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Finfrock stepping down as NBC5's chief meteorologist, but will still have his foot in

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David Finfrock’s mentor still looms large at NBC5. Photos: Ed Bark

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
He succeeded a legend and then became one himself.

From Harold Taft to David Finfrock -- and the list doesn’t go on and on. They have been the only two chief meteorologists in the 70-year history of KXAS-TV (which began as WBAP-TV and now is promoted as NBC5).

As of Thursday, Feb. 1st, that will change. Finfrock isn’t leaving, but he’s cutting back to a part-time forecaster who will work roughly 100 days a year on a pay-per-day basis. The new chief is Rick Mitchell, who joined NBC5 in August 2012 and has been the weekday 10 p.m. meteorologist ever since.

Finfrock, who turns 65 in May, says “it’s the best of both worlds for me” and a voluntary move that meets his goals of having more time off while also staying in the game.

“That’s one thing I was looking forward to -- the flexibility and scheduling,” he says during an interview at NBC5’s Fort Worth studios. “I enjoy the work. Most of my friends are here at the TV station. And I would hate to just walk out the door and not come back.”

He signed his last long-term deal in 2012 and it was set to expire on June 1st of this year. But Finfrock says he opted for a Dec. 31 “retirement” due to imminent changes in the station’s health insurance provisions that would have affected his wife of 40 years, Shari Finfrock. In what so far is “kind of a handshake deal,” Finfrock is “more likely to be in” on Wednesdays through Fridays. But if bad weather hits, he’ll pitch in on other days. Because of a long-planned vacation trip, he’ll also miss most of the month of November.

“If everything goes well, it’ll probably be the same situation next year,” he says.

Station management asked him about titles and suggested he could be NBC5’s “senior chief meteorologist,” Finfrock says. “But you can’t have two chiefs,” he added, so they settled on the title of “senior meteorologist.”

“It may sound like a cliche, but I’m truly honored to be taking over for David,” Mitchell says. “To be only the third chief meteorologist in the history of KXAS is humbling. Both Harold Taft and David have set the bar high, so I have my work cut out for me. I’m confident that my 30 years of experience will serve me well.”

Finfrock pinpoints his “first day in the building” as Dec. 22, 1975, but isn’t entirely certain about the exact date of his inaugural on-air appearance. On one of the “first few days of January” 1976, though, Taft walked up to him during a commercial break for the noon newscast and said, “Why don’t you do it today.”

“I had two minutes warning for my television debut,” he recalls. “I was nervous. It took me about six months, really, to get comfortable in front of the camera.”

Taft did him a favor, though, with his spur-of-the-moment directive, Finfrock says. “I didn’t have to think about it overnight.”

Until the early 1980s, Taft and Finfrock stuck to what now seems like a stone age approach. They hand-drew their maps for each newscast. There was one for Texas, another for the U.S. and a third “forecast map.” Temperatures were posted with a Marks-A-Lot pen just before the weather segment began, with Finfrock hurrying to a teletype machine to get the latest highs and lows.

Taft, who was an Army officer during World War II, often acted as though he was still in uniform. Yes was “Affirmative,” No was “Negative,” and he went “on leave,” not vacation.

“I never had any problems with Harold,” Finfrock says. “He was a stickler for doing things by the book. He had that military bearing, which I definitely do not.”

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So how did Finfrock, “extraordinarily shy” as a young man, and the stern, imposing Taft hook up in the first place? It’s still quite a story.

Finfrock, who grew up in Houston, graduated from Texas A&M in May 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in meteorology. He then spent the summer in Juneau, Alaska, doing field research in geology, geophysics and meteorology.

A full fellowship for graduate studies awaited him at Texas A&M, where he resumed studies that fall. Then came a phone call from someone “I never heard of.” It was Taft. He’d been looking at various job applications on public file at the National Weather Service’s southern regional office in Fort Worth. Finfrock caught his eye -- along with a number of other applicants. Would he like to audition at KXAS?

