Feb 2016
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Feb. 26-28) -- racially charged Oscars take a big year-to-year hit
02/29/16 10:13 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Sunday night’s 88th annual Oscars ceremony, which doubled as a referendum on racial exclusion, fell far below last year’s turnout in the D-FW Nielsen ratings.
Hosted by Chris Rock and running from 7:30 to 11:07 p.m. on ABC, when the last closing credit rolled to the sounds of Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” the Oscars averaged 878,218 viewers and 346,151 in the key advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds demographic.
That marked a sizable drop-off from the 2015 ceremony hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, which drew 1,004,256 total viewers and 428,197 in the 18-to-49 age range. In January of this year, NBC’s telecast of the Golden Globes had 524,098 total viewers and 228,650 within the 18-to-49 motherlode.
Earlier this month, the Grammy Awards on CBS pulled in 658,663 total viewers and 285,813 in the 18-to-49 realm. So look out, Oscars, both the Globes and the Grammys are gaining on you.
Rock joked early and often about the exclusion of African-Americans from the 20 acting nominees for the second year in a row. He said that earlier omissions in the 1950s and ‘60s didn’t prompt much criticism from the black community because “we had real things to protest at the time. We was too busy getting raped and lynched to care about who won Best Cinematographer. When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about Best Documentary Foreign Short.”
The host also jabbed at Jada Pinkett Smith’s much-publicized “boycott” of the Oscars, noting that she’s primarily a television performer. “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”
Changes are coming, though, Rock promised, warming to his most pointed joke of the night. “This year in the ‘In Memoriam’ package, it’s just gonna be black people that was shot by cops on their way to the movies.” (The package ended up leaving out Abe Vigoda, who died in January and whose film credits included The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II.)
Rock returned to Oscar’s blackout throughout the night when he might have been much wiser to quit while he was ahead. The focus on the exclusion of African-American actors and actresses ignored the fact that Hispanics and Asians also were left out of the latest acting nominee mix.
The most potent TV attraction opposite the Oscars was AMC’s 8 p.m. episode of The Walking Dead, which drew 254,966 total viewers and 161,961 in the 18-to-49 demographic. Oscar organizers and ABC would kill to have well more than half of the ceremony’s audience within the 18-to-49 age range. But that again didn’t come close to happening.
(Your friendly content provider live-tweeted throughout the Oscars. You can find the thread here.)
In the Friday night Nielsens, CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods as usual had the biggest haul of total viewers (247,884) while ABC’s Shark Tank and NBC’s Dateline tied for the top spot among 18-to-49-year-olds (57,163).
Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the 17th weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period, which ends on Wednesday.
CBS11 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 dominated among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 also remained unbeaten at 6 a.m. with another sweep and likewise ran the table at 5 and 6 p.m. So yes, only CBS11’s lone win kept Fox4 from pulling off a very uncommon double grand slam.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Cuba Gooding, Jr. does Dallas, talks O. J. and cites the career missteps that led him to the role
02/26/16 01:33 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Actors and their roles can either be career-makers or underminers. Or both.
Twenty years ago, Cuba Gooding, Jr. won a best supporting actor Oscar as pro football receiver Rod “Show me the money” Tidwell in Jerry Maguire. He followed that up with another hit feature film, 1997’s As Good As It Gets. The respective directors were Cameron Crowe and James L. Brooks. It doesn’t get much better than that, but Gooding had to learn this lesson.
“Cameron Crowe told me, ‘Don’t worry about the roles. Worry about who the directors are,’ “ Gooding says during a Thursday stop in Dallas tied to FX’s ongoing and acclaimed The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. “I didn’t listen to him then. I went on this journey where I ended up doing 10 years of ‘direct to video’ movies (including clunkers such as Dirty, End Game, What Love Is, Harold and Life of a King).”
The duds that made it to theaters -- 2007’s Norbit and Daddy Day Camp -- put Gooding on the receiving end of two Golden Raspberry nominations for Worst Actor of that year.
Gooding had chosen to work with mostly first-time directors and ”wound up helping with the writing, sitting in the editing room, putting together their shots,” he says. “It was like going back to film school. But the product never came out to anybody’s pleasure. There was always something wrong with it. And it was literally God’s way of saying, ‘This is why you need a filmmaker that has a complete vision.’ ”
He instructed his agent to show him the director. And Gooding’s choices markedly improved, with supporting roles in Lee Daniels’ The Butler and Selma leading to his casting as the central figure in executive producer/director Ryan Murphy’s first edition of American Crime Story (Tuesdays at 9 p.m. central), which like American Horror Story will have different stories and characters each season.
Gooding says he was the first to be cast in a 10-part series that also includes John Travolta as Robert Shapiro, Nathan Lane (F. Lee Bailey), Sarah Paulson (Marcia Clark), Courtney B. Vance (Johnnie Cochran), David Schwimmer (Robert Kardashian) and Connie Britton (Faye Resnick).
Murphy, who also created Nip/Tuck, Glee and Scream Queens, is a “real filmmaker” with a firm grasp of what he wants and where he’s going, Gooding says. Still, this is the first time Murphy has gone the non-fiction route. From this perspective, it’s helped to curb his excesses by keeping Murphy within the confines of a real-life story. Gooding agrees that “it’s absolutely served him well. He might have come from this place of ‘heightened reality’ (with Nip/Tuck, etc.). But doing this is just going to make him a better filmmaker because he’s not afraid of it anymore.”
Gooding has met O. J. Simpson just once, in 1991 at a nightclub shortly after co-starring in Boyz n the Hood.
“He came up to me, shook my hand and said ‘Congratulations,’ “ Gooding recalls. “I remember he was in his leather pants and had girls on each arm and was very charismatic, a bigger-than-life character.”
Gooding, in his early 20s at the time, aspired to be just like him. “Oh, absolutely. I said, ‘That’s the Juice.’ “ Three years later, Simpson was indicted for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Simpson was found not guilty in what remains the most-chronicled and divisive celebrity trial of modern history. But he’s been behind bars since 2008 after being convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in connection with trying to retrieve sports memorabilia that he claimed had been stolen from him.
According to various reports, the incarcerated Simpson wanted Denzel Washington to play him in any TV or feature film and considers Gooding to have too small of a head for the role.
“He’s got a huge head. What are you gonna do?” says Gooding, who had no interest in meeting Simpson beforehand but did spend considerable time with future Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson while preparing to play him in the 2009 TNT movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.
“I’m playing O. J. Simpson at a time when he was his most flamboyant, charismatic, egotistical self,” Gooding says. “And now he’s been incarcerated. I know what that does to a man, and I didn’t want his psyche to creep into my performance.”
Simpson very much got into his head anyway.
“I’d never been in a character this long before,” Gooding says, noting that his 2013, six-month run on Broadway in The Trip to Bountiful “was just one set off scenes that we re-visited over and over again. This was many different scenarios and emotions that I had to relive every day for a long period of time. Almost to the point of schizophrenia at times. And that wears on your psyche. It took me about a month to not think of dark images and dark thoughts, and think that they were my thoughts.
“I used to hear other actors talk about this. Heath Ledger, after playing The Joker, said that it took him a long time to let that go. I used to laugh and think it was a publicity gimmick. But I believe it now. I get it. It’s almost like hypnosis. You have to step away from a character and let it go from your soul, so to speak. And then you can move on.”
Production wrapped in October on People v. O. J. Simpson. Gooding says he still hasn’t watched a single full episode, but has seen clips and images that still “kind of throw me a little bit. When I see O. J. getting worked up in a scene, it starts to get me worked up again, too . . . So it’ll be a while until I can fully let go of that dark place and just watch the entire series to see if I can understand how it’s been connecting with so many people.”
Jeffrey Toobin’s 1996 book, on which People v. O. J. is based, is unequivocal in its determination that Simpson committed the murders. On page 10, Toobin writes, “Of course they knew” in reference to Simpson’s all-star defense team. “Their dilemma, then, was the oldest, as well as the most common, quandary of the criminal defense attorney: what to do about a guilty client.”
Gooding is keeping his views to himself.
“I don’t want you to judge my performance based on any opinion you think I might have,” he says. “Ryan Murphy and I had an agreement that I would do some takes as guilty and some as innocent, so that when he got to the editing room, he could use these colors. I wasn’t there to judge his guilt or innocence. I was there to be that blank canvas and to put out the emotions asked for by my directors.”
Should Gooding be nominated for any Emmy or win one, it would be only the second time in 20 years that he’s been up for a major acting award. Two decades ago, when he won his Oscar, Gooding was the only African-American among the actors and actresses in the lead and supporting categories. In the past two years there have been none, prompting the #OscarsSoWhite campaign to diversify both the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences membership and the types of films being made.
Gooding, a voting Academy member since 1993, says “you can’t really say there’s a conspiracy with the nominations to keep blacks out.” He’d like to see more movies made by and starring minorities, but doesn’t support a boycott.
“I think it was important to start the dialogue so that we do talk about it,” he says, noting his support for both host Chris Rock and Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who is black. “I’m proud of my Academy membership. My sponsors to become a member were Dustin Hoffman and Kevin Spacey. And in the year they accepted me, they said no to Rodney Dangerfield. So it’s a crazy thing.”
