS’ Survivor taking the first half-hour (100,922); Idol regrouping to win from 7:30 to 8 p.m. with the same total; ABC’s Modern Family taking the 8 p.m. top spot (129,306); and CBS’ Criminal Minds winning from 8:30 to 9 p.m. (91,460).
Here the four-way local news derby results.
Wednesday -- The 10 p.m. sweeps eve races were won by Gannett8 in total viewers and NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 ran the table as usual at 6 a.m. while the Peacock swept the 5 p.m. competitions. Gannett8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m., but Fox4 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday -- Since this was the first day of the May “sweeps,” let’s do a complete breakdown of where they stand out of the starting gates.
10 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 195,272
NBC5 -- 166,679
CBS11 -- 152,731
Fox4 -- 141,572
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 72,011
NBC5 -- 67,862
Gannett8 -- 62,528
CBS11 -- 27,263
6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 108,097
NBC5 -- 76,714
Gannett8 -- 65,556
CBS11 -- 48,121
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 58,379
NBC5 -- 33,486
Gannett8 -- 22,818
CBS11 -- 17,780
6 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 152,033
CBS11 -- 135,993
NBC5 -- 110,189
Fox4 -- 93,452
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 55,712
Gannett8 -- 54,230
NBC5 -- 42,673
CBS11 -- 21,929
5 P.M.
Total Viewers
Gannett8 -- 145,059
NBC5 -- 131,111
Fox4 -- 106,005
CBS11 -- 86,478
25-to-54-Year-Olds
NBC5 -- 45,993
Fox4 -- 42,080
Gannett8 -- 39,413
CBS11 -- 9,779
A lot could change between now and the May 20th closing day. Place your bets.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net