“I almost didn’t come,” Finfrock says. He had put off taking a mandatory public speaking class until his senior year as an undergrad at A&M. Couldn’t he just take a second semester of Russian instead? Told no, he girded himself and to his amazement, got a grade of A. During the course of the course, he learned “if you know your topic ahead of time, your fear tends to go away.”

So the idea of being on television wasn’t as daunting when Taft called. And after an intoxicating summer in Alaska, “sitting in a classroom again was kind of stultifying,” Finfrock says. “I was ready to get on with my life.”

The KXAS audition didn’t go well -- or so Finfrock thought. Initially seated at an anchor desk on a raised platform about six inches high, he was required to stand up and walk a short distance to the “weather wall.” When Finfrock arose and pushed the chair back, it toppled off the platform, making a “tremendous crashing sound.” Finfrock stayed on his feet and did the segment. But at that instant, he figured he’d blown it.

Taft chose him anyway, and a couple of years later, Finfrock asked him why.

Taft told him he was impressed with how the kid reacted calmly to a little duress and “if you can smoothly handle that, you should be able to handle just about anything on the air.” Otherwise the applicants were pretty much even in their qualifications, Taft said.

“So if my chair hadn’t toppled over, I might not have gotten the job,” Finfrock says. “I might be studying climate science on a glacier somewhere right now.” (A bit later, Finfrock accidentally knocks over his interviewer’s coffee cup. Just saying.)

Finfrock initially was paid monthly with a check from Harold E. Taft & Associates. He worked Mondays through Fridays plus Saturdays and had no holidays, vacation time or health benefits. Taft received “a monthly sum (from KXAS) to provide all the weather services for the station,” Finfrock remembers. “So it behooved him to hire someone who didn’t get a big paycheck. But it got my foot in the door.”

Taft died on Sept. 27, 1991 of cancer, continuing to work up until six weeks before he passed. Toward the end, “he would lie down on the floor for an hour to regain his strength,” Finfrock says. “There was no quit in him.”

Finfrock then became chief meteorologist. By that time, hand-drawn weather maps were very much a blast from the past while new tools continued to make short-term forecasting more accurate than ever.

For accuracy’s sake, Taft resisted doing more than a two-day forecast while rival stations were doing five-day predictions. A couple of years after his death, Finfrock joined in the five-day outlooks, which now have expanded to 10 days. The latter two or three days are “more guidance than anything else,” he concedes. But “we do a whole lot better than we did before” with 48-hour forecasts, which seldom miss anymore.

Finfrock says that climate change basically is an undeniable reality, with the last three years getting progressively warmer.

“The trend line is just going up,” he says. “Perhaps there is some natural fluctuation going on. I wouldn’t totally discount that.”

But with carbon dioxide levels steadily on the rise, “if there is any natural warming, we are adding to it by human causes. It would just make common sense to not make it any worse.”

What seems to be an increasing frequency of heavier storms is also “something we ought to get our hands on,” he says.

Finfrock continues to relish the great outdoors, finding it boring to exercise on a treadmill. He’d much rather cut brush and split firewood on the Finfrocks’ 100-acre ranch, which they own in addition to their main home. “That’s how I stay in shape, not only physically but mentally,” he says.

David and Shari have two children, Jennifer, 44, and Ryan, 39. He met his wife in Fort Worth, which never would have happened had Taft not called him and changed his career path in ways that Finfrock never imagined.

They remain interlocked, disparate in personalities but dedicated to the cause of presenting the weather without any artificial breeziness. Taft’s tutelage is ingrained, and it’s still evident that Finfrock would never want to disappoint him.

“I came of age watching Harold here,” he says. “He was my mentor.”

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Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Jan. 29) -- Fox still on wellness plan with The Resident

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s new medical drama, The Resident, kept the 8 p.m. slot in good health Monday with another win over ABC’s The Bachelor and other lesser knowns.

The Resident also led all prime-time programming in total D-FW viewers (199,419) and in the key, advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic (59,291).

