Dec 2013
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Sun.-Mon, Dec. 29-30) -- Cowboys save best for last (ratings-wise)
12/31/13 11:26 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ traditional 8-8, division-losing bow-out drew the largest D-FW television crowd of this season’s 16 regular season games.
NBC’s Dec. 29th Sunday Night Football showdown between Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles, “flexed” away from Fox, ended up averaging 1,647,502 viewers. That outpointed the Cowboys-New York Giants Sept. 8th season-opener on SNF, which had reigned all year with 1,542,061 viewers. Both games originated from Jerry’s Palace, with Dallas winning a close one against New York (36-31) and losing a close one to Philadelphia (24-22).
With another unsatisfying season in the books, here are the top-to-bottom D-FW Nielsen numbers for all 16 Cowboys games:
Dec. 29th vs Philadelphia Eagles on NBC -- 1,647,502 viewers
Sept. 8th vs New York Giants on NBC -- 1,542,061
Oct. 13th vs Washington Redskins on NBC -- 1,540,982
Nov. 28th vs Oakland Raiders on CBS -- 1,455,767
Nov. 24th vs New York Giants on Fox -- 1,448,665
Nov. 20th vs. New Orleans Saints on NBC -- 1,327,943
Oct. 6th vs. Denver Broncos on CBS -- 1,299,538
Dec. 15th vs Green Bay Packers on Fox -- 1,164,613
Oct. 27th vs. Detroit Lions on Fox -- 1,150,411
Sept. 29th vs San Diego Chargers on Fox -- 1,093,600
Oct. 20th vs Philadelphia Eagles on Fox -- 1,058,094
Sept. 15th vs Kansas City Chiefs on Fox -- 1,011,977
Nov. 3rd vs Minnesota Vikings on Fox -- 1,050,992
Dec. 9th vs Chicago Bears on ESPN/KTXD -- 994,182
Dec. 22nd vs Washington Redskins on Fox -- 958,676
Sept. 22nd vs St. Louis Rams on Fox -- 943,135
Elsewhere on Sunday, Dec. 29th, the Green Bay Packers’ thrilling win over the Chicago Bears to win the NFC North division warmed up audiences with 731,434 viewers on Fox. The preceding Panthers-Falcons matchup on Fox drew 418,977 viewers while CBS’ competing Broncos-Raiders game had 227,242 viewers.
Monday featured three college football bowl games with Texas ties. All were on ESPN. The Armed Forces Bowl matchup between Navy and dirty, eye-gouging Middle Tennessee -- played at Amon G. Carter stadium in Fort Worth -- averaged a scant 28,405 viewers. It started at 10:45 a.m., with Navy winning 24-6.
The prime-time Alamo Bowl between Texas and Oregon bulked up to 269,949 viewers. It was Longhorns coach Mack Brown last game and he ended up on the short end of a 30-7 rout.
Texas Tech then beat Arizona State 37-23 in the late night Holiday Bowl. It averaged 213,039 viewers.
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The Dallas Cowboys’ traditional 8-8, division-losing bow-out drew the largest D-FW television crowd of this season’s 16 regular season games.
NBC’s Dec. 29th Sunday Night Football showdown between Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles, “flexed” away from Fox, ended up averaging 1,647,502 viewers. That outpointed the Cowboys-New York Giants Sept. 8th season-opener on SNF, which had reigned all year with 1,542,061 viewers. Both games originated from Jerry’s Palace, with Dallas winning a close one against New York (36-31) and losing a close one to Philadelphia (24-22).
With another unsatisfying season in the books, here are the top-to-bottom D-FW Nielsen numbers for all 16 Cowboys games:
Dec. 29th vs Philadelphia Eagles on NBC -- 1,647,502 viewers
Sept. 8th vs New York Giants on NBC -- 1,542,061
Oct. 13th vs Washington Redskins on NBC -- 1,540,982
Nov. 28th vs Oakland Raiders on CBS -- 1,455,767
Nov. 24th vs New York Giants on Fox -- 1,448,665
Nov. 20th vs. New Orleans Saints on NBC -- 1,327,943
Oct. 6th vs. Denver Broncos on CBS -- 1,299,538
Dec. 15th vs Green Bay Packers on Fox -- 1,164,613
Oct. 27th vs. Detroit Lions on Fox -- 1,150,411
Sept. 29th vs San Diego Chargers on Fox -- 1,093,600
Oct. 20th vs Philadelphia Eagles on Fox -- 1,058,094
Sept. 15th vs Kansas City Chiefs on Fox -- 1,011,977
Nov. 3rd vs Minnesota Vikings on Fox -- 1,050,992
Dec. 9th vs Chicago Bears on ESPN/KTXD -- 994,182
Dec. 22nd vs Washington Redskins on Fox -- 958,676
Sept. 22nd vs St. Louis Rams on Fox -- 943,135
Elsewhere on Sunday, Dec. 29th, the Green Bay Packers’ thrilling win over the Chicago Bears to win the NFC North division warmed up audiences with 731,434 viewers on Fox. The preceding Panthers-Falcons matchup on Fox drew 418,977 viewers while CBS’ competing Broncos-Raiders game had 227,242 viewers.
Monday featured three college football bowl games with Texas ties. All were on ESPN. The Armed Forces Bowl matchup between Navy and dirty, eye-gouging Middle Tennessee -- played at Amon G. Carter stadium in Fort Worth -- averaged a scant 28,405 viewers. It started at 10:45 a.m., with Navy winning 24-6.
The prime-time Alamo Bowl between Texas and Oregon bulked up to 269,949 viewers. It was Longhorns coach Mack Brown last game and he ended up on the short end of a 30-7 rout.
Texas Tech then beat Arizona State 37-23 in the late night Holiday Bowl. It averaged 213,039 viewers.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues.-Thurs., Dec. 24-26) -- so how'd the TXA21 yule log do?
12/27/13 01:21 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
From 10 p.m. Christmas Eve until 9 a.m. Christmas Day, TXA21 presented viewers with a “roaring fire” accompanied by holiday music from the KLUV (98.7 FM) radio library.
A surprising number of viewers logged in.
In the 11:45 to midnight segment, for instance, the Yule fire drew 17,043 D-FW viewers. Among broadcast channels, that was enough to beat competing 15-minute portions of a Friends rerun on CW33, Dish Nation on Fox4 and a Police Story repeat on KTXD-TV (Ch. 47). TXA21’s musical fireplace also tied a reprise of The Office on KDFI-TV (Ch. 27).
The Yule log saved its best for last, though, averaging 28,405 viewers from 8:30 to 9 a.m. before flickering out and making way for the movie Mixed Nuts, which averaged a comparatively dinky 7,101 viewers on TXA21.
From 8:45 to 9 a.m., the yule log tied the closing 15 minutes of CBS This Morning on sister station CBS11. Now that’s cold. And TXA21 had more viewers than KTXD-TV throughout its entire 11-hour yule log-athon.
ABC scored the biggest of any network on Christmas Day with a Miami Heat-Los Angeles Lakers game that drew 269,849 viewers. Thursday night’s Dallas Mavericks-San Antonio Spurs matchup on Fox Sports Southwest had 113,621 viewers.
The four major combatants in the local news derby -- Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 -- all took holiday knees on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In other words, those ratings don’t count. Here are the results for the day after Christmas:
WFAA8 and CBS11 tied for first in total viewers at 10 p.m., but WFAA8 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 won at 6 a.m. in total viewers while tying WFAA8 for the top spot with 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 ran the table at 6 p.m. and NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
From 10 p.m. Christmas Eve until 9 a.m. Christmas Day, TXA21 presented viewers with a “roaring fire” accompanied by holiday music from the KLUV (98.7 FM) radio library.
A surprising number of viewers logged in.
In the 11:45 to midnight segment, for instance, the Yule fire drew 17,043 D-FW viewers. Among broadcast channels, that was enough to beat competing 15-minute portions of a Friends rerun on CW33, Dish Nation on Fox4 and a Police Story repeat on KTXD-TV (Ch. 47). TXA21’s musical fireplace also tied a reprise of The Office on KDFI-TV (Ch. 27).
The Yule log saved its best for last, though, averaging 28,405 viewers from 8:30 to 9 a.m. before flickering out and making way for the movie Mixed Nuts, which averaged a comparatively dinky 7,101 viewers on TXA21.
From 8:45 to 9 a.m., the yule log tied the closing 15 minutes of CBS This Morning on sister station CBS11. Now that’s cold. And TXA21 had more viewers than KTXD-TV throughout its entire 11-hour yule log-athon.
ABC scored the biggest of any network on Christmas Day with a Miami Heat-Los Angeles Lakers game that drew 269,849 viewers. Thursday night’s Dallas Mavericks-San Antonio Spurs matchup on Fox Sports Southwest had 113,621 viewers.
The four major combatants in the local news derby -- Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 -- all took holiday knees on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In other words, those ratings don’t count. Here are the results for the day after Christmas:
WFAA8 and CBS11 tied for first in total viewers at 10 p.m., but WFAA8 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 won at 6 a.m. in total viewers while tying WFAA8 for the top spot with 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 ran the table at 6 p.m. and NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Have yourselves a holly jolly, joyous, blessed merry little Christmas
12/24/13 10:50 AM
Unclebarky.com will be taking a holiday break for the next several days. But not before wishing one and all a very Merry Christmas.
A special thanks to those who made their amazon.com purchases this month after first clicking on one of the Amazon ads on any of our pages. A small commission then rebounds back to unclebarky.com. It’s a way to contribute without having to spend an extra nickel. And this is very much appreciated throughout the year.
Thanks for your continued readership and support. And now it’s time to celebrate!
Ed Bark
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 23) -- NFL again makes merry
12/24/13 10:07 AM
By ED BARK
The San Francisco 49ers’ final regular season game at Candlestick Park was more than enough to light up Monday’s D-FW Nielsens.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football was the beneficiary, racking up a night’s best 326,660 viewers for the 49ers’ win over lowly Atlanta. The game also ranked No. 1 among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
Among the Big Four broadcast networks, NBC’s season finale of The Sing-Off fared best with 163,330 total viewers in the 7 to 9 p.m. slot. It likewise had the most 18-to-49-year-olds, with ABC, CBS and Fox all way behind
Here are Monday’s local news derby results:
WFAA8, which now officially has changed ownership hands from Dallas-based Belo to far-off Gannett, rang up another pair of 10 p.m. wins in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 won at 6 a.m. in total viewers and shared the top spot with NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
The Peacock ran the table at 6 p.m. and added a 5 p.m. win in total viewers. CBS11 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
The San Francisco 49ers’ final regular season game at Candlestick Park was more than enough to light up Monday’s D-FW Nielsens.
ESPN’s Monday Night Football was the beneficiary, racking up a night’s best 326,660 viewers for the 49ers’ win over lowly Atlanta. The game also ranked No. 1 among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
Among the Big Four broadcast networks, NBC’s season finale of The Sing-Off fared best with 163,330 total viewers in the 7 to 9 p.m. slot. It likewise had the most 18-to-49-year-olds, with ABC, CBS and Fox all way behind
Here are Monday’s local news derby results:
WFAA8, which now officially has changed ownership hands from Dallas-based Belo to far-off Gannett, rang up another pair of 10 p.m. wins in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 won at 6 a.m. in total viewers and shared the top spot with NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
The Peacock ran the table at 6 p.m. and added a 5 p.m. win in total viewers. CBS11 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 20-22) -- comeback Cowboys fall back below a mil
12/23/13 09:47 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A classic rivalry and a last-minute do-or-die touchdown throw by Tony Romo kept the Dallas Cowboys in play for the NFC East title Sunday.
