Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., July 10 to Tues., July 23) -- extended look at local TV news battles
07/24/19 11:47 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Returning from some time off means there’s a lot of catching up to do.
But with this extended ratings “snapshot,” I’m not going to get into the nuts and bolts of all the prime-time ratings. Instead this will be a compendium of the weekday local news derby battles at 6 a.m. and 5, 6 and 10 p.m. It will give you a rough idea of who’s been making some headway during the long, hot summertime -- and who hasn’t. And since many of the news staffers at Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 generally aren’t privy to this info, it also will give them some looks at how their stations are doing. Remember, though, that viewing levels generally are lower during this time while some of the star on-camera players are intermittently taking their vacations.
In chronological order, here we go:
Wednesday, July 10 -- Fox4 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming) while also winning at 6 p.m. in both measurements.
WFAA8 nipped Fox4 for first place in total viewers at 6 a.m. and the two stations tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 ran the table at 5 p.m.
Thursday, July 11 -- Fox4 came within a fingernail of a very rare double grand slam. The station had twin wins at 6 a.m. and 5 and 6 p.m. while also running first at 10 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds. In total viewers at 10 p.m., Fox4 and WFAA8 tied for the lead if the numbers are rounded off to the nearest decimal point. But WFAA8 otherwise gets a paper-thin win with 2.12 ratings points compared to Fox4’s 2.09.
Friday, July 12 -- Three stations enjoyed sweeps. WFAA8 won in both ratings measurements at 10 p.m., Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m. and NBC5 broke through with a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to WFAA8 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Monday, July 15 -- WFAA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 took the 25-to-54 crown.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. while WFAA8 did the same at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 16 -- Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. races while also drawing the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 6 and 10 p.m. WFAA8 won in total viewers at both 6 and 10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 17 -- WFAA8 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but was nipped among 25-to-54-year-olds by Fox4.
Fox4 again ruled at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. NBC5 won at 6 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday, July 18 -- WFAA8 scored twin wins at 10 p.m. while Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. firsts went to WFAA8 in total viewers and Fox4 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Friday, July 19 -- WFAA8 again ruled in both ratings measurements at 10 p.m. while Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. spoils went to WFAA8 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Monday, July 22 -- WFAA8 took the 10 p.m. trophy in total viewers and Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds while also again sweeping the 6 a.m. competitions.
WFAA8 ran first at 5 and 6 p.m. in total viewers. The 25-to-54 wreaths went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and Fox4 at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 23 -- Fox4 ran first in total viewers at 10 p.m. and NBC5 drew the most 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 reigned at 6 a.m. and took the 25-to-54-golds at 5 and 6 p.m. WFAA8 won in total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m.
Comments -- It’s clear who the summertime kingpins are. Fox4 and WFAA8 won just about everything in sight, save for six first-place finishes by NBC5 during these 10 weekdays. And if you’re CBS11, well, you wouldn’t want to be. The station went winless in a total of 80 face-offs among the four stations.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Returning from some time off means there’s a lot of catching up to do.
But with this extended ratings “snapshot,” I’m not going to get into the nuts and bolts of all the prime-time ratings. Instead this will be a compendium of the weekday local news derby battles at 6 a.m. and 5, 6 and 10 p.m. It will give you a rough idea of who’s been making some headway during the long, hot summertime -- and who hasn’t. And since many of the news staffers at Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 generally aren’t privy to this info, it also will give them some looks at how their stations are doing. Remember, though, that viewing levels generally are lower during this time while some of the star on-camera players are intermittently taking their vacations.
In chronological order, here we go:
Wednesday, July 10 -- Fox4 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming) while also winning at 6 p.m. in both measurements.
WFAA8 nipped Fox4 for first place in total viewers at 6 a.m. and the two stations tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds. WFAA8 ran the table at 5 p.m.
Thursday, July 11 -- Fox4 came within a fingernail of a very rare double grand slam. The station had twin wins at 6 a.m. and 5 and 6 p.m. while also running first at 10 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds. In total viewers at 10 p.m., Fox4 and WFAA8 tied for the lead if the numbers are rounded off to the nearest decimal point. But WFAA8 otherwise gets a paper-thin win with 2.12 ratings points compared to Fox4’s 2.09.
Friday, July 12 -- Three stations enjoyed sweeps. WFAA8 won in both ratings measurements at 10 p.m., Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m. and NBC5 broke through with a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to WFAA8 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Monday, July 15 -- WFAA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 took the 25-to-54 crown.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. while WFAA8 did the same at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 16 -- Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. races while also drawing the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 6 and 10 p.m. WFAA8 won in total viewers at both 6 and 10 p.m.
Wednesday, July 17 -- WFAA8 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but was nipped among 25-to-54-year-olds by Fox4.
Fox4 again ruled at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. NBC5 won at 6 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday, July 18 -- WFAA8 scored twin wins at 10 p.m. while Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. firsts went to WFAA8 in total viewers and Fox4 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Friday, July 19 -- WFAA8 again ruled in both ratings measurements at 10 p.m. while Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. spoils went to WFAA8 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Monday, July 22 -- WFAA8 took the 10 p.m. trophy in total viewers and Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds while also again sweeping the 6 a.m. competitions.
WFAA8 ran first at 5 and 6 p.m. in total viewers. The 25-to-54 wreaths went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and Fox4 at 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 23 -- Fox4 ran first in total viewers at 10 p.m. and NBC5 drew the most 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 reigned at 6 a.m. and took the 25-to-54-golds at 5 and 6 p.m. WFAA8 won in total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m.
Comments -- It’s clear who the summertime kingpins are. Fox4 and WFAA8 won just about everything in sight, save for six first-place finishes by NBC5 during these 10 weekdays. And if you’re CBS11, well, you wouldn’t want to be. The station went winless in a total of 80 face-offs among the four stations.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net