The first half of The Bachelor otherwise won the 7 p.m. hour in both ratings measurements. At 9 p.m., CBS’ Scorpion drew the most total viewers while Fox4’s local newscast ran first with 18-to-49ers.

NBC’s faltering Better Late Than Never, with William Shatner, Henry Winkler, George Foreman and Terry Bradshaw clowning around overseas, ran last at 8 p.m. among the Big Four broadcast networks in both total viewers and among 18-to-49-year-olds. It worked better the first time around as a totally mindless summer diversion.

Here are Monday’s local news derby results.

NBC5 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 once again dominated the 6 a.m. races but was left out of the money at 6 p.m. NBC5, TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at that hour, with the Peacock alone in first among 25-to-54-year-olds.

The 5 p.m. total viewers golds were shared by Fox4 and NBC5. This time it was Fox4’s turn to win outright with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Jan. 26-28) -- Grammys take a big plunge

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Sunday night’s message-heavy, rap-infused 60th annual Grammy Awards ended up being a major turnoff in the D-FW Nielsens.

Now vying with the Oscars to become television’s longest awards show, the 3 hour, 35 minute telecast on CBS averaged 455,814 total viewers and 202,839 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

Those are mega-drops from last year’s show, which drew 661,670 total viewers and 288,639 in the 18-to-49 age range. Both were slight audience increases from the 2016 Grammys (658,663 total viewers and 285,813 in the 18-to-49 realm).

Nationally, the 19.8 million total viewers for the Grammys were the lowest since 2009, when 19.04 million watched the show. Last year’s Grammys drew 26.05 million viewers nationally. That show was dominated by Adele’s big showing while Sunday night’s Grammys were a major category victory march for Bruno Mars. The last two telecasts have been hosted by James Cordon.

Earlier Sunday, ABC’s portion of the NFL’s Pro Bowl (also shown on ESPN) easily beat the competing NHL All-star game on NBC by a score of 128,198 total viewers to 35,611. ESPN chipped in with an extra 71,221 viewers.

On Friday, Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast led all prime-time programming with 178,053 total viewers while tying a repeat of Fox’s preceding The Resident for first among 18-to-49-year-olds with 34,327.

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers and tied Fox4 for the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 as usual/always swept the 6 a.m. competitions while the 6 p.m. golds were split by Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

At 5 p.m., NBC5 won in total viewers and Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Jan. 25) -- The Four hits a few higher notes

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s answer to ABC’s land grab of American Idol is showing signs of hanging in there during a midseason in which the network already appears to have two very gainful new series -- 9-1-1 and The Resident.

The Four: Battle for Stardom made some headway Thursday in the 7 to 9 p.m. slot, although it helped that CBS mostly went with reruns of its heavy hitters.

Averaging 149,564 D-FW viewers and 56,171 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic, The Four outdrew NBC’s quartet of sitcoms in both ratings measurements in addition to ABC’s 8 p.m. hour of Scandal, CBS’ 7 p.m. attraction, MVP: Most Valuable Performer, and the network’s 8:30 p.m. repeat of Young Sheldon.

ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy otherwise took the 7 p.m. hour across-the-board while an 8 p.m. rerun of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory edged The Four among total viewers but lost to the Fox show with 18-to-49-year-olds.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast continued its strong winter season run by drawing more total viewers (227,907) than any other prime-time program while also winning its hour in the 18-to-49 realm.

Also of note: CBS11’s syndicated 6:30 p.m. Wheel of Fortune keeps on keeping on. For the entire day and night, it pulled in more total viewers (292,006) than anything else and also pounded the three competing entertainment rag mags among 18-to-49-year-olds with more viewers in that age range than any Thursday show except Grey’s Anatomy. WFAA-TV coughed up Wheel in 2005 after determining it was becoming too old-skewing to attract any “premium” rates from most advertisers. That still qualifies as possibly the most ill-advised local programming decision in the D-FW market’s history.