But the 24-23 win over the Washington Redskins nonetheless became only the third Cowboys game this season to fall below an average of one million D-FW viewers.
Playing a noon game on a down-to-the-wire Christmas shopping/party day likely had something to do with this. The previous Sunday’s collapse against Green Bay surely didn’t help either.
Whatever the contributing factors, Cowboys-Redskins (12:03 to 3:04 p.m.) averaged 958,676 viewers on Fox, with a peak audience of 1,214,322 between 2:45 and 3 p.m. Only the Cowboys’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams has fared worse, with an overall average audience of 943,135 viewers. The recent Monday Night Football drubbing by the Chicago Bears also hit the sub-one million mark with 994,182 viewers.
Airing opposite Cowboys-Redskins, CBS’ telecast of the Denver Broncos-Houston Texans game was barely visible with 85,216 viewers. CBS’ New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens matchup then super-bounced to 561,003 viewers. NBC’s Sunday Night Football face-off, in which the Philadelphia Eagles demolished the Bears, drew 489,990 viewers. The Cowboys-Eagles game for the NFC East title already has been “flexed” by the NFL to Sunday Night Football, depriving Fox4 of another big pay day in D-FW.
Also in prime-time Sunday, ABC’s three-hour telecast of the original Sound of Music movie had 134,925 viewers.
Saturday was mostly one big ratings valley in prime-time. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast was the runaway biggest draw with 156,229 viewers. But the late night Nielsens were lit up by Saturday Night Live’s Christmas show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon with musical guest Justin Timberlake. It had 347,964 viewers.
CBS’ swept Friday’s prime-time ratings with a lineup of a colorized I Love Lucy Christmas show (142,026 viewers), Hawaii Five-0 (220,140) and Blue Bloods (241,444). NBC’s annual reprise of It’s A Wonderful Life had 127,823 viewers. ABC’s 9 p.m. edition of 20/20 was prime-time’s most popular draw with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, pulling in 68,391.
In Friday’s local news derby competitions, CBS11 edged WFAA8 for the most total viewers at 10 p.m. But WFAA8 dominated among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and WFAA8 had a 6 p.m. sweep. NBC5 stayed strong at 5 p.m. with a win in total viewers and a first-place tie with WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A classic rivalry and a last-minute do-or-die touchdown throw by Tony Romo kept the Dallas Cowboys in play for the NFC East title Sunday.
But the 24-23 win over the Washington Redskins nonetheless became only the third Cowboys game this season to fall below an average of one million D-FW viewers.
Playing a noon game on a down-to-the-wire Christmas shopping/party day likely had something to do with this. The previous Sunday’s collapse against Green Bay surely didn’t help either.
Whatever the contributing factors, Cowboys-Redskins (12:03 to 3:04 p.m.) averaged 958,676 viewers on Fox, with a peak audience of 1,214,322 between 2:45 and 3 p.m. Only the Cowboys’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams has fared worse, with an overall average audience of 943,135 viewers. The recent Monday Night Football drubbing by the Chicago Bears also hit the sub-one million mark with 994,182 viewers.
Airing opposite Cowboys-Redskins, CBS’ telecast of the Denver Broncos-Houston Texans game was barely visible with 85,216 viewers. CBS’ New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens matchup then super-bounced to 561,003 viewers. NBC’s Sunday Night Football face-off, in which the Philadelphia Eagles demolished the Bears, drew 489,990 viewers. The Cowboys-Eagles game for the NFC East title already has been “flexed” by the NFL to Sunday Night Football, depriving Fox4 of another big pay day in D-FW.
Also in prime-time Sunday, ABC’s three-hour telecast of the original Sound of Music movie had 134,925 viewers.
Saturday was mostly one big ratings valley in prime-time. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast was the runaway biggest draw with 156,229 viewers. But the late night Nielsens were lit up by Saturday Night Live’s Christmas show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon with musical guest Justin Timberlake. It had 347,964 viewers.
CBS’ swept Friday’s prime-time ratings with a lineup of a colorized I Love Lucy Christmas show (142,026 viewers), Hawaii Five-0 (220,140) and Blue Bloods (241,444). NBC’s annual reprise of It’s A Wonderful Life had 127,823 viewers. ABC’s 9 p.m. edition of 20/20 was prime-time’s most popular draw with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, pulling in 68,391.
In Friday’s local news derby competitions, CBS11 edged WFAA8 for the most total viewers at 10 p.m. But WFAA8 dominated among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and WFAA8 had a 6 p.m. sweep. NBC5 stayed strong at 5 p.m. with a win in total viewers and a first-place tie with WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
NBC5 reporter Keaton Fox heading back to native Oklahoma
12/20/13 03:04 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC5 reporter Keaton Fox, who primarily worked the early morning shift, will be leaving the station at the end of next week for a yet to be announced position in Oklahoma City.
Fox tweeted the news Friday (Dec. 20th), citing “an opportunity that I’ll be able to announce later.”
The University of Oklahoma grad, who grew up in Norman, joined NBC5 in early 2012 from KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi. He also has worked at TV stations in Wichita Falls and Oklahoma City.
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Dec. 18-19) -- X Factor underwhelms
12/20/13 10:45 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s two-hour finale of The X Factor generated scant excitement Thursday night while crowning the Alex Kinsey/Sierra Deaton duo as its third and very likely last winner.
X Factor averaged 156,229 D-FW viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. Its first hour, which had 149,127 viewers, ran second to repeats of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory (227,242) and The Millers (156,229) while barely beating NBC’s The Sing Off (142,026).
Hour 2 of X Factor won its time slot with 177,533 viewers, holding off the first hour of ABC’s The Year (149,127), a throwaway retrospective of 2013.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then won its hour with a bigger audience -- 213,039 viewers -- than X Factor. Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, X Factor and Sing Off tied for first from 7 to 8 p.m. before NBC’s repeat of its Saturday Night Live Christmas compilation won the 8 to 9 p.m. hour. Fox4’s news had the most 18-to-49-year-olds from 9 to 10 p.m.
In Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsens, the concluding X Factor “performance” show had the most total viewers from 7 to 8 p.m. before CBS’ repeat of Criminal Minds won the 8 p.m. hour. Barbara Walters’ final 10 Most Fascinating People special for ABC ran first from 9 to 10 p.m.
X Factor had the most 18-to-49-year-old viewers from 7 to 8:30 p.m. before Walters ruled in that key demographic for her entire 90-minute swan song.
Here are the four-way local news derby results:
Wednesday -- WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions, winning in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and added a 5 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds.
NBC5 had the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. The Peacock also tied WFAA8 for the 6 p.m. top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday -- WFAA8 again dominated the 10 p.m. Nielsens with twin wins. NBC5 rose up to beat Fox4 at 6 a.m. in total viewers but that one-two finish was reversed in the 25-to-54 demographic.
NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while the 25-to-54 spoils were shared by Fox4 and WFAA8.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s two-hour finale of The X Factor generated scant excitement Thursday night while crowning the Alex Kinsey/Sierra Deaton duo as its third and very likely last winner.
X Factor averaged 156,229 D-FW viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. Its first hour, which had 149,127 viewers, ran second to repeats of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory (227,242) and The Millers (156,229) while barely beating NBC’s The Sing Off (142,026).
Hour 2 of X Factor won its time slot with 177,533 viewers, holding off the first hour of ABC’s The Year (149,127), a throwaway retrospective of 2013.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then won its hour with a bigger audience -- 213,039 viewers -- than X Factor. Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, X Factor and Sing Off tied for first from 7 to 8 p.m. before NBC’s repeat of its Saturday Night Live Christmas compilation won the 8 to 9 p.m. hour. Fox4’s news had the most 18-to-49-year-olds from 9 to 10 p.m.
In Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsens, the concluding X Factor “performance” show had the most total viewers from 7 to 8 p.m. before CBS’ repeat of Criminal Minds won the 8 p.m. hour. Barbara Walters’ final 10 Most Fascinating People special for ABC ran first from 9 to 10 p.m.
X Factor had the most 18-to-49-year-old viewers from 7 to 8:30 p.m. before Walters ruled in that key demographic for her entire 90-minute swan song.
Here are the four-way local news derby results:
Wednesday -- WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions, winning in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and added a 5 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds.
NBC5 had the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. The Peacock also tied WFAA8 for the 6 p.m. top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Thursday -- WFAA8 again dominated the 10 p.m. Nielsens with twin wins. NBC5 rose up to beat Fox4 at 6 a.m. in total viewers but that one-two finish was reversed in the 25-to-54 demographic.
NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while the 25-to-54 spoils were shared by Fox4 and WFAA8.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
And to all a good night: D-FW's list of 2013 TV newsroom exits
12/19/13 03:06 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The departure flights picked up toward the end of this year, making 2013 another busy one in terms of our annual list of TV news people who were part of your “family” -- until they became part of someone else’s family.
As in the past, this is a compilation of on-camera news personalities who left by choice or otherwise in 2013. No slight is intended to off-camera personnel, whose work remains valuable and in many cases, indispensable. But TV viewers develop lasting or fleeting relationships with the people they see on their home screens. And that’s the way it is.
The following roll call is in alphabetic order.
ADRIAN ARAMBULO -- The Good Day reporter and weekend early morning anchor left Fox4 in July after six years in the saddle. His new station is KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.
MATT BARRIE -- After five years as a sports anchor/reporter at NBC5, Barrie joined ESPN in March as an anchor.
JONATHAN BETZ -- The WFAA8 anchor-reporter left the station in late spring, after a five-year tenure, to become an anchor for the new Al Jazeera America network. He’s based in New York City.
CAROL CAVAZOS -- After seven years as a CBS11 reporter, mostly on the night shift, she left in mid-summer to become director of media development for Streams Ministries International.
MONIKA DIAZ -- She left WFAA8 in early December after six years as a reporter. Diaz is returning home to Miami to help care for her stepfather, who has a rare brain disorder, Supranuclear Palsy.
SEAN DOWLING -- He left CW33’s Eye Opener program in October after two years as a co-host.
KEATON FOX -- In the latest breaking exit, the early morning reporter is leaving NBC5 at the end of Christmas week to return to Oklahoma City. It’s for “an opportunity that I’ll be able to announce later,” Fox tweeted Friday (Dec. 20th). He’s a University of Oklahoma grad who grew up in Norman and joined NBC5 in early 2012.
ELLEN GOLDBERG -- The dogged nightside reporter called it a day after six years at NBC5. After leaving in March, she later joined the Dallas-based GolinHarris communications firm as manager of consumer marketing.
FIONA GOROSTIZA -- She declined a contract renewal offer and instead left Fox4 in December after five years as an early morning weathercaster and latter day feature reporter on live segments for the station’s Good Day. Gorostiza has not yet disclosed any future plans.
LYNN KAWANO -- She left Fox4 in September to return to her native Hawaii after nine years as a reporter. Kawano now reports for Hawaii News Now.
EMILY LOPEZ -- Her seven years as a Fox4 reporter ended in September when Lopez left the station to join her husband, who got a new job out of state. She has declined to elaborate.
STEVE MCCAULEY -- He signed off the air in August after 13 years as a weekend and fill-in meteorologist at WFAA8. McCauley opted to work full-time on his Ph.D degree but still contributes to the station’s off-air “digital platforms.”