Gooding got his Screen Actors Guild card after playing “Gang Member Number 3” in the final season of NBC’s hallowed Hill Street Blues. The son of prominent vocalists Shirley Gooding and Cuba Gooding Sr. (whose group The Main Ingredient recorded the 1972 hit single “Everybody Plays the Fool”) says he “wasn’t into singing that much” and sought to “find my own thing” after being repeatedly being told, “Well, you’re not your father.”
But he knew nothing about filming on a set when the Hill Street producers hired him to spout the line, “I’ll cut you, man!” Instructed to “hit your mark,” Gooding says he had no idea what that meant. After the third take, the director cursed him and pointed to the tape on the floor where Gooding was supposed to land so that cameras could frame him correctly. He finally got it right on the fourth take.
The role of O. J. Simpson arrived nearly three decades after Gooding flailed about on Hill Street. “I’ll cut you, man” still eerily applies. But Gooding at age 48 seems to have wised up again after wandering through all those ill-considered film choices. It’s already been announced that the next installment of American Crime Story will focus on Hurricane Katrina and the “crimes against humanity” that went hand in hand. Will Murphy again go the repertory route, as he has in American Horror Story, by casting some of the same performers in different roles?
Gooding smiles coyly and is non-committal. But his body language gives him away. He’ll almost assuredly be a part of that second season -- because he’s lately too smart not to be.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Feb. 25) -- Republican debate/cage match outshouts the competition
02/26/16 11:40 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
TV’s hottest “reality” series, the Donald Trump-spiked Republican presidential candidate debates, scored another resounding win Thursday night by dominating from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on CNN.
Marked by repeated verbal slugfests among Trump and his two principal foes, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, the final square-off before the March 1st “Super Tuesday” primaries averaged 368,285 D-FW viewers with a peak crowd of 446,191 between 9 and 9:15 p.m.
That handily beat all competing programming, including the 7:30 to 9 p.m. portion of Fox’s American Idol, which averaged 276,214 viewers for its full two hours. Out of harm’s way from 7 to 7:30 p.m., CBS’ The Big Bang Theory racked up prime-time’s biggest overall number with 410,779 viewers.
The debate slumped among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, averaging 95,271 viewers in this age range. Big Bang (127,028), CBS’ following Life In Pieces (104,798) and Idol (also 104,798) all bettered that mark. But the debate easily beat the likes of NBC’s Blacklist and the ABC duo of Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder.
Telemundo’s simulcast of the debate drew comparatively scant interest, with just 21,247 total viewers and 6,351 in the 18-to-49 demographic. It was soundly beaten in both measurements by Univision’s competing telenovelas.
NBC had Thursday night’s loss leader among the Big Four broadcast networks. Its 7 p.m. episode of You, Me and the Apocalypse drew 49,577 total viewers and 15,879 in the key 18-to-49 demographic. Nothing else came close to sinking that low. Fox4’s local newscast easily beat everything except the GOP debate in the 9 p.m. hour, drawing 219,554 total viewers and 85,744 in the 18-to-49 realm.
Here are Thursday’s four-way local news derby results, with just four weekdays now remaining in the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Fox4 won at both 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in total viewers and among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
NBC5 was tops in total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m. The 25-to-54-year-old golds went to Fox4 at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
TV’s hottest “reality” series, the Donald Trump-spiked Republican presidential candidate debates, scored another resounding win Thursday night by dominating from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on CNN.
Marked by repeated verbal slugfests among Trump and his two principal foes, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, the final square-off before the March 1st “Super Tuesday” primaries averaged 368,285 D-FW viewers with a peak crowd of 446,191 between 9 and 9:15 p.m.
That handily beat all competing programming, including the 7:30 to 9 p.m. portion of Fox’s American Idol, which averaged 276,214 viewers for its full two hours. Out of harm’s way from 7 to 7:30 p.m., CBS’ The Big Bang Theory racked up prime-time’s biggest overall number with 410,779 viewers.
The debate slumped among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, averaging 95,271 viewers in this age range. Big Bang (127,028), CBS’ following Life In Pieces (104,798) and Idol (also 104,798) all bettered that mark. But the debate easily beat the likes of NBC’s Blacklist and the ABC duo of Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder.
Telemundo’s simulcast of the debate drew comparatively scant interest, with just 21,247 total viewers and 6,351 in the 18-to-49 demographic. It was soundly beaten in both measurements by Univision’s competing telenovelas.
NBC had Thursday night’s loss leader among the Big Four broadcast networks. Its 7 p.m. episode of You, Me and the Apocalypse drew 49,577 total viewers and 15,879 in the key 18-to-49 demographic. Nothing else came close to sinking that low. Fox4’s local newscast easily beat everything except the GOP debate in the 9 p.m. hour, drawing 219,554 total viewers and 85,744 in the 18-to-49 realm.
Here are Thursday’s four-way local news derby results, with just four weekdays now remaining in the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Fox4 won at both 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in total viewers and among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
NBC5 was tops in total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m. The 25-to-54-year-old golds went to Fox4 at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues.-Wed., Feb. 23-24) -- Idol first, then CBS
02/25/16 11:15 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsen numbers followed the usual pattern in D-FW. Fox’s American Idol paced the leadoff hour before CBS pair of drama series kicked in.
Idol drew the night’s biggest overall crowd with 297,461 viewers. That number might have been better had Sunnyvale’s Dalton Rapattoni and three other hopefuls not been given a judges’ “free pass” into the Top 10 at the outset of the hour. That waylaid any performance from the only remaining North Texan in the field.
CBS’ Criminal Minds then won the 8 p.m. hour with 269,131 viewers before the network’s Code Black (177,068) nipped NBC’s Chicago PD for the 9 p.m. win. It was the same story among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, with Idol, Criminal Minds and Code Black all winning their time slots.
On Tuesday night, CBS’ NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans won from 7 to 9 p.m. in total viewers with respective counts of 403,697 and 318,708. The 9 p.m. hour went to NBC’s Chicago Fire (198,307 viewers).
The two NCIS hours also prevailed with 18-to-49-year-olds before Chicago Fire and Fox4’s local newscast tied for the top spot at 9 p.m.
Over in the cable news network arena, coverage of the Nevada Republican presidential caucus results was led by Fox News Channel. Its highest score -- 113,318 total viewers -- came during the 9 to 10 p.m. hour. In contrast, the second hour of ABC’s competing Marvel’s Agent Carter drew just 42,494 total viewers.
Here are the local news derby results for the 14th and 15th weekdays of the February “sweeps” ratings period, which ends next Wednesday.
Tuesday -- CBS11 beat NBC5 by a paper-thin margin at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 edged the Peacock for the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 effortlessly notched two more 6 a.m. wins and NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m. TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for first place in total viewers at 6 p.m. but TEGNA8 won comfortably among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Wednesday -- CBS11 was tops in total viewers at 10 p.m. and NBC5 won with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and remains unbeaten at that hour in the sweeps.
NBC5 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. In the 25-to-54 demographic, Fox4 won at 5 p.m. while sharing the lead with TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Wednesday’s prime-time Nielsen numbers followed the usual pattern in D-FW. Fox’s American Idol paced the leadoff hour before CBS pair of drama series kicked in.
Idol drew the night’s biggest overall crowd with 297,461 viewers. That number might have been better had Sunnyvale’s Dalton Rapattoni and three other hopefuls not been given a judges’ “free pass” into the Top 10 at the outset of the hour. That waylaid any performance from the only remaining North Texan in the field.
CBS’ Criminal Minds then won the 8 p.m. hour with 269,131 viewers before the network’s Code Black (177,068) nipped NBC’s Chicago PD for the 9 p.m. win. It was the same story among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, with Idol, Criminal Minds and Code Black all winning their time slots.
On Tuesday night, CBS’ NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans won from 7 to 9 p.m. in total viewers with respective counts of 403,697 and 318,708. The 9 p.m. hour went to NBC’s Chicago Fire (198,307 viewers).
The two NCIS hours also prevailed with 18-to-49-year-olds before Chicago Fire and Fox4’s local newscast tied for the top spot at 9 p.m.
Over in the cable news network arena, coverage of the Nevada Republican presidential caucus results was led by Fox News Channel. Its highest score -- 113,318 total viewers -- came during the 9 to 10 p.m. hour. In contrast, the second hour of ABC’s competing Marvel’s Agent Carter drew just 42,494 total viewers.
Here are the local news derby results for the 14th and 15th weekdays of the February “sweeps” ratings period, which ends next Wednesday.
Tuesday -- CBS11 beat NBC5 by a paper-thin margin at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 edged the Peacock for the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 effortlessly notched two more 6 a.m. wins and NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m. TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for first place in total viewers at 6 p.m. but TEGNA8 won comfortably among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Wednesday -- CBS11 was tops in total viewers at 10 p.m. and NBC5 won with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and remains unbeaten at that hour in the sweeps.