And now for Thursday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 (a k a WFAA) won in total viewers at 10 p.m. and tied Fox for the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 continued its 6 a.m. domination with twin wins. CBS11 otherwise had its best day in recent memory, winning at 6 p.m. in total viewers and 5 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic while sharing the top spot at 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds with Fox4. NBC5 drew the most total viewers at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Jan. 24) -- 9-1-1 and Amazing Race set the pace

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A new midseason hit and an enduring long-distance runner took the drivers’ seats Wednesday night.

Fox’s 9-1-1, already renewed for a second season, dominated its 8 p.m. slot while also ranking as prime-time’s most-watched TV attraction with 263,518 D-FW viewers.

CBS’ The Amazing Race ran second from 7 to 9 p.m. in total viewers but led all programming in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic with 68,653 viewers. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then won that hour in both ratings measurements with 192,237 total viewers and 46,809 in the 18-to-49 realm.

Fox’s re-do of The X-Files managed a second place finish at 7 p.m. in total viewers but fizzled to last place among the Big Four broadcast networks in the key 18-to-49 barometer. Actually, it also lost to The CW’s competing Riverdale. So make that fifth place.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the top spot in total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 won outright with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 again cruised to twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 swept the 5 p.m. competitions. The 6 p.m. firsts went to TEGNA8 in total viewers and the Peacock among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Jan. 23) -- CBS draws the crowd; NBC gets the "right" crowd

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS’ Tuesday night mainstays ruled in total D-FW viewers while NBC’s competing trio flexed their advertiser-prized demographics.

NCIS topped all TV attractions with 363,227 viewers before CBS’ following Bull (299,128) and NCIS: New Orleans (249,274) also locked in the most eyeballs.

But among Madison Avenue’s coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, the Peacock won from start to finish with Ellen’s Game of Games (49,930), This Is Us (118,583) and Chicago Med (56,171).

In contrast, ABC had prime-time’s overall loss leader among the Big Four broadcast networks. Its 9 p.m. edition of The Match Game failed to fill in any blanks with just 49,855 total viewers. But Match Game did manage to edge NCIS: New Orleans among 18-to-49-year-olds.

And now for Tuesday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 made an uncommon appearance in the winner’s circle by leading at 10 p.m. in total viewers. NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions to continue its long winning streak. At 6 p.m., TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and shared the 25-to-54 spoils with Fox4.

Also of note: TEGNA8’s determinedly social media-centric Daybreak lately has been dislodging NBC5 for the runner-up spot at 6 a.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds. A heavy emphasis on “trending” Twitter, Facebook and Instagram posts, aided/abetted by three young women hired in recent months to join holdover anchor Ron Corning, perhaps is starting to pay at least short-term dividends.

It’s quite another story at 4 p.m., where NBC5 dominates the three competing, hour-long newscasts among 25-to-54-year-olds while TEGNA8 barely registers. One obvious problem: TEGNA8’s corporate owner, TEGNA, Inc., has done a horrible job of providing any lead-in help at all from 2:30 to 4 p.m. In Tuesday’s Nielsens, the lineup of Sister Circle, Daily Blast and Inside Edition registered “hashmarks” (no measurable audience) in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic. This happens with some regularity.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Jan. 22) -- Fox's The Resident joins ABC's The Good Doctor at the head of new M.D. class

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
First-year doctor dramas continue to pass their physicals.

ABC has a Monday night breakout hit in The Good Doctor. Now Fox might have one, too, in The Resident, which followed up Sunday night’s post-football premiere by scoring again in what will be its regular slot.

The Resident won the 8 p.m. hour in both total D-FW viewers (235,029) and with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds (87,377). Good Doctor then again controlled the 9 p.m. Nielsens with 227,907 total viewers and 78,015 in the 18-to-49 age range.

From 7 to 8 p.m., CBS’ Kevin Can Wait won the first half-hour in total viewers with 185,175 before ABC’s now glaringly antiquated The Bachelor ran first from 7:30 to 8 p.m. with 156,686. The Bachelor had the 18-to-49 edge in both half-hours.