GINA MILLER -- The sports anchor/reporter had an eight-year tenure at CBS11 and sister station TXA21 (where she hosted The Fan) before leaving in early fall to ”pursue new entrepreneurial projects.” She currently is the founder of That Sports Girl Media, a content marketing company.
DANIEL NOVICK -- He spent two years as a reporter at CW33 before leaving in May to join the aforementioned GolinHarris PR firm. He’s assigned to the company’s Texas Instruments account.
GARRY SEITH -- After a seven-year stint at CBS11 and sister station TXA21, he left for undisclosed reasons in July. Seith had been working the early morning weekday shift at the time of his departure. His current employment situation is unknown at this time.
STEVE STOLER -- The veteran WFAA8 reporter left in November after 11 years spent mostly as the station’s principal Collin County correspondent. He now is director of media relations for the City of Plano, which is located in Collin County. Before joining WFAA8 in 2002, Stoler worked 17 years for Dallas-based Fox4.
LAURA THOMAS -- She’s now the weekend meteorologist at ABC’s Phoenix station, KNXV-TV, after two years with CW33’s Eye Opener program, which Thomas left in June.
DANIELLE VOLLMAR -- She left CW33’s Nightcap (“A Different Kind of News”) in January after hosting both that show and the station’s early morning Eye Opener. After a short stint as a weathercaster at WTXF-TV in her hometown Philadelphia, Vollmar relocated to Boston’s WCVB-TV, where
she’s currently a “Storm Team 5” meteorologist.
BRAD WATSON -- A 34-year career as an anchor, reporter and latter-day host of the Sunday morning Inside Texas Politics program ended in April when he left WFAA8 to become communications director for Luminant Energy. Watson’s first day at the station dawned in January 1979.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
The Dallas Morning News shacks up with NBC5, leaving former BFF WFAA8 out of picture (updated)
12/19/13 07:56 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Separation anxiety levels at Dallas-based WFAA8 hit a higher gear with Wednesday night’s announcement that the station’s longtime synergistic partner, The Dallas Morning News, has formed a new alliance with Fort Worth-based NBC5.
In a joint publicity release, the two entities said their “multi-platform” partnership, effective Jan. 1st, will include The Dallas Morning News, dallasnews.com (the newspaper’s website), nbcdfw.com (Ch. 5’s website) and “local newscasts on NBC5 to start. Additional platforms and projects are anticipated in the future.”
Besides “general news,” the two former competitors “will join together on important content like weather, politics and breaking news,” the release said. The content-sharing arrangement “will enhance the experience of readers and viewers,” according to The News and NBC5.
Sources say that one of the early indications of the new partnership will be daily appearances by Dallas Morning News reporters on NBC5’s 11 a.m. newscasts. The station also will be producing and airing commercials touting The News -- at no financial cost to the newspaper.
The new arrangement was spearheaded by Dallas Morning News managing editor George Rodrigue and former WFAA8 and CW33 news director David Duitch, who has been editor of dallasnews.com since July 2012. WFAA8 reportedly was approached but the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement. WFAA8 management had no immediate comment Thursday morning.
WFAA8 already has been bracing for the formal takeover by Gannett Co., Inc., which bought the station and Dallas-based Belo Corp.’s other TV properties in mid-June. Gannett is expected to get the keys by late this year or early next year, ending WFAA8’s long history as the D-FW market’s only major locally owned TV station. NBC5, Fox4 and CBS11 are all properties of their respective networks.
Belo split into two supposedly separate entities in early 2008, with Belo Corp. retaining ownership of the TV properties while A.H. Belo took control of The News and several other smaller newspapers.
But although lessened, the cross-promotion between WFAA8 and The News continues to this day. The newspaper’s weather page, on the back of the Metro section, is still adorned at the top by the beaming faces of WFAA8’s weather team, headed by Pete Delkus. WFAA8 in turn has regularly referenced Dallas Morning News stories during its newscasts and occasionally also partnered with the newspaper on major breaking news and investigations.
The News and WFAA8 are separated only by a driveway and a guard shack while sharing the same parking lot at their adjacent Young Street addresses in downtown Dallas. Under The News’ new adversarial arrangement, that short distance between them might as well be a moat.
NBC5 recently moved into a new state-of-the-art facility -- dubbed The Studios at DFW -- located five minutes from the south entrance to DFW International Airport on 4805 Amon Carter Boulevard. Setting up shop at the 75,000 square foot building coincided with the closing of NBC5’s Dallas offices.
In the November “sweeps” ratings, NBC5’s first in its new studios, the station won at 5 p.m. in the total viewer Nielsen ratings while running close behind runner-up WFAA8 at 6 a.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (the main advertiser target audience for news programming). In February NBC5 will have the Winter Olympics, which should provide a high-profile cross-promotional platform.
At its height, The News’ synergistic arrangement with WFAA8 was far more than window dressing. Managers from both entities met daily to discuss cross-promotional strategies designed to stiffen Belo’s news punch while crushing rivals such as NBC5.
The newspaper’s eventual ban on critiques of local television news, initiated in early 2000, was a direct result of The News and WFAA8 being very much “in bed” with one another. It also happened to coincide with longtime WFAA8 anchor Tracy Rowlett’s February 2000 debut on CBS11 as that station’s principal anchor. Efforts to rescind the ban repeatedly were blocked at the Belo corporate level. And The News hasn’t had a full-time television critic since September 2006, when this writer took a buyout and then immediately fired up unclebarky.com.
Perception-wise, the alliance with NBC5 is a blow to WFAA8, which has seen its ratings power diminished in recent years but remains the No. 1 news station at 10 p.m. in both key ratings measurements. WFAA8 is now left in very close proximity to an entity that will be plotting against it in league with the comparatively far-off NBC5.
Whatever changes Gannett is contemplating will begin unfolding in the coming year. Meanwhile, WFAA8 also will have to get used to NBC5 anchors and reporters branding and bonding with their new newspaper pal.
None of this would have seemed possible at the beginning of 2013. But now two shoes have dropped, with WFAA8 awaiting Gannett’s marching orders while essentially being kicked to their adjoining Young Street curb by the newspaper that used to be its running mate.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Me-TV network finds new D-FW home (but it may be hard to find)
12/18/13 11:52 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Me-TV network has a new venue in D-FW for its mix of vintage drama and comedy reruns. But you’ll have to rope it in old-school while
those who watch TV via cable or satellite providers initially will be left in the dark.
Me-TV announced Wednesday that its entire programing lineup will be available on KTXA-TV 21.2, beginning on Monday, Dec. 23rd. But the digital offshoot of TXA21 currently is available only over the air, communications director Lori Conrad confirmed Wednesday. “If that changes, I’ll let you know,” she said.
Me-TV’s previous carrier, KTXD-TV (Ch. 47), was available on all of D-FW’s cable and satellite systems. But the station abruptly dropped the network on Halloween after its expansion of homegrown programming resulted in increased preemptions of Me programming. KTXD now is buying its own reruns to fill gaps between locally produced shows such as The Broadcast and The Texas Daily.
Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Me’s parent company, Weigel Broadcasting Co., said in a statement that “hundreds of social media posts, emails, articles and messages” from fans of the network proved that KTXA 21.2 will “truly be providing a broadcast service those families throughout the area appreciate.”
Me’s menu includes The Rifleman (which had been KTXD’s biggest draw), Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-0, Dragnet, M*A*S*H, Gilligan’s Island and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 17) -- combo meal of new NCIS, Voice finale
12/18/13 10:51 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC and CBS went into battle with all-new prime-time programming Tuesday while ABC and Fox mostly opted out.
A 7 p.m. episode of juggernaut NCIS as usual controlled that hour for CBS, with 433,179 D-FW viewers on hand. NBC ran a distant second with The Biggest Loser (170,431 viewers).
The Peacock then took over with its two-hour season finale of The Voice, which had 333,761 viewers. Tessanne Chin is the latest winner, and I dare you to remember that a week from now. But the show’s judges said during an interview session last summer that it’s more about “the process” of giving someone a chance than whether a star singer actually emerges. And no, the judges do not include Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.
NCIS and The Voice also won their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
At the other end of the ratings teeter totter, ABC’s 7 p.m. repeat of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had that network’s smallest overall audience with just 35,507 total viewers. But Fox’s rerun of The Mindy Project had the night’s low among the Big Four Broadcast networks with a sub-measly 14,026 viewers. The network’s New Girl do-over likewise bottomed out with 28,405 viewers.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast again demonstrated its trampoline prowess, jumping from a virtually non-existent Mindy lead-in to 99,418 viewers. But that was still only good for a third-place tie at 9 p.m. with ABC’s only first-run show of the night, What Would You Do?
CBS’ new episode of Person of Interest placed second at 9 p.m. with 248,546 total viewers. But it dropped off a cliff with 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing only 32,576 viewers in that age range to run fourth behind The Voice, What Would You Do? and Fox4’s news.
In Tuesday’s four-way local news derby results, CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 won among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 logged another 6 a.m. sweep and WFAA8 was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m.
NBC5 and WFAA8 tied for the most total viewers at 5 p.m.; CBS11 took the gold in that measurement at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC and CBS went into battle with all-new prime-time programming Tuesday while ABC and Fox mostly opted out.
A 7 p.m. episode of juggernaut NCIS as usual controlled that hour for CBS, with 433,179 D-FW viewers on hand. NBC ran a distant second with The Biggest Loser (170,431 viewers).
The Peacock then took over with its two-hour season finale of The Voice, which had 333,761 viewers. Tessanne Chin is the latest winner, and I dare you to remember that a week from now. But the show’s judges said during an interview session last summer that it’s more about “the process” of giving someone a chance than whether a star singer actually emerges. And no, the judges do not include Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.
NCIS and The Voice also won their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
At the other end of the ratings teeter totter, ABC’s 7 p.m. repeat of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had that network’s smallest overall audience with just 35,507 total viewers. But Fox’s rerun of The Mindy Project had the night’s low among the Big Four Broadcast networks with a sub-measly 14,026 viewers. The network’s New Girl do-over likewise bottomed out with 28,405 viewers.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast again demonstrated its trampoline prowess, jumping from a virtually non-existent Mindy lead-in to 99,418 viewers. But that was still only good for a third-place tie at 9 p.m. with ABC’s only first-run show of the night, What Would You Do?
CBS’ new episode of Person of Interest placed second at 9 p.m. with 248,546 total viewers. But it dropped off a cliff with 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing only 32,576 viewers in that age range to run fourth behind The Voice, What Would You Do? and Fox4’s news.
In Tuesday’s four-way local news derby results, CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 won among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 logged another 6 a.m. sweep and WFAA8 was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m.
NBC5 and WFAA8 tied for the most total viewers at 5 p.m.; CBS11 took the gold in that measurement at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 16) -- night-long vocal majorities for NBC
12/17/13 12:25 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC struck the right (vocal) cords Monday, winning D-FW’s prime-time ratings from start to finish in competition among the Big Four broadcast networks.
The Voice dominated the 7 to 9 p.m. slot with 347,934 viewers while also winning big with 162,835 of them in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49 age range.
The Sing-Off then mopped up with 163,330 total viewers, good enough to beat Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (149,127) and CBS’ new episode of the certain-to-be-canceled Hostages (142,026). Sing-Off had a bigger edge with 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 91,188 to Fox4’s runner-up 61,877.