NBC5 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. In the 25-to-54 demographic, Fox4 won at 5 p.m. while sharing the lead with TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Feb. 22) -- X-Files finale hardly a phenomenon
02/23/16 03:26 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s six-episode “event” arc of The X-Files came to an end Monday night with nothing resolved and yet another cliffhanger in play. Snore.
Airing from 7 to 8 p.m., the sagging adventures of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully drew 198,307 D-FW viewers to run third in that hour behind ABC’s first half of The Bachelor (240,802) and CBS’ Supergirl (212,472).
X-Files moved up to second among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 66,690 while The Bachelor had 104,798.
CBS’ Scorpion and NCIS: Los Angeles won from 8 to 10 p.m. in total viewers with respective hauls of 269,131 and 233,719.
In the 18-to-49-year-old demographic, The Bachelor remained on top from 8 to 9 p.m. (85,744) before NBC’s latest season finale of The Biggest Loser ran first in the 9 p.m. hour with 66,690. NCIS: Los Angeles fell from first in total viewers to fourth with 18-to-49-year-olds.
Here are the local news derby results for the 13th weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 topped the 10 p.m. Nielsen in total viewers while NBC5 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 again notched twin wins at 6 a.m. and TEGNA8 ran the table at 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to NBC5 in total viewers and TEGNA8 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s six-episode “event” arc of The X-Files came to an end Monday night with nothing resolved and yet another cliffhanger in play. Snore.
Airing from 7 to 8 p.m., the sagging adventures of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully drew 198,307 D-FW viewers to run third in that hour behind ABC’s first half of The Bachelor (240,802) and CBS’ Supergirl (212,472).
X-Files moved up to second among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 66,690 while The Bachelor had 104,798.
CBS’ Scorpion and NCIS: Los Angeles won from 8 to 10 p.m. in total viewers with respective hauls of 269,131 and 233,719.
In the 18-to-49-year-old demographic, The Bachelor remained on top from 8 to 9 p.m. (85,744) before NBC’s latest season finale of The Biggest Loser ran first in the 9 p.m. hour with 66,690. NCIS: Los Angeles fell from first in total viewers to fourth with 18-to-49-year-olds.
Here are the local news derby results for the 13th weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 topped the 10 p.m. Nielsen in total viewers while NBC5 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 again notched twin wins at 6 a.m. and TEGNA8 ran the table at 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to NBC5 in total viewers and TEGNA8 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Feb. 19-21) -- Walking Dead continues to haunt Big Four broadcast nets
02/22/16 02:49 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The closest Daytona 500 finish in history and splashy prime-time specials on ABC and NBC weren’t enough to make any of them Sunday’s biggest ratings draw in D-FW.
Instead the grand prize again went to AMC’s 8 p.m. episode of The Walking Dead, which drew 297,461 total viewers and 187,366 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
Fox’s afternoon telecast of Daytona pulled in second with an average of 226,637 total viewers and 88,920 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Over on ABC, the network’s 7 to 9 p.m. Disneyland 60 had 155,813 total viewers, with 53,987 in the 18-to-49 range. NBC’s 8 to 10 p.m. Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to Jim Burrows lured 148,730 total viewers and 57,163 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
On Saturday night, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC all threw themselves into coverage of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary and Nevada’s Democratic presidential caucuses. FNC had the highest peak audience of 155,813 total viewers between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. That was a bigger crowd than any prime-time attraction on ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC.
Friday’s prime-time numbers were paced by CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods in total viewers (247,884) and ABC’s 8 p.m. edition of Shark Tank among 18-to-49-year-olds (98,447).
Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the 12th weekday of the February ratings “sweeps.”
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 won with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 remained unbeaten in February at 6 a.m. and NBC5 swept both the 5 and 6 p.m. competitions.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The closest Daytona 500 finish in history and splashy prime-time specials on ABC and NBC weren’t enough to make any of them Sunday’s biggest ratings draw in D-FW.
Instead the grand prize again went to AMC’s 8 p.m. episode of The Walking Dead, which drew 297,461 total viewers and 187,366 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
Fox’s afternoon telecast of Daytona pulled in second with an average of 226,637 total viewers and 88,920 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Over on ABC, the network’s 7 to 9 p.m. Disneyland 60 had 155,813 total viewers, with 53,987 in the 18-to-49 range. NBC’s 8 to 10 p.m. Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to Jim Burrows lured 148,730 total viewers and 57,163 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
On Saturday night, CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC all threw themselves into coverage of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary and Nevada’s Democratic presidential caucuses. FNC had the highest peak audience of 155,813 total viewers between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. That was a bigger crowd than any prime-time attraction on ABC, CBS, Fox or NBC.
Friday’s prime-time numbers were paced by CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods in total viewers (247,884) and ABC’s 8 p.m. edition of Shark Tank among 18-to-49-year-olds (98,447).
Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the 12th weekday of the February ratings “sweeps.”
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 won with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 remained unbeaten in February at 6 a.m. and NBC5 swept both the 5 and 6 p.m. competitions.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Feb. 17-18) -- ABC still slumping
02/19/16 12:35 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Little is going right for ABC these days. Even its Shonda Rimes-powered Thursday night lineup has hit a rut.
On the day that ABC fired entertainment president Paul Lee, the network’s once potent trio of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder continued to pay diminishing dividends after last week’s midseason return.
CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of The Big Bang Theory continued running strong with Thursday’s biggest haul of total D-FW viewers (410,779). Fox’s 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. portion of American Idol then beat CBS’ competing Life In Pieces and Mom by paper-thin margins before the final half-hour of Idol won more comfortably.
Fox4’s local newscast led the way at 9 p.m. with 184,142 total viewers.
Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, Big Bang won as usual before Idol cruised from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Likely helping Idol’s numbers is the presence of Sunnyvale singer Dalton Rapattoni, who’s now in the show’s final 14 while entrancing judge Jennifer Lopez with his pretty boy looks and song stylings. How to Get Away with Murder barely won the 9 p.m. hour in a close competition with both Fox4’s news and CBS’ Elementary.
The ABC trio otherwise fared poorly, with Scandal and HTGAWM both last in total viewers among the Big Four broadcast networks while Grey’s Anatomy ran third ahead of NBC’s You, Me and the Apocalypse. In the 18-to-49 demographic, Scandal ran fourth in the 8 p.m. hour and Grey’s again beat only Apocalypse.
Over on CNN, the network’s second prime-time helping of three-pronged Republican candidate “town hall” meetings was paced by Donald Trump’s climactic solo act. He drew 92,071 total viewers in running well ahead of earlier appearances by John Kasich and Jeb Bush.
On Wednesday, American Idol again had prime-time’s biggest haul of total viewers with 269,131. NBC’s Law & Order: SVU won the 8 p.m. hour with 198,307 viewers before Fox4’s news and CBS’ Code Black shared the 9 p.m. spoils with 169,978 viewers apiece.
Idol also led all programming among 18-to-49-year-olds, with 88,920 viewers.
CNN’s 7 to 10 p.m. “town hall” meeting trio of Dr. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz averaged 56,659 total viewers for the entire three-hour segment.
Here are the Wednesday and Thursday local news derby results for the 10th and 11th weekdays of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Wednesday -- TEGNA8 topped the field at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 as usual swept the 6 a.m. competitions while TEGNA8 won at 5 and 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds. The 5 p.m. golds in total viewers respectively went to Fox4 and NBC5.
Thursday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again dominated at 6 a.m. and also swept the 5 p.m. races.
NBC5 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 and TEGNA8 shared first place at 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 realm.
LOCAL TV NEWS NOTE -- NBC5 weekday morning co-anchor Deborah Ferguson marked her 25th anniversary at the station Thursday. She joined NBC5 in 1991 from WBAP-AM radio, where her husband, Steve Lamb, still works.
Fort Worth mayor Betsy Price declared Thursday, Feb. 18th Deborah Ferguson Day. According to NBC5, Ferguson has been with the morning news program for the last 18 years.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Little is going right for ABC these days. Even its Shonda Rimes-powered Thursday night lineup has hit a rut.
On the day that ABC fired entertainment president Paul Lee, the network’s once potent trio of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder continued to pay diminishing dividends after last week’s midseason return.
CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of The Big Bang Theory continued running strong with Thursday’s biggest haul of total D-FW viewers (410,779). Fox’s 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. portion of American Idol then beat CBS’ competing Life In Pieces and Mom by paper-thin margins before the final half-hour of Idol won more comfortably.
Fox4’s local newscast led the way at 9 p.m. with 184,142 total viewers.
Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, Big Bang won as usual before Idol cruised from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Likely helping Idol’s numbers is the presence of Sunnyvale singer Dalton Rapattoni, who’s now in the show’s final 14 while entrancing judge Jennifer Lopez with his pretty boy looks and song stylings. How to Get Away with Murder barely won the 9 p.m. hour in a close competition with both Fox4’s news and CBS’ Elementary.
The ABC trio otherwise fared poorly, with Scandal and HTGAWM both last in total viewers among the Big Four broadcast networks while Grey’s Anatomy ran third ahead of NBC’s You, Me and the Apocalypse. In the 18-to-49 demographic, Scandal ran fourth in the 8 p.m. hour and Grey’s again beat only Apocalypse.