Here are Monday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 ran first among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 as usual controlled the 6 a.m hour in both ratings measurements, and NBC5 enjoyed sweeps at 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Jan. 19-21) -- Patriots' comeback tops Eagles' rout

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The later game generally gets the bigger overall crowd on the NFL’s championship Sunday. But not when it’s a one-sided romp while the earlier matchup isn’t decided until the final minute.

CBS’ New England Patriots-Jacksonville Jaguars face-off, with Tom Brady orchestrating a 24-20 comeback win, averaged 1,025,582 D-FW viewers and 368,231 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old age range.

Then came the Philadelphia Eagles’ 38-7 demolition of the Minnesota Vikings on Fox. It averaged 954,361 total viewers, but a higher 393,196 within the 18-to-49 motherlode. Not at all surprisingly, the audience for New England-Jacksonville built down the stretch while falling off for Philadelphia-Minnesota.

Although both of last year’s championship games were blowouts, they performed significantly better in the D-FW ratings than Sunday’s latest ABC and NFC championship games.

Fox’s early game, the Atlanta Falcons’ 44-21 blowout of the Green Bay Packers, drew 1,141,563 total viewers. The CBS’ game, a 36-17 New England decimation of the Pittsburgh Steelers, then fell slightly to 1,119,749 viewers.

It again should be noted that no other competing program came close to the NFL at any hour of the day or night Sunday. But a year-long decline in both the D-FW and national ratings has to be setting off alarm bells at the league’s fortress-like corporate headquarters.

Fox premiered its new medical drama The Resident at 9:04 p.m. Sunday following the network’s post-game show. The Resident won its time slot with 299,128 total viewers and 127,945 in the 18-to-49 realm. But in both cases, the audience declined in each quarter hour measured by Nielsen Media Research.

Friday’s prime-time numbers again were paced by CBS’ Blue Bloods in total viewers (292,006) while Fox4’s competing 9 p.m. local newscast had the most 18-to-49ers (53,050).

Here are Friday’s four-way local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won in 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 continued its long 6 a.m. winning streak with twin wins and also ran first at 5 and 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic. NBC5 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Jan. 18) -- something for everyone

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The prime-time pie got split four ways Thursday, with CBS getting the biggest portion while ABC and NBC got little tastes.

CBS’ The Big Bang Theory as usual ranked as the night’s biggest scorer, both in total D-FW viewers (391,716) and among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds (109,221). The network’s Young Sheldon, Mom and Life In Pieces also won in total viewers from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

The second half of ABC’s Grey Anatomy snuck in for an 18-to-49 win from 7:30 to 8 p.m. And NBC’s Will & Grace pulled in the most 18-to-49-year-olds from 8 to 8:30 p.m. before Life In Pieces trampolined upward to win on that scorecard from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

After again getting little help from Fox’s two-hour chunk of The Four: Battle for Stardom, Fox4’s 9 p.m. newscast rebounded to comfortably win at that hour in both ratings measurements. The news had more than twice as many 18-to-49-year-olds -- 84,256 -- as The Four (40,568).

Here are Thursday’s four-way local news derby results.

TEGNA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 notched another pair of 6 a.m. wins and NBC5 ran the table at 5 p.m. The 6 p.m. firsts went to CBS11 in total viewers and the Peacock among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Jan. 17) -- 9-1-1 still rescuing Fox while X-Files keeps flailing

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Already renewed for a second season, Episode 3 of Fox’s 9-1-1 continued to perform Wednesday.

Handily winning its 8 p.m. slot, the semi-sudsy rescue drama also ranked as the day’s most-watched show with 227,907 D-FW viewers. But it slipped some with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, losing its first half-hour to ABC’s Modern Family and from 8:30 to 9 p.m. to the second half of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU. MF was the night’s biggest draw among 18-to-49ers with 65,533.