ABC went Christmas-y all night, but to little avail. Repeats of the animated Disney’s Prep & Landing and its sequel ran fourth in both ratings measurements from 7 to 8 p.m. The new holiday season short-run series, The Great Christmas Light Fight, likewise placed an overall fourth in the 8 to 10 p.m. slot.
In the cable world, ESPN’s Monday Night Football matchup of the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions averaged 248,546 total viewers with 97,701 of them in the 18-to-49 sweet spot.
In Monday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 remained strong at 10 p.m. with wins in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 racked up another pair of firsts at 6 a.m.; the station added a 5 p.m. gold among 25-to-54-year-olds and tied WFAA8 for first in that measurement at 6 p.m.
NBC5 and CBS11 respectively had the most total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC struck the right (vocal) cords Monday, winning D-FW’s prime-time ratings from start to finish in competition among the Big Four broadcast networks.
The Voice dominated the 7 to 9 p.m. slot with 347,934 viewers while also winning big with 162,835 of them in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49 age range.
The Sing-Off then mopped up with 163,330 total viewers, good enough to beat Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (149,127) and CBS’ new episode of the certain-to-be-canceled Hostages (142,026). Sing-Off had a bigger edge with 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 91,188 to Fox4’s runner-up 61,877.
ABC went Christmas-y all night, but to little avail. Repeats of the animated Disney’s Prep & Landing and its sequel ran fourth in both ratings measurements from 7 to 8 p.m. The new holiday season short-run series, The Great Christmas Light Fight, likewise placed an overall fourth in the 8 to 10 p.m. slot.
In the cable world, ESPN’s Monday Night Football matchup of the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions averaged 248,546 total viewers with 97,701 of them in the 18-to-49 sweet spot.
In Monday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 remained strong at 10 p.m. with wins in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 racked up another pair of firsts at 6 a.m.; the station added a 5 p.m. gold among 25-to-54-year-olds and tied WFAA8 for first in that measurement at 6 p.m.
NBC5 and CBS11 respectively had the most total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 13-15) -- more morbid fascination with cartoonish Cowboys
12/16/13 10:01 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Colossal Collapse.
Epic Embarrassment.
Surreal Stinker.
Call it what you will -- with the added notation that Sunday’s virtually unbelievable Dallas Cowboys’ home loss to the Green Bay Packers also was another million-plus seller in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Televised on Fox with A-Teamers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman presiding, the 37-36 defeat (after a 26-3 halftime lead) averaged 1,164,613 viewers. A peak crowd of 1,455,767 viewers watched the final minutes, which included Green Bay’s winning touchdown and Tony Romo’s second of two killer interceptions.
Last week’s blowout loss to the Chicago Bears had dipped below the one million viewer mark, making it only the second of this season’s 14 games to sink to that level. Dallas’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams is the other underachiever.
The Philadelphia Eagles had smoothed the way for the Cowboys with their own foul-odored loss at doormat Minnesota. That game, which led into Cowboys-Packers, ranked second among Sunday’s four NFL attractions with 454,483 viewers on Fox.
NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup of the Steelers and Bengals drew 333,761 viewers while CBS’ Dolphins-Patriots ranked as the loss leader with 149,127 viewers.
CBS’ Sunday night Survivor: Blood and Water finale lured 227,242 viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. to pace all non-football attractions.
On Saturday night, NBC’s repeat of its three-hour The Sound of Music Live dug a ratings valley with just 42,608 viewers. But none of the Big Four broadcast networks fared very well. The most-watched show, CBS’ 8 p.m. reprise of Frosty the Snowman, was the top draw with 113,621 viewers.
Friday’s overall prime-time topper was CBS’ Blue Bloods, which had 234,343 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour. ABC’s 8 p.m. episode of Shark Tank again had the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
In Friday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions while NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
LOCAL PROGRAMMING NOTE:
Log onto TXA21 on Christmas Eve at 10 p.m. if you’d like your TV screen filled with images of a “roaring fire” accompanied by holiday music from the 98.7 FM KLUV radio library. The station will offer this feature throughout the night and all the way to 9 a.m. on Christmas Day.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Colossal Collapse.
Epic Embarrassment.
Surreal Stinker.
Call it what you will -- with the added notation that Sunday’s virtually unbelievable Dallas Cowboys’ home loss to the Green Bay Packers also was another million-plus seller in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Televised on Fox with A-Teamers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman presiding, the 37-36 defeat (after a 26-3 halftime lead) averaged 1,164,613 viewers. A peak crowd of 1,455,767 viewers watched the final minutes, which included Green Bay’s winning touchdown and Tony Romo’s second of two killer interceptions.
Last week’s blowout loss to the Chicago Bears had dipped below the one million viewer mark, making it only the second of this season’s 14 games to sink to that level. Dallas’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams is the other underachiever.
The Philadelphia Eagles had smoothed the way for the Cowboys with their own foul-odored loss at doormat Minnesota. That game, which led into Cowboys-Packers, ranked second among Sunday’s four NFL attractions with 454,483 viewers on Fox.
NBC’s Sunday Night Football matchup of the Steelers and Bengals drew 333,761 viewers while CBS’ Dolphins-Patriots ranked as the loss leader with 149,127 viewers.
CBS’ Sunday night Survivor: Blood and Water finale lured 227,242 viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. to pace all non-football attractions.
On Saturday night, NBC’s repeat of its three-hour The Sound of Music Live dug a ratings valley with just 42,608 viewers. But none of the Big Four broadcast networks fared very well. The most-watched show, CBS’ 8 p.m. reprise of Frosty the Snowman, was the top draw with 113,621 viewers.
Friday’s overall prime-time topper was CBS’ Blue Bloods, which had 234,343 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour. ABC’s 8 p.m. episode of Shark Tank again had the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
In Friday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions while NBC5 notched a doubleheader win at 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
LOCAL PROGRAMMING NOTE:
Log onto TXA21 on Christmas Eve at 10 p.m. if you’d like your TV screen filled with images of a “roaring fire” accompanied by holiday music from the 98.7 FM KLUV radio library. The station will offer this feature throughout the night and all the way to 9 a.m. on Christmas Day.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 12) -- CBS comedies, Scandal set pace
12/13/13 10:14 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A new episode of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory as usual led Thursday’s prime-time ratings pack while ABC’s “winter finale” of Scandal fought off CBS’ Elementary in the 9 p.m. hour.
Big Bang drew 454,483 D-FW viewers before The Millers fell to 227,242 but still won the 7:30 p.m. slot. CBS’ The Crazy Ones (234,343 viewers) and Two and a Half Men (213,039) likewise ran first from 8 to 9 p.m.
The balance of ratings power then shifted to Scandal, which won’t be back until late February following the Winter Olympics. The ABC melodrama lured 234,343 viewers to edge CBS’ competing Elementary (227,242).
CBS’ quartet of comedies and Scandal also won their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
Fox’s 7 p.m. hour of The X Factor continued to be mostly a non-factor among the Big Four broadcast networks, finishing third in both measurements ahead of only ABC’s soon to be extinguished Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. In a further indignity, NBC’s competing The Sing Off outdrew X Factor to take the silver from 7 to 8 p.m.
In the cable universe, NFL Network’s San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game averaged 198,836 total viewers.
Thursday’s local news derby results brought good news to all four competitors, some more than others.
WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 notched firsts at 5 p.m. in total viewers and at 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic.
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m.; Fox4 was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A new episode of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory as usual led Thursday’s prime-time ratings pack while ABC’s “winter finale” of Scandal fought off CBS’ Elementary in the 9 p.m. hour.
Big Bang drew 454,483 D-FW viewers before The Millers fell to 227,242 but still won the 7:30 p.m. slot. CBS’ The Crazy Ones (234,343 viewers) and Two and a Half Men (213,039) likewise ran first from 8 to 9 p.m.
The balance of ratings power then shifted to Scandal, which won’t be back until late February following the Winter Olympics. The ABC melodrama lured 234,343 viewers to edge CBS’ competing Elementary (227,242).
CBS’ quartet of comedies and Scandal also won their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
Fox’s 7 p.m. hour of The X Factor continued to be mostly a non-factor among the Big Four broadcast networks, finishing third in both measurements ahead of only ABC’s soon to be extinguished Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. In a further indignity, NBC’s competing The Sing Off outdrew X Factor to take the silver from 7 to 8 p.m.
In the cable universe, NFL Network’s San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos game averaged 198,836 total viewers.
Thursday’s local news derby results brought good news to all four competitors, some more than others.
WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 notched firsts at 5 p.m. in total viewers and at 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic.
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m.; Fox4 was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 11) -- only a muted ho ho for Clarkson's first Christmas special
12/12/13 11:23 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
She looked resplendent in bright red. But Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale failed to stop much D-FW traffic Wednesday night despite her homegrown girl credentials.
The inaugural American Idol champ and Burleson, TX native drew 113,621 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour for her first holiday special. That put it fourth among the Big Four broadcast networks opposite CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (262,748 viewers), ABC’s Nashville (163,330) and Fox4’s local newscast (120,722).
Clarkson fared a bit better among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, running second behind Fox4’s news (52,107) with a smallish total of 45,594 viewers. The night’s most-watched attraction among 18-to-49-year-olds, ABC’s Modern Family, drew 104,214 of ‘em.
CBS also won in total viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. with Survivor: Blood and Water (213,039) and Criminal Minds (284,051). Besides Modern Family and Fox4’s news, the other 18-to-49 champs were ABC’s The Middle from 7 to 7:30 p.m., NBC’s The Sing-Off from 7:30 to 8 p.m. and the second half of Criminal Minds from 8:30 to 9 p.m.
In Wednesday’s four-way local news derby results, Fox4 ran the table at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions and added a 6 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds. The other golds went to NBC5, a two-time winner at 5 p.m. and the 6 p.m. champ in total viewers.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
She looked resplendent in bright red. But Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale failed to stop much D-FW traffic Wednesday night despite her homegrown girl credentials.
The inaugural American Idol champ and Burleson, TX native drew 113,621 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour for her first holiday special. That put it fourth among the Big Four broadcast networks opposite CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (262,748 viewers), ABC’s Nashville (163,330) and Fox4’s local newscast (120,722).
Clarkson fared a bit better among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, running second behind Fox4’s news (52,107) with a smallish total of 45,594 viewers. The night’s most-watched attraction among 18-to-49-year-olds, ABC’s Modern Family, drew 104,214 of ‘em.
CBS also won in total viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. with Survivor: Blood and Water (213,039) and Criminal Minds (284,051). Besides Modern Family and Fox4’s news, the other 18-to-49 champs were ABC’s The Middle from 7 to 7:30 p.m., NBC’s The Sing-Off from 7:30 to 8 p.m. and the second half of Criminal Minds from 8:30 to 9 p.m.
In Wednesday’s four-way local news derby results, Fox4 ran the table at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions and added a 6 p.m. win with 25-to-54-year-olds. The other golds went to NBC5, a two-time winner at 5 p.m. and the 6 p.m. champ in total viewers.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 10) -- everyone's a winner except ABC
12/11/13 10:22 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
ABC drew a blank in Tuesday’s prime-time Nielsens while CBS, NBC and Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast came up winners.
A new 7 p.m. episode of CBS’ NCIS as usual was the night’s overall top draw with 454,483 D-FW viewers. It also ranked No. 1 in its time slot among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds but wasn’t Tuesday’s top finisher in that key demographic.
NBC’s The Voice won from 8 to 9 p.m. with 291,153 total viewers while also nabbing prime-time’s biggest haul of 18-to-49-year-olds.