Over on CNN, the network’s second prime-time helping of three-pronged Republican candidate “town hall” meetings was paced by Donald Trump’s climactic solo act. He drew 92,071 total viewers in running well ahead of earlier appearances by John Kasich and Jeb Bush.
On Wednesday, American Idol again had prime-time’s biggest haul of total viewers with 269,131. NBC’s Law & Order: SVU won the 8 p.m. hour with 198,307 viewers before Fox4’s news and CBS’ Code Black shared the 9 p.m. spoils with 169,978 viewers apiece.
Idol also led all programming among 18-to-49-year-olds, with 88,920 viewers.
CNN’s 7 to 10 p.m. “town hall” meeting trio of Dr. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz averaged 56,659 total viewers for the entire three-hour segment.
Here are the Wednesday and Thursday local news derby results for the 10th and 11th weekdays of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Wednesday -- TEGNA8 topped the field at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 as usual swept the 6 a.m. competitions while TEGNA8 won at 5 and 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds. The 5 p.m. golds in total viewers respectively went to Fox4 and NBC5.
Thursday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again dominated at 6 a.m. and also swept the 5 p.m. races.
NBC5 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 and TEGNA8 shared first place at 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 realm.
LOCAL TV NEWS NOTE -- NBC5 weekday morning co-anchor Deborah Ferguson marked her 25th anniversary at the station Thursday. She joined NBC5 in 1991 from WBAP-AM radio, where her husband, Steve Lamb, still works.
Fort Worth mayor Betsy Price declared Thursday, Feb. 18th Deborah Ferguson Day. According to NBC5, Ferguson has been with the morning news program for the last 18 years.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
TEGNA's "early retirement" offer is its latest move to cut expenses, entice older personnel (3rd update)
02/18/16 08:35 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A wave of “early retirement” packages began hitting TEGNA, Inc.-owned TV stations Thursday, with Dallas-based WFAA8 among those on the receiving end.
According to a “Dear Colleagues” letter signed by WFAA8 president and general manager Mike Devlin, “select employees” with 15+ years of service who are 55 years of age or older are eligible to take the offer. But no on-camera personnel are included so far among the 27 station employees who have officially received the offer, sources say.
At WFAA8, two key on-camera veterans, news anchor John McCaa and sports anchor Dale Hansen, would fit the overall buyout criteria. As it now stands, they basically are the faces of WFAA8 following the recent departures of stalwarts such as news anchor Gloria Campos, investigative reporter Byron Harris and sports reporter/anchor George Riba.
Award-laden investigative reporter Brett Shipp and longtime stellar WFAA8 general assignment reporter Jim Douglas likewise would be in the 55-years-of-age, 15+ years of service category. Some on-camera personnel at other TEGNA-owned stations have been given the option of accepting the packages, according to sources.
Shipp says he’s not nearly ready to cash it in anyway.
“I will be rolled out of Channel 8 on a gurney -- dead or alive,” Shipp told unclebarky.com Friday.
Sources say that those employees receiving the buyout offers include six in the engineering department, three in operations and 12 newsroom staffers. Among the latter dozen, three are editors and five are photographers. But only three photographers will be allowed to take buyouts, according to sources.
The targeted areas are in keeping with TEGNA’s plans to further “automate” the news department. A WFAA8 staffer unhappy with these developments put it this way: “TEGNA corporate feels we are a bloated whale living in the past. But viewers can decide for themselves if they want to watch a newscast with all the technical issues that cheap automation brings.”
WFAA8 president and general manager Mike Devlin was not present when the buyout offers rolled in. He is still recuperating from hip replacement surgery last week and is expected to be out for another month. The letter bearing his signature begins with the notation that “today’s dynamic media landscape requires us to embrace change to continue to succeed.”
WFAA8 has a “strong foundation but we must continue to innovate and adapt to better meet the rapidly changing needs of those we serve,” the letter says. “Recently, Dave Lougee (president of TEGNA Media) shared his strategic roadmap for our future. 2016 will be a year of accelerated progress across WFAA-TV and every one of us will need to acclimate to today’s evolving environment. As we move forward, we have created a strategy at WFAA-TV that will enable us to better the needs of our station and our audiences.”
Specifically, that would be the retirement packages “aimed at giving our team the flexibility we need to do just that,” the letter says. “This program will allow us to reinvest our resources to focus on our transformative content and sales strategies . . . Some job titles will be excluded.”
The letter concludes with a pep talk: “WFAA-TV is well-positioned for success. We must remain forward-thinking, agile and driven. We must continue to embrace change and innovation. By doing that, we will achieve new heights and better serve our audiences throughout 2016 and beyond.”
No further details were immediately available, but TEGNA’s Austin station, KVUE-TV, also was among those receiving the buyout enticement Thursday.
TEGNA, a partial anagram of Gannett, was formed in June, 2015 after Gannett split its television and publishing properties. TEGNA, based in Tysons Corner, Virginia, currently owns a total of 46 TV stations in 38 markets.
The media titan hasn’t been shy about making its mark from afar. WFAA8 was mandated in August 2014 by TEGNA to use an opening newscast theme song and graphics that also have been implemented at its other major stations. A color-coded, bottom-of-the-screen “Information Bar” that teases upcoming stories is also part of the latter day WFAA8 look imposed by TEGNA. Lost in transition was WFAA8’s longtime “Spirit of Texas” theme song.
Before creating TEGNA, Gannett, Inc. in June 2013 made an offer to buy WFAA8 and 19 other TV stations owned by Dallas-based Belo Corp. The big buy became official in December of that year. Prior to the takeover, WFAA8 had been owned for more than 60 years by Belo.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Feb. 16) -- ABC plays dead
02/17/16 09:26 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
We’re in the heart of the February “sweeps” ratings period, a time when local stations look to their networks for a little lead-in boost for late night newscasts.
In D-FW, ABC affiliate TEGNA8 instead is getting mugged. On Tuesday night, ABC’s two-hour episode of its comatose Marvel’s Agent Carter drew just 42,494 viewers from 8 to 10 p.m., with a piddling 9,527 within the key, advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic. In the concluding 9 p.m. hour, Agent Carter drew less than one-third the audience (in both measurements) for any competing program on CBS, Fox and NBC.
TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscast picked itself off the floor but couldn’t increase its audience enough to offset the lead-in advantages enjoyed by rivals CBS11 (the winner in total viewers) and Fox4 (No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming). So yes, lead-ins still matter quite a bit in the grand ratings scheme of things.
CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of NCIS as usual was prime-time’s top dog in total viewers with 396,614. It also drew the night’s biggest haul of 18-to-49-year-olds.
CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans won the 8 p.m. hour in total viewers but was beaten by NBC’s competing Chicago Med among 18-to-49-year-olds.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscasts then won both principal ratings races, even though Fox’s preceding episode of The Grinder for some reason fell into a ditch after last week’s decent performance. So yes, sometimes a poor lead-in can be overcome, although Fox4 would much prefer the numbers it inherits from potent Fox shows such as American Idol and Empire (which won’t be back until March 30th).
Here are Tuesday’s local news derby numbers for the ninth weekday of the February sweeps.
As noted, CBS11 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds. Flattened by Agent Carter, TEGNA8 respectively ran third and fourth.
Fox4 remained impregnable at 6 a.m. with twin wins. NBC5 stayed solid at 5 p.m. with a sweep and also topped the 6 p.m. Nielsens in the 25-to-54 age range. TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
We’re in the heart of the February “sweeps” ratings period, a time when local stations look to their networks for a little lead-in boost for late night newscasts.
In D-FW, ABC affiliate TEGNA8 instead is getting mugged. On Tuesday night, ABC’s two-hour episode of its comatose Marvel’s Agent Carter drew just 42,494 viewers from 8 to 10 p.m., with a piddling 9,527 within the key, advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic. In the concluding 9 p.m. hour, Agent Carter drew less than one-third the audience (in both measurements) for any competing program on CBS, Fox and NBC.
TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscast picked itself off the floor but couldn’t increase its audience enough to offset the lead-in advantages enjoyed by rivals CBS11 (the winner in total viewers) and Fox4 (No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target audience for news programming). So yes, lead-ins still matter quite a bit in the grand ratings scheme of things.
CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of NCIS as usual was prime-time’s top dog in total viewers with 396,614. It also drew the night’s biggest haul of 18-to-49-year-olds.
CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans won the 8 p.m. hour in total viewers but was beaten by NBC’s competing Chicago Med among 18-to-49-year-olds.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscasts then won both principal ratings races, even though Fox’s preceding episode of The Grinder for some reason fell into a ditch after last week’s decent performance. So yes, sometimes a poor lead-in can be overcome, although Fox4 would much prefer the numbers it inherits from potent Fox shows such as American Idol and Empire (which won’t be back until March 30th).
Here are Tuesday’s local news derby numbers for the ninth weekday of the February sweeps.