At 9 p.m., NBC’s Chicago Fire (213,039 total viewers) narrowly beat CBS’ Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Fox4’s news in the overall audience measurement. Fox4 had the most 18-to-49-year-olds, though.
Fox’s two-hour American Country Awards drew a halfway decent-sized 170,431 total viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. The night’s least-watched attraction among the Big Four broadcast networks, ABC’s 9 p.m. hunk of What Would You Do?, had 49,709 viewers.
In the local news derby results, WFAA8 bucked a substantial lead-in disadvantage from What Would? to tie NBC5 and CBS11 for the 10 p.m. lead in total viewers. WFAA8 won outright among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 topped the 6 a.m. field in total viewers and tied with NBC5 for first place among 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 swept the 6 p.m. competitions and added a 25-to-54 gold at 5 p.m. NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
ABC drew a blank in Tuesday’s prime-time Nielsens while CBS, NBC and Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast came up winners.
A new 7 p.m. episode of CBS’ NCIS as usual was the night’s overall top draw with 454,483 D-FW viewers. It also ranked No. 1 in its time slot among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds but wasn’t Tuesday’s top finisher in that key demographic.
NBC’s The Voice won from 8 to 9 p.m. with 291,153 total viewers while also nabbing prime-time’s biggest haul of 18-to-49-year-olds.
At 9 p.m., NBC’s Chicago Fire (213,039 total viewers) narrowly beat CBS’ Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Fox4’s news in the overall audience measurement. Fox4 had the most 18-to-49-year-olds, though.
Fox’s two-hour American Country Awards drew a halfway decent-sized 170,431 total viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. The night’s least-watched attraction among the Big Four broadcast networks, ABC’s 9 p.m. hunk of What Would You Do?, had 49,709 viewers.
In the local news derby results, WFAA8 bucked a substantial lead-in disadvantage from What Would? to tie NBC5 and CBS11 for the 10 p.m. lead in total viewers. WFAA8 won outright among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 topped the 6 a.m. field in total viewers and tied with NBC5 for first place among 25-to-54-year-olds.
WFAA8 swept the 6 p.m. competitions and added a 25-to-54 gold at 5 p.m. NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 9) -- Cowboys get cold shoulder from viewers, too
12/10/13 10:16 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ meltdown in frigid Chicago also ended up sinking near the bottom of the ratings heap among the 13 regular season games shown this season.
On the receiving end of a 45-28 pasting that wasn’t that close, the ESPN/KTXD-TV (Ch. 47) telecast became the second to sink below the one million viewers mark.
ESPN averaged 795,346 D-FW viewers for Cowboys-Bears, which mercifully ended at 10:38 p.m. KTXD’s simulcast had 198,836 viewers for a not-so-grand total of 994,182. Only the Cowboys’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams on Fox has drawn a smaller crowd, with 943,135 viewers.
The final minutes of the Cowboys-Bears game dwindled to a total of 596,509 viewers on the two TV venues. New episodes of CBS’ NCIS have approached that level this season. The Nov. 19th episode of NCIS, for instance, drew 561,003 viewers.
KTXD went all out for its first ever Cowboys game, inviting “The Ticket” (1310 AM) sports radio personalities in for an entire day of simulcasts. It was funny seeing “The Hardline’s” Mike Rhyner all dressed up in a suit, even if very few witnessed this spectacle. The simulcasts mostly had “hashmarks” (no measurable audience) and never rose above a TV audience of 4,970 viewers for any 15-minute segment measured by Nielsen Media Research.
KTXD’s pre- and post-game shows fared better, with former NBC5 sports anchor Scott Murray hosting and old Cowboys Everson Walls and Tony Hill opining.
The half-hour pre-gamer averaged 35,507 viewers while the post-game edition had 42,608.
Among non-Cowboys attractions Monday night, NBC’s 7 p.m. edition of The Voice ranked highest with 276,951 viewers. But most of the one-hour edition aired before kickoff time at 7:41 p.m. The Peacock’s two-hour Season 4 premiere of The Sing-Off then drew 163,330 viewers.
Sing-Off won its first hour in the non-Cowboys competition but was outdrawn in its second by Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (170,431 viewers).
ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. pair of Christmas specials had tough sledding. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town drew 92,317 viewers before a newbie, The Great Christmas Light Fight, had the same smallish crowd in the 8 p.m. hour.
Here are Monday’s four-way local news derby results:
Fox4 notched a rare doubleheader win at 10 p.m. in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. The station also ran the table as usual at 6 a.m.
NBC5 remained solid at 5 p.m. with a sweep and also had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 won at 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ meltdown in frigid Chicago also ended up sinking near the bottom of the ratings heap among the 13 regular season games shown this season.
On the receiving end of a 45-28 pasting that wasn’t that close, the ESPN/KTXD-TV (Ch. 47) telecast became the second to sink below the one million viewers mark.
ESPN averaged 795,346 D-FW viewers for Cowboys-Bears, which mercifully ended at 10:38 p.m. KTXD’s simulcast had 198,836 viewers for a not-so-grand total of 994,182. Only the Cowboys’ Sept. 22nd rout of the St. Louis Rams on Fox has drawn a smaller crowd, with 943,135 viewers.
The final minutes of the Cowboys-Bears game dwindled to a total of 596,509 viewers on the two TV venues. New episodes of CBS’ NCIS have approached that level this season. The Nov. 19th episode of NCIS, for instance, drew 561,003 viewers.
KTXD went all out for its first ever Cowboys game, inviting “The Ticket” (1310 AM) sports radio personalities in for an entire day of simulcasts. It was funny seeing “The Hardline’s” Mike Rhyner all dressed up in a suit, even if very few witnessed this spectacle. The simulcasts mostly had “hashmarks” (no measurable audience) and never rose above a TV audience of 4,970 viewers for any 15-minute segment measured by Nielsen Media Research.
KTXD’s pre- and post-game shows fared better, with former NBC5 sports anchor Scott Murray hosting and old Cowboys Everson Walls and Tony Hill opining.
The half-hour pre-gamer averaged 35,507 viewers while the post-game edition had 42,608.
Among non-Cowboys attractions Monday night, NBC’s 7 p.m. edition of The Voice ranked highest with 276,951 viewers. But most of the one-hour edition aired before kickoff time at 7:41 p.m. The Peacock’s two-hour Season 4 premiere of The Sing-Off then drew 163,330 viewers.
Sing-Off won its first hour in the non-Cowboys competition but was outdrawn in its second by Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (170,431 viewers).
ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. pair of Christmas specials had tough sledding. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town drew 92,317 viewers before a newbie, The Great Christmas Light Fight, had the same smallish crowd in the 8 p.m. hour.
Here are Monday’s four-way local news derby results:
Fox4 notched a rare doubleheader win at 10 p.m. in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. The station also ran the table as usual at 6 a.m.
NBC5 remained solid at 5 p.m. with a sweep and also had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 won at 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 6-8) -- your official Sleetnado report
12/09/13 10:10 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
All four of D-FW’s major TV news providers went all in early Friday morning during the pivotal formative hours of Sleetnado.
So let’s look at the ice-spiked ratings from 4 to 10 a.m., when Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 banged heads. Here are the hour by hour ratings in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
4 to 5 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 81,665
NBC5 -- 49,709
WFAA8 -- 39,057
CBS11 -- 19,529
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 43,418
NBC5/WFAA8 -- 19,805 each
CBS11 -- 7,617
5 to 6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 142,026
NBC5 -- 81,665
WFAA8 -- 79,890
CBS11 -- 71,013
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 79,219
NBC5 -- 51,036
WFAA8 -- 47,989
CBS11 -- 33,516
6 to 7 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 191,735
NBC5 -- 156,229
WFAA8 -- 134,925
CBS11 -- 113,621
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 100,548
NBC5 -- 91,407
WFAA8 -- 76,173
CBS11 -- 39,610
7 to 8 A.M.
Fox4 -- 241.444
NBC5 -- 216,590
WFAA8 -- 175,757
CBS11 -- 117,171
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 152,345
NBC5 -- 102,071
WFAA8 -- 83,790
CBS11 -- 43,418
8 to 9 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 259,197
WFAA8 -- 250,321
NBC5 -- 243,220
CBS11 -- 150,903
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 165,294
WFAA8 -- 109,688
NBC5 -- 107,403
CBS11 -- 60,176
9 to 10 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 234,343
WFAA8 -- 213,039
NBC5 -- 177,533
CBS11 -- 172,207
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 127,970
NBC5 -- 112,735
WFAA8 -- 88,360
CBS11 -- 54,844
Comments: -- Fox4, which won the early morning November “sweeps” comfortably in both ratings measurements, impressively cruised to first place finishes in every time frame. The station won with relative ease despite having just two reporters out in the frigid elements (the departing Fiona Gorostiza within the confines of DFW Airport doesn’t count) compared to five apiece for NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11. Fox4 station management should spring for at least a snow cone feast at some point on Monday.
WFAA8, which has a history of being the go-to station for big breaking news, for the most part ran second to NBC5. The Peacock’s brand new state-of-the-art studios and “Weather Experts” desk may have helped in this case. NBC5 also had the best visual backdrop for its anchors -- a constant full-screen look at the foreboding elements. WFAA8 did overtake NBC5 from 8 to 10 a.m. in total viewers, though. But that’s no cause for celebration when you run third in that measurement from 4 to 8 a.m. while NBC5 also ranks as the No. 2 overall station among 25-to-54-year-olds.
CBS11 remained in fourth place from start to finish. But it’s no longer getting completely obliterated and came close to WFAA8 in total viewers from 5 to 7 a.m. The station’s 25-to-54 demographics remain inclement, though.
Ratings likewise were inflated for Friday, 5, 6 and 10 p.m. local newscasts. In those realms. WFAA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but Fox4 reigned with 25-to-54-year-olds after its 9 p.m. newscast beat all competing network programming in both ratings barometers.
NBC5 swept the 5 p.m. Nielsens by comfortable margins. At 6 p.m., Fox4 nipped the Peacock in total viewers while rolling up a bigger win with 25-to-54-year-olds.
OK, on to Sunday’s NFL Nielsens, where Fox’s noon telecast of the picturesque Philadelphia Eagles-Detroit Lions Snow Bowl led the way with 624,914 total viewers. Fox’s combination of Chargers-Giants and 49ers-Seahawks then averaged 546,800 viewers, with the ratings perking up notably when the network finally went to San Fran after 5 p.m. 49ers-Seahawks peaked at 681,725 viewers from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Ratings for NBC’s marquee Sunday Night Football matchup -- Saints vs. Panthers -- no doubt suffered from New Orleans’ dominant win. The game still averaged a very nice-sized 553,901 viewers. Sunday’s biggest loser, CBS’ early telecast of the Chiefs blowout of the Redskins, drew 198,836 viewers.
Saturday’s college football parade was paced by ABC’s Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game and Fox’s Baylor-Texas games. Each averaged roughly 440,281 viewers in preliminary ratings.
Fox’s prime-time Michigan State-Ohio State face-off came in third with 390,572 viewers while CBS’ afternoon Auburn-Missouri game had 347,964.
The nation also was treated to the SMU-University of Central Florida game on ESPN, which fired up at 11 a.m. in cold Ford Field. With virtually no one in attendance -- despite the lure of free seats -- the game drew 63,912 viewers for a 17-13 UCF win.
Let’s be blunt here. SMU would have been bowl eligible with a victory while UCF came in ranked No. 16 and now will play Baylor in the BCS Fiesta Bowl. But the SMU student body and alumni basically couldn’t be bothered. The Mustangs remain the least-supported major college sports program in the nation, which ESPN’s occasional views of a near-empty stadium again proved Saturday.
Meanwhile, SMU students were drawing up a petition to get Monday off from classes.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
All four of D-FW’s major TV news providers went all in early Friday morning during the pivotal formative hours of Sleetnado.
So let’s look at the ice-spiked ratings from 4 to 10 a.m., when Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 banged heads. Here are the hour by hour ratings in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
4 to 5 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 81,665
NBC5 -- 49,709
WFAA8 -- 39,057
CBS11 -- 19,529
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 43,418
NBC5/WFAA8 -- 19,805 each
CBS11 -- 7,617
5 to 6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 142,026
NBC5 -- 81,665
WFAA8 -- 79,890
CBS11 -- 71,013
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 79,219
NBC5 -- 51,036
WFAA8 -- 47,989
CBS11 -- 33,516
6 to 7 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 191,735
NBC5 -- 156,229
WFAA8 -- 134,925
CBS11 -- 113,621
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 100,548
NBC5 -- 91,407
WFAA8 -- 76,173
CBS11 -- 39,610
7 to 8 A.M.
Fox4 -- 241.444
NBC5 -- 216,590
WFAA8 -- 175,757
CBS11 -- 117,171
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 152,345
NBC5 -- 102,071
WFAA8 -- 83,790
CBS11 -- 43,418
8 to 9 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 259,197
WFAA8 -- 250,321
NBC5 -- 243,220
CBS11 -- 150,903
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 165,294
WFAA8 -- 109,688
NBC5 -- 107,403
CBS11 -- 60,176
9 to 10 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 234,343
WFAA8 -- 213,039
NBC5 -- 177,533
CBS11 -- 172,207
25-to-54
Fox4 -- 127,970
NBC5 -- 112,735
WFAA8 -- 88,360
CBS11 -- 54,844
Comments: -- Fox4, which won the early morning November “sweeps” comfortably in both ratings measurements, impressively cruised to first place finishes in every time frame. The station won with relative ease despite having just two reporters out in the frigid elements (the departing Fiona Gorostiza within the confines of DFW Airport doesn’t count) compared to five apiece for NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11. Fox4 station management should spring for at least a snow cone feast at some point on Monday.
WFAA8, which has a history of being the go-to station for big breaking news, for the most part ran second to NBC5. The Peacock’s brand new state-of-the-art studios and “Weather Experts” desk may have helped in this case. NBC5 also had the best visual backdrop for its anchors -- a constant full-screen look at the foreboding elements. WFAA8 did overtake NBC5 from 8 to 10 a.m. in total viewers, though. But that’s no cause for celebration when you run third in that measurement from 4 to 8 a.m. while NBC5 also ranks as the No. 2 overall station among 25-to-54-year-olds.
CBS11 remained in fourth place from start to finish. But it’s no longer getting completely obliterated and came close to WFAA8 in total viewers from 5 to 7 a.m. The station’s 25-to-54 demographics remain inclement, though.
Ratings likewise were inflated for Friday, 5, 6 and 10 p.m. local newscasts. In those realms. WFAA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but Fox4 reigned with 25-to-54-year-olds after its 9 p.m. newscast beat all competing network programming in both ratings barometers.
NBC5 swept the 5 p.m. Nielsens by comfortable margins. At 6 p.m., Fox4 nipped the Peacock in total viewers while rolling up a bigger win with 25-to-54-year-olds.
OK, on to Sunday’s NFL Nielsens, where Fox’s noon telecast of the picturesque Philadelphia Eagles-Detroit Lions Snow Bowl led the way with 624,914 total viewers. Fox’s combination of Chargers-Giants and 49ers-Seahawks then averaged 546,800 viewers, with the ratings perking up notably when the network finally went to San Fran after 5 p.m. 49ers-Seahawks peaked at 681,725 viewers from 6:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Ratings for NBC’s marquee Sunday Night Football matchup -- Saints vs. Panthers -- no doubt suffered from New Orleans’ dominant win. The game still averaged a very nice-sized 553,901 viewers. Sunday’s biggest loser, CBS’ early telecast of the Chiefs blowout of the Redskins, drew 198,836 viewers.
Saturday’s college football parade was paced by ABC’s Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game and Fox’s Baylor-Texas games. Each averaged roughly 440,281 viewers in preliminary ratings.
Fox’s prime-time Michigan State-Ohio State face-off came in third with 390,572 viewers while CBS’ afternoon Auburn-Missouri game had 347,964.
The nation also was treated to the SMU-University of Central Florida game on ESPN, which fired up at 11 a.m. in cold Ford Field. With virtually no one in attendance -- despite the lure of free seats -- the game drew 63,912 viewers for a 17-13 UCF win.
Let’s be blunt here. SMU would have been bowl eligible with a victory while UCF came in ranked No. 16 and now will play Baylor in the BCS Fiesta Bowl. But the SMU student body and alumni basically couldn’t be bothered. The Mustangs remain the least-supported major college sports program in the nation, which ESPN’s occasional views of a near-empty stadium again proved Saturday.
Meanwhile, SMU students were drawing up a petition to get Monday off from classes.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Dec. 4-5) -- those hills are alive for NBC
12/06/13 02:34 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s live three-hour live presentation of The Sound of Music made an overall strong showing Thursday night, although there were pockets of resistance.
Starring Carrie Underwood and True Blood’s Stephen Moyer, Sound of Music averaged a very nice-sized 333,761 D-FW viewers on a frigid night that very likely had more viewers than usual cozying up to the tube.
A new episode of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory won from 7 to 7:30 p.m. with 390,572 viewers before Sound of Music controlled the 7:30 to 9 p.m. slot. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast, spiked by heightened interest in the impending “Arctic Blast,” narrowly outdrew the closing hour of Sound of Music by a score of 319,559 viewers to 305,356.
Big Bang also prevailed among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, with Sound of Music again taking the next 90 minutes. From 9 to 10 p.m., Fox4’s news ran first while Sound of Music and ABC’s new episode of Scandal tied for second.
In Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsens, Fox4’s 9 p.m. news had the biggest overall audience with 312,457 total viewers. It was virtually the same story with 18-to-49-year-olds, although Fox4’s news shared first place honors with ABC’s 8 p.m. episode of Modern Family.
Fox’s two-hour edition of The X Factor took another big hit in the key 18-to-49 demographic. It ran fourth among the Big Four broadcast networks throughout its 7 to 9 p.m. running time.
Here are the four-way local news derby results.
Wednesday -- CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but WFAA8 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 as usual notched twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 had the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. Fox4 took the 25-to-54 gold at 5 p.m. and tied WFAA8 for the top spot in that measurement at 6 p.m.
Thursday -- NBC5 swept the 10 p.m. competitions and added another doubleheader win at 5 p.m.
Fox4 again ruled at 6 a.m. The 6 p.m. spoils went to NBC5 in total viewers and WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s live three-hour live presentation of The Sound of Music made an overall strong showing Thursday night, although there were pockets of resistance.
Starring Carrie Underwood and True Blood’s Stephen Moyer, Sound of Music averaged a very nice-sized 333,761 D-FW viewers on a frigid night that very likely had more viewers than usual cozying up to the tube.
A new episode of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory won from 7 to 7:30 p.m. with 390,572 viewers before Sound of Music controlled the 7:30 to 9 p.m. slot. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast, spiked by heightened interest in the impending “Arctic Blast,” narrowly outdrew the closing hour of Sound of Music by a score of 319,559 viewers to 305,356.
Big Bang also prevailed among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, with Sound of Music again taking the next 90 minutes. From 9 to 10 p.m., Fox4’s news ran first while Sound of Music and ABC’s new episode of Scandal tied for second.
In Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsens, Fox4’s 9 p.m. news had the biggest overall audience with 312,457 total viewers. It was virtually the same story with 18-to-49-year-olds, although Fox4’s news shared first place honors with ABC’s 8 p.m. episode of Modern Family.
Fox’s two-hour edition of The X Factor took another big hit in the key 18-to-49 demographic. It ran fourth among the Big Four broadcast networks throughout its 7 to 9 p.m. running time.
Here are the four-way local news derby results.
Wednesday -- CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. but WFAA8 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 as usual notched twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 had the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. Fox4 took the 25-to-54 gold at 5 p.m. and tied WFAA8 for the top spot in that measurement at 6 p.m.
Thursday -- NBC5 swept the 10 p.m. competitions and added another doubleheader win at 5 p.m.
Fox4 again ruled at 6 a.m. The 6 p.m. spoils went to NBC5 in total viewers and WFAA8 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Warrior class: DFW TV's pre-dawn storm troopers get their marching orders in "just absolutely icky" weather
12/06/13 10:44 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Icy roads, crashing tree limbs, power outages and sub-freezing temperatures made for anything but a perfect storm Friday throughout North Texas.
It’ll be a brighter picture ratings-wise, though, particularly for the early morning newscasts on Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11. Viewing levels invariably spike upward whenever weather strikes hard. So all four stations began their heavy-duty coverage even earlier than usual before dumping out of regularly scheduled network or syndicated programming as the morning wore on.
While anchors, weather casters and traffic reporters stayed toasty within station studios, more than a dozen-and-a-half under-sung reporters fanned out into what CBS11 reporter Elizabeh Dinh memorably termed “just absolutely icky” weather.
It’s grunt duty to be sure. Waiting for your next live shot in the bitterly cold pre-dawn is no dream assignment, even if more viewers notice and some even appreciate your efforts.
TV news stations seldom err on the side of understatement during such times. So yeah, some of these reports can be more dramatic than they need to be. But from the early morning confines of unclebarky.com central -- to the accompanying sounds of tree limbs falling in the front yard -- this is an effort to spotlight each and every one of these early morning storm troopers.
Some of their outfits may look a little funny. But that’s part of the fun. Some of the faces are blurry, too, but that’s the way they appeared on-air through rain-dotted or fogged camera lenses.
Fox4 had the fewest out-in-the-cold reporters (two) while NBC5, WFAA8 and CBS11 each had five. If I missed someone, my sincere apologies. Otherwise, here we go:
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 3) -- NBC prospers while CBS repeats
12/04/13 09:56 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC mostly rode roughshod through Tuesday’s prime-time schedule, scoring with wall-to-wall firstrun programming while usually formidable CBS punted with repeats of its hit crime dramas.
Even so, CBS’ 7 p.m. reprise of NCIS still had enough juice to win its time slot with 255,647 D-FW viewers opposite the Peacock’s runner-up Biggest Loser (163,330).
After that it was all NBC, with The Voice (312,457 viewers) and Chicago Fire (213,039 viewers) winning from 8 to 10 p.m. All three NBC attractions easily topped their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
New episodes of Fox’s Dads and Brooklyn Nine Nine ran a solid second from 7 to 8 p.m. in the 18-to-49 demographic. Both have slowly been gaining strength as the season wears on, although CBS and ABC both backed off with repeats Tuesday.
The 9 p.m. return of ABC’s voyeuristic “news” program, What Would You Do?, drew 99,418 total viewers to finish fourth at that hour. It moved up to third, ahead of CBS’ Person of Interest rerun, among 18-to-49-year-olds.
A new 8 p.m. episode of The CW’s Supernatural fared well in the 18-to-49 measurement, losing only to The Voice and ABC’s 8:30 p.m. new episode of Trophy Wife.