As noted, CBS11 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds. Flattened by Agent Carter, TEGNA8 respectively ran third and fourth.
Fox4 remained impregnable at 6 a.m. with twin wins. NBC5 stayed solid at 5 p.m. with a sweep and also topped the 6 p.m. Nielsens in the 25-to-54 age range. TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
"Weathering Heights" event features unprecedented gathering of trailblazing past and present D-FW meteorologists
02/16/16 11:43 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
As a first-year member of the Press Club of Dallas board, your friendly content provider has made it a personal goal to put together events of import that will inform, entertain and maybe even leave a lasting imprint.
The latest, titled “Weathering Heights,” comes five months after the Press Club’s very well attended sendoff to award-laden WFAA8 investigative reporter Byron Harris.
In times when weather is king (and queen) at local TV stations around the country, our Monday, Feb. 29th gathering of trailblazing D-FW meteorologists looks like this:
JOCELYN WHITE -- D-FW’s first woman chief weathercaster and formerly of KDFW-TV (Ch. 4) when it was still a CBS affiliate.
KRISTINE KAHANEK -- Former chief meteorologist for CBS11 (after earlier working at WFAA8) and still only the second woman to date to hold that position in D-FW.
REMEISHA SHADE -- Current NBC5 forecaster and the first African-American woman with a meteorology degree to do weathercasts full-time in D-FW.
MILMAR RAMIREZ -- Weekend weathercaster at D-FW’s Telemundo39 and the station’s first fully accredited woman meteorologist.
DAVID FINFROCK -- The reigning dean of all D-FW meteorologists whose 35-year tenure at NBC5 spans the careers of all his fellow panelists.
GLORIA CAMPOS -- Panel moderator and former trailblazing anchor for WFAA8.
Admission is $20 and you can buy tickets in advance at pressclubdallas.com. You also can pay $20 at the door, but advanced purchases are recommended to avoid any crush. It’s at the same terrific venue -- the 3015 at Trinity Groves event center -- that hosted the Byron Harris event. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the panel scheduled to start between 7 and 7:15 p.m.
Your ticket also will include:
***Wine, beer, soft drinks and “gourmet bites” (which were much-praised at the Byron Harris event).
***A copy of revered Dallas journalist Hugh Aynesworth’s book November 22, 1963: Witness to History.
***A $5 donation from each admission to the American Red Cross of North Texas for tornado relief efforts.
Any net proceeds will help to defray expenses and support the mission of the Press Club of Dallas to hold more events such as these at a minimal cost or for free.
Unclebarky.com has been providing independent coverage of local and national television since launching on Sept. 17, 2006. It’s always been free of charge and will never be a subscription site. But if you’d like to support unclebarky.com and all the coverage you won’t get elsewhere, then buy into “Weathering Heights” by purchasing a ticket or two. You won’t be disappointed and your friendly content provider’s heart might even go pitter-pat.
Hope to see you!
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Mon., Feb. 12-15) -- Grammys raise the roof
02/16/16 10:28 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ three-and-half-hour Grammy Awards, notable for its tributes to prominent deceased artists, ruled prime-time Monday and increased its D-FW audience from last year’s show.
The Grammys averaged 658,663 viewers, up from 627,660 for the 2015 show. A total of 285,813 were in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic, a slight bump from last year’s 280,688.
Nothing else came close Monday night. Fox’s 7 p.m. episode of The X-Files offered the most resistance in the total viewers measurement with 184,142 while ABC’s The Bachelor ran second with 18-to-49-year-olds (66,690).
Lady Gaga’s super-showy ode to the late David Bowie soaked up the most Twitter commentary, with ardent fans on both sides of whether she succeeded or failed. Glenn Frey, B.B. King and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White also were saluted. The latter’s tribute came from Stevie Wonder, with Arlington’s Pentatonix getting a nice national showcase by harmonizing alongside him.
Sunday night’s ridiculously high-scoring NBA All-Star game, simulcast on TNT and TBS, also drew a bigger crowd than last year’s -- but with an asterisk. The 2015 game had to go directly against NBC’s blockbuster 40th anniversary Saturday Night Live celebration. It ended up limping away with 139,480 total viewers and 78,845 in the 18-to-49 age range.
The 2016 All-Star game drew 113,318 total viewers on TNT and another 49,577 on TBS for a combined 166,895. More than half of that crowd again was in the 18-to-49 motherlode, with 73,041 watching TNT and 31,757 choosing TBS for a total of 104,798. But AMC’s 8 p.m. return of The Walking Dead smoked that portion of the All-Star game with 262,049 total viewers and an eye-popping 165,136 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
On to Saturday night, where CBS’ two-hour Republican presidential candidate insult-a-thon easily led all prime-time programming with 290,378 total viewers. The competing TNT/TBS All-Star weekend competitions, led by the slam-dunk and three-point shooting contests, ran second with a combined 169,978 total viewers. The Republicans also nipped the All-Stars among 18-to-49-year-olds.
Friday night’s top draws were CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods in total viewers (276,214) and ABC’s 8 p.m. edition of Shark Tank in the 18-to-49 realm (92,095).
Here are the Friday and Monday local news derby results as we near the mid-point of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Friday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the lead at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 remained unbeaten in the sweeps at 6 a.m. and NBC5 rolled to doubleheader wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.
Monday -- NBC5 took a President’s Day holiday exemption for all of its main newscasts while Fox4 counted out everything except its 10 p.m. newscast. CBS11 knocked out its 6 a.m. news and had the 6 and 10 p.m. editions rubbed out by a Grammy Awards special and the extended portion of the actual awards.
So the hell with it.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ three-and-half-hour Grammy Awards, notable for its tributes to prominent deceased artists, ruled prime-time Monday and increased its D-FW audience from last year’s show.
The Grammys averaged 658,663 viewers, up from 627,660 for the 2015 show. A total of 285,813 were in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic, a slight bump from last year’s 280,688.
Nothing else came close Monday night. Fox’s 7 p.m. episode of The X-Files offered the most resistance in the total viewers measurement with 184,142 while ABC’s The Bachelor ran second with 18-to-49-year-olds (66,690).
Lady Gaga’s super-showy ode to the late David Bowie soaked up the most Twitter commentary, with ardent fans on both sides of whether she succeeded or failed. Glenn Frey, B.B. King and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White also were saluted. The latter’s tribute came from Stevie Wonder, with Arlington’s Pentatonix getting a nice national showcase by harmonizing alongside him.
Sunday night’s ridiculously high-scoring NBA All-Star game, simulcast on TNT and TBS, also drew a bigger crowd than last year’s -- but with an asterisk. The 2015 game had to go directly against NBC’s blockbuster 40th anniversary Saturday Night Live celebration. It ended up limping away with 139,480 total viewers and 78,845 in the 18-to-49 age range.
The 2016 All-Star game drew 113,318 total viewers on TNT and another 49,577 on TBS for a combined 166,895. More than half of that crowd again was in the 18-to-49 motherlode, with 73,041 watching TNT and 31,757 choosing TBS for a total of 104,798. But AMC’s 8 p.m. return of The Walking Dead smoked that portion of the All-Star game with 262,049 total viewers and an eye-popping 165,136 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
On to Saturday night, where CBS’ two-hour Republican presidential candidate insult-a-thon easily led all prime-time programming with 290,378 total viewers. The competing TNT/TBS All-Star weekend competitions, led by the slam-dunk and three-point shooting contests, ran second with a combined 169,978 total viewers. The Republicans also nipped the All-Stars among 18-to-49-year-olds.
Friday night’s top draws were CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods in total viewers (276,214) and ABC’s 8 p.m. edition of Shark Tank in the 18-to-49 realm (92,095).
Here are the Friday and Monday local news derby results as we near the mid-point of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
Friday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the lead at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 remained unbeaten in the sweeps at 6 a.m. and NBC5 rolled to doubleheader wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.
Monday -- NBC5 took a President’s Day holiday exemption for all of its main newscasts while Fox4 counted out everything except its 10 p.m. newscast. CBS11 knocked out its 6 a.m. news and had the 6 and 10 p.m. editions rubbed out by a Grammy Awards special and the extended portion of the actual awards.
So the hell with it.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Feb. 11) -- splitting the spoils among Fox/Fox4 & CBS
02/12/16 10:33 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ The Big Bang Theory remained Thursday night’s heaviest hitter while Fox’s two-hour American Idol also paid some dividends.
Big Bang drew 361,120 D-FW viewers and 114,325 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic to lead all programming in both measurements.
The closing 90 minutes of Idol then won in total viewers but trailed CBS’ Life in Pieces among 18-to-49-year-olds in the 7:30 to 8 p.m. slot.
At 9 p.m., Fox4’s local newscast won in both total viewers (184,142) and with 18-to-49-year-olds (50,811).
The return of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder lagged in the 9 p.m. hour, finishing fourth in total viewers (106,236). But HTGAWM moved up to second place among 18-to-49-year-olds in competition among the Big Four broadcast networks.
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders also had another prime-time debate Thursday. The originating network, PBS, averaged 63,742 total viewers in the 8 to 10 p.m. slot. CNN’s simulcast surpassed that with 84,989 total viewers.