In the late night arena, the 18-to-49 totals again were a big downer for CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman. Both Letterman and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno were in repeats. But the soon to be deposed Leno still won comfortably in this key demographic, whipping both Letterman and ABC’s new edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Here are the 18-to-49 totals:
Leno -- 32,567
Kimmel -- 26,054
Letterman -- 6,513.
The first half-hour of the Tonight Show, fueled by Leno’s monologue and a companion comedy bit, ran wild among 18-to-49-year-olds before the ratings tailed off for Tonight’s second half (as they did for Kimmel). Here’s how those numbers looked:
Leno -- 48,851
Kimmel -- 32,567
Letterman -- 6,513
We’ll leave it at that while Jimmy Fallon prepares to take over in February and Leno decides whether to have one last hurrah somewhere else.
In Tuesday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 won handily at 10 p.m. in total viewers and was a steamroller among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. Its total of 140,157 viewers in the 25-to-54 age range came close to tripling that of second place CBS11 (48,750).
Fox4 again ran the table at 6 a.m. while NBC5 flexed at 5 p.m. with twin wins. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m., with WFAA8 running first among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC mostly rode roughshod through Tuesday’s prime-time schedule, scoring with wall-to-wall firstrun programming while usually formidable CBS punted with repeats of its hit crime dramas.
Even so, CBS’ 7 p.m. reprise of NCIS still had enough juice to win its time slot with 255,647 D-FW viewers opposite the Peacock’s runner-up Biggest Loser (163,330).
After that it was all NBC, with The Voice (312,457 viewers) and Chicago Fire (213,039 viewers) winning from 8 to 10 p.m. All three NBC attractions easily topped their time slots among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds.
New episodes of Fox’s Dads and Brooklyn Nine Nine ran a solid second from 7 to 8 p.m. in the 18-to-49 demographic. Both have slowly been gaining strength as the season wears on, although CBS and ABC both backed off with repeats Tuesday.
The 9 p.m. return of ABC’s voyeuristic “news” program, What Would You Do?, drew 99,418 total viewers to finish fourth at that hour. It moved up to third, ahead of CBS’ Person of Interest rerun, among 18-to-49-year-olds.
A new 8 p.m. episode of The CW’s Supernatural fared well in the 18-to-49 measurement, losing only to The Voice and ABC’s 8:30 p.m. new episode of Trophy Wife.
In the late night arena, the 18-to-49 totals again were a big downer for CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman. Both Letterman and NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno were in repeats. But the soon to be deposed Leno still won comfortably in this key demographic, whipping both Letterman and ABC’s new edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live. Here are the 18-to-49 totals:
Leno -- 32,567
Kimmel -- 26,054
Letterman -- 6,513.
The first half-hour of the Tonight Show, fueled by Leno’s monologue and a companion comedy bit, ran wild among 18-to-49-year-olds before the ratings tailed off for Tonight’s second half (as they did for Kimmel). Here’s how those numbers looked:
Leno -- 48,851
Kimmel -- 32,567
Letterman -- 6,513
We’ll leave it at that while Jimmy Fallon prepares to take over in February and Leno decides whether to have one last hurrah somewhere else.
In Tuesday’s local news derby results, WFAA8 won handily at 10 p.m. in total viewers and was a steamroller among 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming. Its total of 140,157 viewers in the 25-to-54 age range came close to tripling that of second place CBS11 (48,750).
Fox4 again ran the table at 6 a.m. while NBC5 flexed at 5 p.m. with twin wins. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m., with WFAA8 running first among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Another one off the KOAT rack: WFAA8's latest hire from Albuquerque station is reporter Lauren Zakalik
12/03/13 02:27 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Lauren Zakalik is joining WFAA8 as a general assignments reporter, news director Carolyn Mungo confirmed Tuesday. She’s slated to start in mid-January, Mungo said.
Zakalik, who has a Master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, has been an investigative reporter at Albuquerque’s ABC affiliate, KOAT-TV, for the past three years.
WFAA8 early morning co-anchor Cynthia Izaguirre and one of the station’s newer reporter hires, Todd Unger, also came directly from KOAT.
Zakalik previously worked at WILX-TV in Lansing, Mich. In her KOAT bio, she’s quoted as saying, “People simply want to be heard. I’m in the incredibly fortunate position not just to listen to them, but to be the person who passes their stories on to others.”
Her move to WFAA8 was first posted on the national TV industry website tvspy.com.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 2) -- Monday Night Football crunches NBC's big hitters, Christmas specials
12/03/13 09:30 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A blowout chilled the ratings. But ESPN’s big Monday Night Football matchup between Seattle and New Orleans still had enough juice to rule prime-time and beyond.
Ending at 10:50 p.m., the Seahawks’ 34-7 demolition of the Saints averaged 383,470 D-FW viewers. NBC’s 9 p.m. “fall finale” of The Blacklist, which won’t return until Jan. 13th, ranked second with 333,761 viewers while The Voice took the bronze (298,255 viewers).
ABC began the night with A Charlie Brown Christmas, which had 170,431 viewers and was beaten from 7 to 8 p.m. by both the first hour of The Voice and CBS’ sitcom combo of How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls.
The two-hour CMA Country Christmas Special on ABC drew 177,533 viewers. CBS had the least-watched prime-time attraction among the Big Four broadcast networks. That, of course, would be Hostages with 78,114 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour.
Hostages fared even worse among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, bottoming out at 9,770 viewers in this key demographic. How bad is that? Bad enough to even lose the hour to CW33’s competing, lame duck Nightcap newscast, which drew 16,284 viewers in the 18-to-49 age range.
Monday also marked the post-November ”sweeps”/holiday break resumption of the four-way local newscast wars. Here’s how it looked:
WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.
The 6 p.m. firsts went to CBS11 in total viewers and Fox4 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A blowout chilled the ratings. But ESPN’s big Monday Night Football matchup between Seattle and New Orleans still had enough juice to rule prime-time and beyond.
Ending at 10:50 p.m., the Seahawks’ 34-7 demolition of the Saints averaged 383,470 D-FW viewers. NBC’s 9 p.m. “fall finale” of The Blacklist, which won’t return until Jan. 13th, ranked second with 333,761 viewers while The Voice took the bronze (298,255 viewers).
ABC began the night with A Charlie Brown Christmas, which had 170,431 viewers and was beaten from 7 to 8 p.m. by both the first hour of The Voice and CBS’ sitcom combo of How I Met Your Mother and 2 Broke Girls.
The two-hour CMA Country Christmas Special on ABC drew 177,533 viewers. CBS had the least-watched prime-time attraction among the Big Four broadcast networks. That, of course, would be Hostages with 78,114 viewers in the 9 p.m. hour.
Hostages fared even worse among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, bottoming out at 9,770 viewers in this key demographic. How bad is that? Bad enough to even lose the hour to CW33’s competing, lame duck Nightcap newscast, which drew 16,284 viewers in the 18-to-49 age range.
Monday also marked the post-November ”sweeps”/holiday break resumption of the four-way local newscast wars. Here’s how it looked:
WFAA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.
The 6 p.m. firsts went to CBS11 in total viewers and Fox4 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Everyone's a winner in D-FW's November newscast "sweeps" (but Fox4 has the most scores while WFAA8 sweeps marquee 10 p.m. battles)
12/02/13 12:22 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Ending on the day before Thanksgiving, the latest four-week November “sweeps” ratings competitions had something for everyone among the four major local newscast combatants.
WFAA8 narrowly reclaimed the 10 p.m. total viewers crown it lost a year ago to CBS11 while routing its three adversaries among 25-to-54-year-olds (the main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 flexed mightily at 6 a.m. and added 5 and 6 p.m. wins in the 25-to-54 demographic.
CBS11 retained its 6 p.m. supremacy in total viewers; NBC5 broke through after a winless November 2012 to top the 5 p.m. field in total viewers.
Here are the particulars, with year-to-year November ups and downs in parentheses. As always in these unclebarky.com reports, final Nielsen totals are broken down to the third decimal point to give you the most accurate numbers.
10 P.M.
Total Viewers
WFAA8 -- 193,013 (up 19,256)
CBS11 -- 172,775 (down 37,262)
NBC5 -- 118,379 (up 6,717)
Fox4 -- 117,313 (up 1,521)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
WFAA8 -- 93,235 (up 17,098)
Fox4 -- 63,863 (down 3,301)
NBC5 -- 52,925 (down 4,044)
CBS11 -- 49,329 (up 3,778)
Comment: These were WFAA8’s only newscast wins, but they’re big ones. The ABC station also was the only one to register audience increases in both Nielsen measurements. And they were sizable ones, too.
CBS11 still had a total viewers lead-in advantage from 9 p.m. CBS programming. But a Monday night stinker, the new Hostages, got the station off to weekly bad starts while NBC5 and WFAA8 respectively basked in the afterglows of the freshman hit The Blacklist and the reliable Castle. In NBC5’s case, it was enough to inch the station ahead of Fox4 in the total viewer Nielsens after placing fourth in November 2012.
6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 134,783 (up 27,665)
WFAA8 -- 86,778 (up 1,345)
NBC5 -- 84,079 (up 2,639)
CBS11 -- 67,888 (up 17,771)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 68,860 (up 5,541)
WFAA8 -- 43,479 (down 5,232)
NBC5 -- 37,203 (down 5,904)
CBS11 -- 30,987 (up 8,986)
Comment: Fox4 was never threatened and won by significantly larger margins than a year ago. CBS11, which has been fourth in the waker-upper derby since Uncle Barky leapt into puberty, showed real signs of possibly making a move into third place at this time next year. The station had the biggest increase among 25-to-54-year-olds -- seldom a CBS strong suit -- while NBC5 and WFAA8 both lost ground in this measurement from November to November. But the also-rans all have a long way to go before moving into the same area code as Fox4.
6 P.M.
Total Viewers
CBS11 -- 180,657 (up 27,277)
WFAA8 -- 144,369 (down 2,471)
NBC5 -- 133,433 (up 15,644)
Fox4 -- 113,692 (up 6,712)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 60,816 (up 5,934)
WFAA8 -- 49,878 (down 3,096)
NBC5 -- 35,588 (down 6,028)
CBS11 -- 32,449 (up 9,852)
Comment: CBS11 comfortably beat WFAA8 this time after last November’s close race. The station also improved its 25-to-54 standing while WFAA8 was the only station to lose viewers in both ratings measurements. NBC5 made substantial headway in total viewers but faltered in the revenue-enhancing competition among 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4’s win in the 25-to-54 battle was far comfier than a year ago, when it drew fewer than 2,000 more viewers than WFAA8.
5 P.M.
Total Viewers
NBC5 -- 123,705 (up 11,186)
Fox4 -- 113,621 (down 1,758)
WFAA8 -- 109,928 (up 18,024)
CBS11 -- 102,685 (up 12,846)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 53,717 (up 9,984)
WFAA8 -- 37,751 (up 7,463)
CBS11 -- 31,444 (up 8,698)
NBC5 -- 29,585 (down 1,210)
Comment: Significant audience increases in both audience measurements made this generally older-skewing time period a plus for all concerned, even though Fox4 and NBC5 respectively had minor losses in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds. The Peacock otherwise dethroned last November’s champ, Fox4, in total viewers while WFAA8 and CBS11 both markedly improved their performances.
In other ratings news . . .