Thursday’s lowest prime-time scorer among the Big Four broadcasters, NBC’s 7 p.m. episode of You, Me and the Apocalypse, drew 49,577 total viewers and 22,230 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Here are the local news derby results for the sixth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
NBC5 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers, but Fox4 pulled in the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 continued to dominate at 6 a.m. with another pair of twin wins. At 6 p.m., TEGNA8 had the most total viewers while Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.
There were more first-place ties at 5 p.m., with NBC5 and TEGNA8 sharing the lead in total viewers, and Fox4 and TEGNA8 splitting the 25-to-54 gold.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ The Big Bang Theory remained Thursday night’s heaviest hitter while Fox’s two-hour American Idol also paid some dividends.
Big Bang drew 361,120 D-FW viewers and 114,325 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic to lead all programming in both measurements.
The closing 90 minutes of Idol then won in total viewers but trailed CBS’ Life in Pieces among 18-to-49-year-olds in the 7:30 to 8 p.m. slot.
At 9 p.m., Fox4’s local newscast won in both total viewers (184,142) and with 18-to-49-year-olds (50,811).
The return of ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder lagged in the 9 p.m. hour, finishing fourth in total viewers (106,236). But HTGAWM moved up to second place among 18-to-49-year-olds in competition among the Big Four broadcast networks.
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders also had another prime-time debate Thursday. The originating network, PBS, averaged 63,742 total viewers in the 8 to 10 p.m. slot. CNN’s simulcast surpassed that with 84,989 total viewers.
Thursday’s lowest prime-time scorer among the Big Four broadcasters, NBC’s 7 p.m. episode of You, Me and the Apocalypse, drew 49,577 total viewers and 22,230 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Here are the local news derby results for the sixth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
NBC5 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers, but Fox4 pulled in the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 continued to dominate at 6 a.m. with another pair of twin wins. At 6 p.m., TEGNA8 had the most total viewers while Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds.
There were more first-place ties at 5 p.m., with NBC5 and TEGNA8 sharing the lead in total viewers, and Fox4 and TEGNA8 splitting the 25-to-54 gold.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Reporter Arezow Doost is exiting CBS11, relocating to Austin with husband (updated with her comments)
02/11/16 05:56 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS11 reporter Arezow Doost, who is on maternity leave after having her second child in November, has decided to leave the station and relocate to Austin.
Her husband, Kevin Peters, recently began a job in Austin as a digital producer for IBM.
Doost has been with CBS11 since July 2008, initially as a freelancer and since October 2010 as a full-time reporter. CBS11 director of communications Lori Conrad confirmed her departure Thursday and said that Doost will not be returning to the station for any final goodbyes.
The 2001 University of Texas at Austin graduate joined CBS11 from Austin’s Fox affiliate, KTBC-TV, where she spent four years. Her first TV news job was at CBS station KZTV-TV in Corpus Christi, where she started in the summer of 2001.
“I’ve been so lucky to work here in North Texas,” Doost said. “I moved here as a young girl after a winding path from Kabul, Afghanistan. Looking back, I certainly never thought I would be working in television in D-FW. It’s been quite the journey. Now another journey is in front of me. My husband got a great opportunity to work in Austin. After talking it over, we felt it was something we just couldn’t pass up.
“I will miss everyone at CBS11 and our wonderful viewers . . . I look forward now to getting our growing family settled in Austin and to this next adventure in our lives.”
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Feb. 10) -- Idol romps before CBS takes control
02/11/16 11:31 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox again hit it out of the park with American Idol before CBS hit back with its Wednesday night drama pairing.
Idol took the 7 p.m. hour with 283,296 D-FW viewers and 98,447 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
CBS’ then had the top draws from 8 to 10 p.m. Criminals Minds drew 276,214 total viewers and 73,041 in the 18-to-49 age range before Code Black had respective totals of 219,554 and 66,690 viewers.
ABC again had the night’s lowest achiever among the Big Four broadcast networks. Its 9 p.m. episode of the critically acclaimed American Crime drew just 56,659 total viewers, with 9,527 in the 18-to-49 realm. So TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscast again can sue for malpractice as far as network lead-ins are concerned.
Speaking of that, here are the local news derby results for the fifth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 ranked No. 1 in total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 won comfortably among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 also again rolled with twin wins at 6 a.m. and had the most 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. The total viewer golds went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and CBS11 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox again hit it out of the park with American Idol before CBS hit back with its Wednesday night drama pairing.
Idol took the 7 p.m. hour with 283,296 D-FW viewers and 98,447 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
CBS’ then had the top draws from 8 to 10 p.m. Criminals Minds drew 276,214 total viewers and 73,041 in the 18-to-49 age range before Code Black had respective totals of 219,554 and 66,690 viewers.
ABC again had the night’s lowest achiever among the Big Four broadcast networks. Its 9 p.m. episode of the critically acclaimed American Crime drew just 56,659 total viewers, with 9,527 in the 18-to-49 realm. So TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscast again can sue for malpractice as far as network lead-ins are concerned.
Speaking of that, here are the local news derby results for the fifth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 ranked No. 1 in total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 won comfortably among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 also again rolled with twin wins at 6 a.m. and had the most 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. The total viewer golds went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and CBS11 at 6 p.m.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Feb. 9) -- everybody's a winner except ABC
02/10/16 02:26 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ usual Tuesday lead-off hitter, the redoubtable NCIS, again led all prime-time programming while Fox and NBC also had their moments.
The Mark Harmon-led crime drama drew 410,779 D-FW viewers before the network’s NCIS: New Orleans dipped significantly but still easily took the 8 p.m. hour with 276,214 viewers.
NBC’s Chicago Fire and Fox4’s local newscasts shared the 9 p.m. lead with 169,978 viewers apiece.
NCIS also led at 7 p.m. with advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds (79,393) before Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine (76,217) and The Grinder (53,987) ran first from 8 to 9 p.m. Fox4’s news then had enough juice to win the 9 p.m. hour with 38,108 viewers in this key demographic.
ABC continued to crater at 8 p.m. with Marvel’s Agent Carter, which had 42,494 total viewers and a sub-pitiful 6,351 in the 18-to-49 age range. Even The CW’s competing iZombie pounded Agent Carter among 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 19,054 of ‘em.
Meanwhile, the three 24-hour cable news outlets battled for viewers on the night of the New Hampshire presidential primary. Fox News Channel won throughout prime-time, peaking at 141,648 total viewers between 8 and 9 p.m. FNC also had the night’s highest score among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming), pulling in 35,716 during the 8 p.m. hour. CNN ran second for the night and MSNBC, third.
Here are the local news derby results for the fourth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
NBC5 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. and tied TEGNA8 for first place among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again swept the 6 a.m. races while the 6 p.m. golds were won by CBS11 in total viewers and TEGNA8 in the 25-to-54 age range.
At 5 p.m., NBC5 had the most total viewers but TEGNA8 and CBS11 shared the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ usual Tuesday lead-off hitter, the redoubtable NCIS, again led all prime-time programming while Fox and NBC also had their moments.
The Mark Harmon-led crime drama drew 410,779 D-FW viewers before the network’s NCIS: New Orleans dipped significantly but still easily took the 8 p.m. hour with 276,214 viewers.
NBC’s Chicago Fire and Fox4’s local newscasts shared the 9 p.m. lead with 169,978 viewers apiece.
NCIS also led at 7 p.m. with advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds (79,393) before Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine (76,217) and The Grinder (53,987) ran first from 8 to 9 p.m. Fox4’s news then had enough juice to win the 9 p.m. hour with 38,108 viewers in this key demographic.
ABC continued to crater at 8 p.m. with Marvel’s Agent Carter, which had 42,494 total viewers and a sub-pitiful 6,351 in the 18-to-49 age range. Even The CW’s competing iZombie pounded Agent Carter among 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 19,054 of ‘em.
Meanwhile, the three 24-hour cable news outlets battled for viewers on the night of the New Hampshire presidential primary. Fox News Channel won throughout prime-time, peaking at 141,648 total viewers between 8 and 9 p.m. FNC also had the night’s highest score among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming), pulling in 35,716 during the 8 p.m. hour. CNN ran second for the night and MSNBC, third.
Here are the local news derby results for the fourth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
NBC5 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. and tied TEGNA8 for first place among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again swept the 6 a.m. races while the 6 p.m. golds were won by CBS11 in total viewers and TEGNA8 in the 25-to-54 age range.
At 5 p.m., NBC5 had the most total viewers but TEGNA8 and CBS11 shared the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Feb. 8) -- The Bachelor & CBS come up roses
02/09/16 12:14 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
ABC’s The Bachelor and CBS’ trio of dramas split the prime-time spoils Monday.
In the 7 to 9 p.m. slot, The Bachelor won the first hour in total D-FW viewers, edging CBS’ competing and increasingly formidable Supergirl by a score of 240,802 to 226,637.
CBS’ Scorpion (318,708 viewers) and NCIS: Los Angeles (290,378) then controlled the 8 to 10 p.m. hours.
Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, The Bachelor won from start to stop with an average of 88,920 viewers. At 9 p.m., NCIS (57,163) nipped NBC’s second hour of The Biggest Loser (53,987).
Fox’s 7 p.m. fourth episode of The X-Files, with two now left to go, lagged in third place in total viewers (191,225) but moved up to second place with 18-to-49-year-olds (63,514). But the network’s followup act, Lucifer, fell to fourth place in both ratings measurements among the Big Four broadcast networks.
Here are the local news derby results for the third weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 also as usual swept the 6 a.m. competitions while NBC5 stayed strong at 5 p.m. with twin wins.
CBS11 topped the 6 p.m. race in total viewers and tied NBC5 for first place with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
ABC’s The Bachelor and CBS’ trio of dramas split the prime-time spoils Monday.
In the 7 to 9 p.m. slot, The Bachelor won the first hour in total D-FW viewers, edging CBS’ competing and increasingly formidable Supergirl by a score of 240,802 to 226,637.
CBS’ Scorpion (318,708 viewers) and NCIS: Los Angeles (290,378) then controlled the 8 to 10 p.m. hours.
Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, The Bachelor won from start to stop with an average of 88,920 viewers. At 9 p.m., NCIS (57,163) nipped NBC’s second hour of The Biggest Loser (53,987).
Fox’s 7 p.m. fourth episode of The X-Files, with two now left to go, lagged in third place in total viewers (191,225) but moved up to second place with 18-to-49-year-olds (63,514). But the network’s followup act, Lucifer, fell to fourth place in both ratings measurements among the Big Four broadcast networks.
Here are the local news derby results for the third weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 also as usual swept the 6 a.m. competitions while NBC5 stayed strong at 5 p.m. with twin wins.
CBS11 topped the 6 p.m. race in total viewers and tied NBC5 for first place with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Feb. 5-7) -- Super Bowl 50 edition
02/08/16 08:56 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Absent any high-flying offensive fireworks, Sunday’s landmark Super Bowl 50 dipped in the D-FW ratings compared to last year’s down-to-the-wire thriller between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
The Denver Broncos’ defense called the tune in a 24-10 throttling of the favored Carolina Panthers. Running from 5:39 to 9:22 p.m. on CBS, the game averaged 2,443,428 viewers, down from the 2,740,782 for Patriots-Seahawks on NBC. Broncos’ defender Von Miller was the game’s MVP, with both Peyton Manning and Cam Newton struggling all day to move their teams. Neither QB had a touchdown pass, and Denver’s first TD was scored by the defense.
The Broncos and Panthers hit their peak audience early on, with a high of 2,620,488 between 7:15 and 7:30 p.m. That also fell well short of New England and Seattle, which maxed out at 2,915,132 viewers last year.
Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Super Bowl 50 averaged 1,038,454, down from the 1,258,366 for last year’s game.
A few words about the halftime show. It never really registered, with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin starting by lip syncing way out of sync while the “filmic” presentation made it all look remote rather than live. Overall poor sound quality added to the mess. Things picked up a bit when Beyonce and Bruno Mars joined in, but their previous solo Super Bowl halftime shows were far superior. Sunday’s musical highlight -- by far -- was Lady Gaga’s unexpectedly glorious singing of the National Anthem.
CBS’ post-Super Bowl 50 attraction, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, started a few minutes before 10 p.m. and averaged 396,614 total viewers. But the audience plunged from 644,498 viewers for the first 15 minutes to 219,464 for the final quarter hour. Late Show averaged 174,664 viewers in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
On Saturday night, ABC’s prime-time Republican presidential candidate debate from New Hampshire clashed with CBS’ live NFL Honors special, hosted by Conan O’Brien.
It was no contest, with the Republicans averaging 304,543 total viewers while NFL Honors limped in with a surprisingly low 84,989. The Republicans also beat the NFL among 18-to-49-year-olds.
Friday’s top prime-time scorers in total viewers were CBS’ Undercover Boss and ABC’s Shark Tank, each with 177,060.
CBS’ two-hour Super Bowl’s Greatest Halftime Shows drew 134,566 viewers while also lagging with 18-to-49-year-olds. Undercover Boss and Shark Tank likewise tied for the prime-time lead in that demographic with 47,636 viewers apiece.
Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the second weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
TEGNA8 ran first in total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and TEGNA8 ran the table at 6 p.m.
NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and tied TEGNA8 for the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Reporter Elizabeth Dinh leaves CBS11, heads West
02/06/16 05:02 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
After just over three years at D-FW’s CBS11, reporter Elizabeth Dinh is leaving to become a 10 and 11 p.m. anchor with Fox affiliate KPTV-TV in Portland, Oregon. She posted the news Friday on her Facebook and Twitter pages.
Dinh, who joined CBS11 in December 2012 from Seattle’s KOMO-TV, primarily has worked the morning shift and will remain with the station “for a couple more weeks,” she said on Facebook.
“DFW will always have a special place in my heart,” said Dinh, who was born in Irving and raised in Grand Prairie and Arlington. She’s a graduate of UT-Arlington.
Dinh has been public about owing her life to her husband, Kevin, who in June, 2012 donated one of his kidneys to her after a medical condition caused both of Dinh’s kidneys to fail. She also has worked for TV stations in Amarillo and Tampa, FL, and in 2003 won the Miss Asian American Texas pageant.
“It will be an honor to join this talented, hard-working team as I continue to grow as a journalist,” Dinh said of her impending tenure at KPTV.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Feb. 3-4) -- Madoff bombs, Idol wins big, Dem debate does OK
02/05/16 09:30 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Thursday night’s selection of American Idol’s 24 finalists, including Dalton Rapattoni of Dallas/Sunnyvale, put Fox and Fox4 in almost total control of prime-time on the first day of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
The farewell season of Fox’s game-changing singing competition averaged 332,8733 D-FW viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. That was good enough to win from start to stop, with even CBS’ The Big Bang Theory running slightly behind Idol’s first half-hour.
Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Idol won from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with 117,501 viewers. But Big Bang prevailed from 7 to 7:30 p.m. by a score of 130,204 viewers to 107,974.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then won its time slot in both measurements, with 219,554 total viewers and 79,393 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Over on MSNBC, the free-swinging 8 to 10 p.m. Democratic presidential candidate debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders drew 120,401 total viewers and 47,636 in the 18-to-49 demographic. That’s pretty much a spectacular showing for MSNBC, which easily outdrew Fox News Channel and CNN during those two hours.
ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. Part 2 of Madoff, starring Richard Dreyfuss, had 92,071 total viewers and a sub-puny 9,527 in the 18-to-49 realm. The network’s followup news special, Madoff: After the Fall, did considerably better on both counts with 134,566 total viewers and 34,933 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
Wednesday’s prime-time festivities also were led by Idol, which outdrew all programming in both total viewers (318,708) and 18-to-49-year-olds (101,622). Part 1 of Madoff had respective totals of 127,483 and 28,581 viewers before losing ground with Thursday’s conclusion.
Here are the Wednesday/Thursday local news derby results.
Wednesday -- NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 cruised to another pair of wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. Among 25-to-54-year-olds, Fox4 ran first at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 won at 6 p.m.
Thursday -- TEGNA8 opened strong on the first day of the February sweeps with twin wins at 10 p.m.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m. The Peacock and TEGNA8 shared first place in total viewers at 6 p.m., but NBC5 had the 25-to-54 gold to itself.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Thursday night’s selection of American Idol’s 24 finalists, including Dalton Rapattoni of Dallas/Sunnyvale, put Fox and Fox4 in almost total control of prime-time on the first day of the February “sweeps” ratings period.
The farewell season of Fox’s game-changing singing competition averaged 332,8733 D-FW viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. That was good enough to win from start to stop, with even CBS’ The Big Bang Theory running slightly behind Idol’s first half-hour.
Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Idol won from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with 117,501 viewers. But Big Bang prevailed from 7 to 7:30 p.m. by a score of 130,204 viewers to 107,974.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then won its time slot in both measurements, with 219,554 total viewers and 79,393 in the 18-to-49 age range.
Over on MSNBC, the free-swinging 8 to 10 p.m. Democratic presidential candidate debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders drew 120,401 total viewers and 47,636 in the 18-to-49 demographic. That’s pretty much a spectacular showing for MSNBC, which easily outdrew Fox News Channel and CNN during those two hours.
ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. Part 2 of Madoff, starring Richard Dreyfuss, had 92,071 total viewers and a sub-puny 9,527 in the 18-to-49 realm. The network’s followup news special, Madoff: After the Fall, did considerably better on both counts with 134,566 total viewers and 34,933 in the 18-to-49 demographic.
Wednesday’s prime-time festivities also were led by Idol, which outdrew all programming in both total viewers (318,708) and 18-to-49-year-olds (101,622). Part 1 of Madoff had respective totals of 127,483 and 28,581 viewers before losing ground with Thursday’s conclusion.
Here are the Wednesday/Thursday local news derby results.
Wednesday -- NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but TEGNA8 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 cruised to another pair of wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m. Among 25-to-54-year-olds, Fox4 ran first at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 won at 6 p.m.
Thursday -- TEGNA8 opened strong on the first day of the February sweeps with twin wins at 10 p.m.
Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m. The Peacock and TEGNA8 shared first place in total viewers at 6 p.m., but NBC5 had the 25-to-54 gold to itself.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Feb. 2) -- Super Bowl commercials collection adds up
02/03/16 01:17 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Seeing spots. CBS’ two-hour Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials led all Tuesday programming in both key ratings measurements.
Airing from 7 to 9 p.m., the special drew 290,378 D-FW viewers and 82,568 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
NBC’s Chicago Fire then took the 9 p.m. hour with 184,142 total viewers and 50,811 in the 18-to-49 age range.
FX scored what could be a breakout hit in the basic cable network universe with its 9 p.m. premiere of The People v. O. J.: American Crime Story. It performed particularly well among 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 73,041 for the 9 p.m. first airing and another 41,284 for the 10 p.m. repeat. The latter number was good enough to lead all programming at that hour.
The total viewers haul for People v. O. J. was 120,401 at 9 p.m. and 63,742 at 10 p.m. So in each instance, well more than half the audience resided in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
In contrast, ABC’s Marvel’s Agent Carter continued to come up all but empty. Its 8 p.m. episode had 56,659 total viewers and 12,703 in the 18-to-49 realm.
Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.
CBS11 ran first in total viewers at 10 p.m. while TEGNA8 won a close four-way battle for the most 25-to-54-year-olds (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. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and the Peacock among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Seeing spots. CBS’ two-hour Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials led all Tuesday programming in both key ratings measurements.
Airing from 7 to 9 p.m., the special drew 290,378 D-FW viewers and 82,568 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
NBC’s Chicago Fire then took the 9 p.m. hour with 184,142 total viewers and 50,811 in the 18-to-49 age range.
FX scored what could be a breakout hit in the basic cable network universe with its 9 p.m. premiere of The People v. O. J.: American Crime Story. It performed particularly well among 18-to-49-year-olds, drawing 73,041 for the 9 p.m. first airing and another 41,284 for the 10 p.m. repeat. The latter number was good enough to lead all programming at that hour.
The total viewers haul for People v. O. J. was 120,401 at 9 p.m. and 63,742 at 10 p.m. So in each instance, well more than half the audience resided in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic.
In contrast, ABC’s Marvel’s Agent Carter continued to come up all but empty. Its 8 p.m. episode had 56,659 total viewers and 12,703 in the 18-to-49 realm.
Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.
CBS11 ran first in total viewers at 10 p.m. while TEGNA8 won a close four-way battle for the most 25-to-54-year-olds (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. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and the Peacock among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
No longer at Fox4: veteran reporter Melissa Cutler
02/03/16 10:00 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Dallas-based Fox4 and longtime reporter Melissa Cutler have parted ways.
Cutler confirmed Wednesday to unclebarky.com that she’s “starting a new career in real estate” in tandem with her husband. They’ve been buying a “number of properties” since 2003, Cutler said. ”Let’s see how far we can go.” Her last day at Fox4 was Friday.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while,” said Cutler, who’s a licensed realtor. “I think a lot of the skills I’ve learned as a reporter transfer pretty well. Getting out and about, dealing with legal documents, keeping contacts fresh and developing sources. I think it’ll be fun.”
Cutler joined Fox4 in July 2001 from ABC affiliate WQAD-TV in Moline, Illinois, where she had anchored for two years. Her twins, a boy and a girl, were born shortly before the move to Dallas. They are now 15. She previously worked as a reporter for four years at Kansas City’s KSHB-TV.
During her 14-and-a-half years at Fox4, “I had an opportunity to become friends with some really smart and funny co-workers,” Cutler said. “I’m just so grateful. I’ll miss them the most, for sure.”
Former Fox4 colleague and investigative reporter Becky Oliver also is newly in the real estate business after retiring from the station last year.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Feb. 1) -- The Bachelor gets the biggest bang
02/02/16 03:20 PM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s third episode of The X-Files slipped Monday night, losing to ABC’s competing first hour of The Bachelor in both major ratings measurements.
The continuing limited-run adventures of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully had 191,225 total D-FW viewers in the 7 p.m. slot while The Bachelor drew 212,427. Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, The Bachelor won by a score of 79,393 viewers to The X-Files’ 66,690.
The Bachelor remained on top from 8 to 9 p.m. with 198,307 total viewers and 76,217 in the 18-to-49 age range. Fox’s second episode of Lucifer pulled in 148,730 total viewers to also finish behind CBS’ repeat of Scorpion (162,895). Among 18-to-49-year-olds, Lucifer moved up a notch to second place with 66,690.
At 9 p.m., CBS’ rerun of NCIS: Los Angeles had the most total viewers (184,142) while NBC’s second hour of The Biggest Loser won with 18-to-49-year-olds (57,163).
It also was Iowa caucuses night, with Fox News Channel the clear choice in the cable universe. FNC easily outdrew both runner-up CNN and third-place MSNBC. Its coverage peaked from 10 to 11 p.m. with 184,142 total viewers and 68,455 in the 25-to-54-year-old age range (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Here are Monday’s local news derby results.
CBS11 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 ranked No. 1 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again had twin wins at 6 a.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and the Peacock with 25-to-54-year-olds.
At 5 p.m., NBC5 had the most total viewers and TEGNA8 broke through with a 25-to-54 win.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s third episode of The X-Files slipped Monday night, losing to ABC’s competing first hour of The Bachelor in both major ratings measurements.
The continuing limited-run adventures of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully had 191,225 total D-FW viewers in the 7 p.m. slot while The Bachelor drew 212,427. Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, The Bachelor won by a score of 79,393 viewers to The X-Files’ 66,690.
The Bachelor remained on top from 8 to 9 p.m. with 198,307 total viewers and 76,217 in the 18-to-49 age range. Fox’s second episode of Lucifer pulled in 148,730 total viewers to also finish behind CBS’ repeat of Scorpion (162,895). Among 18-to-49-year-olds, Lucifer moved up a notch to second place with 66,690.
At 9 p.m., CBS’ rerun of NCIS: Los Angeles had the most total viewers (184,142) while NBC’s second hour of The Biggest Loser won with 18-to-49-year-olds (57,163).
It also was Iowa caucuses night, with Fox News Channel the clear choice in the cable universe. FNC easily outdrew both runner-up CNN and third-place MSNBC. Its coverage peaked from 10 to 11 p.m. with 184,142 total viewers and 68,455 in the 25-to-54-year-old age range (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Here are Monday’s local news derby results.
CBS11 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 ranked No. 1 among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Fox4 again had twin wins at 6 a.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and the Peacock with 25-to-54-year-olds.
At 5 p.m., NBC5 had the most total viewers and TEGNA8 broke through with a 25-to-54 win.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net
Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Jan. 29-31) -- Grease: Live! turbo-charges Fox
02/01/16 11:13 AM
By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Expect more live musicals on Fox. The network’s copycatting of NBC’s success paid big dividends Sunday, with the three-hour Grease: Live! dominating prime-time and comfortably beating ESPN’s competing Pro Bowl.
Grease: Live! averaged 347,038 D-FW viewers in the 6 to 9 p.m. slot, with nearly half -- 171,488 -- within the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old age range.
The Pro Bowl drew 226,637 total viewers and 101,622 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then cleaned up, winning the hour in total viewers (254,966) and 18-to-49-year-olds (95,271). The station’s Saturday 9 p.m. edition also scored, ranking No. 1 among all prime-time programs in total viewers with 113,318.
Friday’s prime-time parade was led by ABC’s 8 p.m. hour of Shark Tank in both total viewers (177,060) and 18-to-49-year-olds (73,041). But the usual top dog in total viewers, CBS’ Blue Bloods, was in reruns.
Here are Friday’s local news derby results.
NBC5 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.
CBS11 took the top spot in total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 and NBC5 tied for first among 25-to-54-year-olds.
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Expect more live musicals on Fox. The network’s copycatting of NBC’s success paid big dividends Sunday, with the three-hour Grease: Live! dominating prime-time and comfortably beating ESPN’s competing Pro Bowl.
Grease: Live! averaged 347,038 D-FW viewers in the 6 to 9 p.m. slot, with nearly half -- 171,488 -- within the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old age range.
The Pro Bowl drew 226,637 total viewers and 101,622 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.
Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then cleaned up, winning the hour in total viewers (254,966) and 18-to-49-year-olds (95,271). The station’s Saturday 9 p.m. edition also scored, ranking No. 1 among all prime-time programs in total viewers with 113,318.
Friday’s prime-time parade was led by ABC’s 8 p.m. hour of Shark Tank in both total viewers (177,060) and 18-to-49-year-olds (73,041). But the usual top dog in total viewers, CBS’ Blue Bloods, was in reruns.
Here are Friday’s local news derby results.
NBC5 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).
Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m.
CBS11 took the top spot in total viewers at 6 p.m. Fox4 and NBC5 tied for first among 25-to-54-year-olds.
Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net