This was the first ratings sweeps period for WFAA8’s fledgling 4 p.m. local newscast. For now at least, the station sports a pair of bloody noses.
NBC5 won in total viewers with 81,239 while CBS11 ran second (69,451) and WFAA8 third (51,982). It was the same order of finish among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 led with 25,563, followed by CBS11 (23,583) and WFAA8 (14,838).
***At 9 p.m., Fox4’s local newscast bludgeoned CW33’s soon-to-be-extinct Nightcap, which will become the anchor-less NewsFix sometime early next year. The scores were 147,423 to 19,529 in total viewers and 69,896 to 8,684 among 25-to-54-year-olds. Those totals gave Fox4’s 9 p.m. edition the station’s largest local news audience, outdrawing the 6 a.m. and 5, 6 and 10 p.m. offerings in both measurements.
***Fox4’s 5:30 p.m. local newscast had more 25-to-54-year-olds than the competing network evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC. But Fox4 flip-flopped that position with a fourth place finish in total viewers. The NBC Nightly News led the way.
***KTXD-TV’s (Ch. 47) two major local productions, The Broadcast and The Texas Daily, continued to struggle for any audience at all.
From 9 to 11 a.m. weekdays, The Broadcast averaged 1,775 total viewers with 731 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
The 6 to 7 p.m. edition of Texas Daily averaged 497 viewers, with supposedly almost all of them (488) in the 25-to-54 measurement. But when the rating is this low -- a .007 in total viewers -- demographic numbers tend to be imprecise.
Texas Daily’s 9:30 p.m. repeat improved to 1,988 viewers with 488 of them 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Ending on the day before Thanksgiving, the latest four-week November “sweeps” ratings competitions had something for everyone among the four major local newscast combatants.
WFAA8 narrowly reclaimed the 10 p.m. total viewers crown it lost a year ago to CBS11 while routing its three adversaries among 25-to-54-year-olds (the main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 flexed mightily at 6 a.m. and added 5 and 6 p.m. wins in the 25-to-54 demographic.
CBS11 retained its 6 p.m. supremacy in total viewers; NBC5 broke through after a winless November 2012 to top the 5 p.m. field in total viewers.
Here are the particulars, with year-to-year November ups and downs in parentheses. As always in these unclebarky.com reports, final Nielsen totals are broken down to the third decimal point to give you the most accurate numbers.
10 P.M.
Total Viewers
WFAA8 -- 193,013 (up 19,256)
CBS11 -- 172,775 (down 37,262)
NBC5 -- 118,379 (up 6,717)
Fox4 -- 117,313 (up 1,521)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
WFAA8 -- 93,235 (up 17,098)
Fox4 -- 63,863 (down 3,301)
NBC5 -- 52,925 (down 4,044)
CBS11 -- 49,329 (up 3,778)
Comment: These were WFAA8’s only newscast wins, but they’re big ones. The ABC station also was the only one to register audience increases in both Nielsen measurements. And they were sizable ones, too.
CBS11 still had a total viewers lead-in advantage from 9 p.m. CBS programming. But a Monday night stinker, the new Hostages, got the station off to weekly bad starts while NBC5 and WFAA8 respectively basked in the afterglows of the freshman hit The Blacklist and the reliable Castle. In NBC5’s case, it was enough to inch the station ahead of Fox4 in the total viewer Nielsens after placing fourth in November 2012.
6 A.M.
Total Viewers
Fox4 -- 134,783 (up 27,665)
WFAA8 -- 86,778 (up 1,345)
NBC5 -- 84,079 (up 2,639)
CBS11 -- 67,888 (up 17,771)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 68,860 (up 5,541)
WFAA8 -- 43,479 (down 5,232)
NBC5 -- 37,203 (down 5,904)
CBS11 -- 30,987 (up 8,986)
Comment: Fox4 was never threatened and won by significantly larger margins than a year ago. CBS11, which has been fourth in the waker-upper derby since Uncle Barky leapt into puberty, showed real signs of possibly making a move into third place at this time next year. The station had the biggest increase among 25-to-54-year-olds -- seldom a CBS strong suit -- while NBC5 and WFAA8 both lost ground in this measurement from November to November. But the also-rans all have a long way to go before moving into the same area code as Fox4.
6 P.M.
Total Viewers
CBS11 -- 180,657 (up 27,277)
WFAA8 -- 144,369 (down 2,471)
NBC5 -- 133,433 (up 15,644)
Fox4 -- 113,692 (up 6,712)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 60,816 (up 5,934)
WFAA8 -- 49,878 (down 3,096)
NBC5 -- 35,588 (down 6,028)
CBS11 -- 32,449 (up 9,852)
Comment: CBS11 comfortably beat WFAA8 this time after last November’s close race. The station also improved its 25-to-54 standing while WFAA8 was the only station to lose viewers in both ratings measurements. NBC5 made substantial headway in total viewers but faltered in the revenue-enhancing competition among 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4’s win in the 25-to-54 battle was far comfier than a year ago, when it drew fewer than 2,000 more viewers than WFAA8.
5 P.M.
Total Viewers
NBC5 -- 123,705 (up 11,186)
Fox4 -- 113,621 (down 1,758)
WFAA8 -- 109,928 (up 18,024)
CBS11 -- 102,685 (up 12,846)
25-to-54-Year-Olds
Fox4 -- 53,717 (up 9,984)
WFAA8 -- 37,751 (up 7,463)
CBS11 -- 31,444 (up 8,698)
NBC5 -- 29,585 (down 1,210)
Comment: Significant audience increases in both audience measurements made this generally older-skewing time period a plus for all concerned, even though Fox4 and NBC5 respectively had minor losses in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds. The Peacock otherwise dethroned last November’s champ, Fox4, in total viewers while WFAA8 and CBS11 both markedly improved their performances.
In other ratings news . . .
This was the first ratings sweeps period for WFAA8’s fledgling 4 p.m. local newscast. For now at least, the station sports a pair of bloody noses.
NBC5 won in total viewers with 81,239 while CBS11 ran second (69,451) and WFAA8 third (51,982). It was the same order of finish among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 led with 25,563, followed by CBS11 (23,583) and WFAA8 (14,838).
***At 9 p.m., Fox4’s local newscast bludgeoned CW33’s soon-to-be-extinct Nightcap, which will become the anchor-less NewsFix sometime early next year. The scores were 147,423 to 19,529 in total viewers and 69,896 to 8,684 among 25-to-54-year-olds. Those totals gave Fox4’s 9 p.m. edition the station’s largest local news audience, outdrawing the 6 a.m. and 5, 6 and 10 p.m. offerings in both measurements.
***Fox4’s 5:30 p.m. local newscast had more 25-to-54-year-olds than the competing network evening newscasts on ABC, CBS and NBC. But Fox4 flip-flopped that position with a fourth place finish in total viewers. The NBC Nightly News led the way.
***KTXD-TV’s (Ch. 47) two major local productions, The Broadcast and The Texas Daily, continued to struggle for any audience at all.
From 9 to 11 a.m. weekdays, The Broadcast averaged 1,775 total viewers with 731 in the 25-to-54 demographic.
The 6 to 7 p.m. edition of Texas Daily averaged 497 viewers, with supposedly almost all of them (488) in the 25-to-54 measurement. But when the rating is this low -- a .007 in total viewers -- demographic numbers tend to be imprecise.
Texas Daily’s 9:30 p.m. repeat improved to 1,988 viewers with 488 of them 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Sun., Nov. 27-Dec. 1) -- CBS hoardes holiday weekend football spoils with Cowboys, Auburn-Bama, Broncos-Chiefs
12/02/13 10:46 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Led by the Cowboys-Raiders game, CBS played the field with three marquee football match-ups during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The Cowboys annual Drumstick Bowl (unofficial title) of course drew the biggest crowd, with Dallas’ win over Oakland averaging 1,455,767 D-FW viewers Thursday. That vaulted it into third place among this season’s 12 regular season game. Cowboys-Raiders nipped the Sunday, Nov. 24th Cowboys-Giants game on Fox, which had 1,448,665 viewers.
CBS also basked in Saturday’s beyond incredible Auburn-Alabama finish in their high-stakes Iron Bowl square-off. It averaged 376,369 viewers to easily beat all competing programming in mid-afternoon/early evening hours.
(Those tuned in were jolted to varying degrees by CBS11’s abrupt transition from an in-progress, post-game interview to a car commercial followed by a Medicare infomercial. Reached Monday, a CBS11 spokesperson characterized it as a “local miscue” while declining to comment further.)
The football world then turned to Sunday’s Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs game on CBS. The ratings cash register spun to the tune of 632,016 viewers, making it the day’s top NFL attraction. The New York Giants-Washington Redskins match-up on NBC’s Sunday Night Football came in second with 489,990 viewers.
AMC’s Sunday night “fall finale” of The Walking Dead drew 347,964 viewers in the 8 p.m. hour. But among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, it beat everything in sight from 8 to 9 p.m. with 273,563 viewers in this key demographic. That’s a phenomenal percentage.
On ABC Sunday night, the new movie Christmas In Conway drew 191,735 total viewers. Just 39,080 were in the 18-to-49 demographic.
ABC’s 90-minute Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular ended up as Thanksgiving night’s reigning ratings turkey. It drew just 56,810 total viewers opposite NBC’s league-leading Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game (376,369 viewers).
In local news derby results, . . . well, there were none. All four major combatants -- Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8, CBS11 -- took weekday holiday exemptions from Wednesday through Friday.
We’ll have the complete November “sweeps” local newscast results later Monday.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Led by the Cowboys-Raiders game, CBS played the field with three marquee football match-ups during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The Cowboys annual Drumstick Bowl (unofficial title) of course drew the biggest crowd, with Dallas’ win over Oakland averaging 1,455,767 D-FW viewers Thursday. That vaulted it into third place among this season’s 12 regular season game. Cowboys-Raiders nipped the Sunday, Nov. 24th Cowboys-Giants game on Fox, which had 1,448,665 viewers.
CBS also basked in Saturday’s beyond incredible Auburn-Alabama finish in their high-stakes Iron Bowl square-off. It averaged 376,369 viewers to easily beat all competing programming in mid-afternoon/early evening hours.
(Those tuned in were jolted to varying degrees by CBS11’s abrupt transition from an in-progress, post-game interview to a car commercial followed by a Medicare infomercial. Reached Monday, a CBS11 spokesperson characterized it as a “local miscue” while declining to comment further.)
The football world then turned to Sunday’s Denver Broncos-Kansas City Chiefs game on CBS. The ratings cash register spun to the tune of 632,016 viewers, making it the day’s top NFL attraction. The New York Giants-Washington Redskins match-up on NBC’s Sunday Night Football came in second with 489,990 viewers.
AMC’s Sunday night “fall finale” of The Walking Dead drew 347,964 viewers in the 8 p.m. hour. But among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, it beat everything in sight from 8 to 9 p.m. with 273,563 viewers in this key demographic. That’s a phenomenal percentage.
On ABC Sunday night, the new movie Christmas In Conway drew 191,735 total viewers. Just 39,080 were in the 18-to-49 demographic.
ABC’s 90-minute Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular ended up as Thanksgiving night’s reigning ratings turkey. It drew just 56,810 total viewers opposite NBC’s league-leading Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game (376,369 viewers).
In local news derby results, . . . well, there were none. All four major combatants -- Fox4, NBC5, WFAA8, CBS11 -- took weekday holiday exemptions from Wednesday through Friday.
We’ll have the complete November “sweeps” local newscast results later Monday.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net