Fox’s 7 p.m. lead-off hitter, The X-Files, continued to falter with a last place finish in total viewers (113,954) among the Big Four broadcast networks. X-Files fared a bit better with 18-to-49-year-olds, placing third ahead of NBC’s competing The Blacklist. CBS’ The Amazing Race was the top 7 p.m. scorer in both ratings measurements.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast continued its string of strong showings with a sweep at that hour in total viewers and with 18-to-49-year-olds.

Over on FX, Part 1 of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story opened weakly at 9 p.m. with 21,663 total viewers and 9,362 within the 18-to-49 age range. Those numbers could improve significantly with later viewings via a variety of “platforms.”

And now for Wednesday’s local news derby results.

Fox4 enjoyed sweeps at both 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). And NBC5 basked in a doubleheader win at 5 p.m.

The 6 p.m. golds went to TEGNA8 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Jan. 16) -- NBC mostly in charge

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s one-two Tuesday punch of Ellen’s Game of Games and This Is Us dominated before Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast capped the night with a two-pronged win.

Game of Games drew a nice-sized 292,006 D-FW viewers in the 7 p.m. hour, nearly equaling the following This Is Us (299,128). Both also won their time slots among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, with Game of Games pulling in 102,980 before This Is Us had 134,186.

Fox4’s news then won at 9 p.m. with 227,907 total viewers and 59,291 in the 18-to-49 age range. It helped that CBS punted with wall-to-wall reruns of its usually formidable drama lineup.

The CW’s 8 p.m. premiere of the DC Comics superhero drama Black Lightning settled for a light sprinkle in these parts. It drew just 28,488 total viewers and 9,362 in the 18-to-49 realm.

ABC’s 9 p.m. entry, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, won’t have to worry about that much longer. It ran last at that hour among the Big Four broadcast networks in both total viewers (64,099) and 18-to-49ers (12,482).

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 nipped NBC5 for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but the Peacock won with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

The 6 a.m. ratings were notably inflated with extra viewers who wondered about street conditions and possible school closings. Fox4 as usual had twin wins, luring more total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds than its newscasts at 5, 6 or 10 p.m. The 25-to-54 haul of 144,124 viewers was exceeded by only one other Tuesday TV attraction -- This Is Us with 173,537.

Fox4 also won at 5 and 6 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 took the 6 p.m. gold in that measurement.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

CBS11 anchor Kaley O'Kelley taking leave of absence for surgical procedure

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By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Kaley O’Kelley, CBS11’s weekday 5, 6 and 10 p.m. co-anchor since January 2015, is taking an extended leave of absence to have preventative surgery.

O’Kelley, in a live Facebook chat Friday with co-anchor Doug Dunbar, said she’ll undergo a hysterectomy on Wednesday, Jan. 17th and likely will be off the air for four to six weeks.

She managed to get the word out in the face of constant interjections from Dunbar, who obviously was well-meaning but became aggravatingly intrusive during an almost 17-minute video posted early Friday evening.

O’Kelley noted that she had an ovarian cyst and both of her fallopian tubes removed a “couple of years ago” after a “cancer scare.” She had been experiencing back pain.

Late last year, she was hit with “excruciating pain just before the holidays.” O’Kelley’s Scottsdale, Arizona-based doctor, who delivered both of her children, eventually recommended a hysterectomy after expressing “some serious concerns about what is happening,” she said.

Dunbar then noted that he’s not a doctor, but “the reality is they cut you pretty deep and the recovery takes a long time.”

He also noted, “It’s surgery. It’s gonna suck for a while. Let’s just be real.”

Later, Dunbar detailed the pain he experienced after his surgery for a hernia. “But yours is much bigger and broader obviously,” he conceded. In reality, though, Dunbar did much of the talking -- at the start, at the finish and in between. He even launched a competition about who would buy dinner before O’Kelley’s last 10 p.m. newscast for a while on Friday, Jan. 12th.

O’Kelley said she can’t wait for it to be over. “Listen to your body. If you think something’s going on, go get checked,” she urged.

CBS11’s Gilma Avalos will fill in during O’Kelley’s absence, she said.

O’Kelley likely will miss the February “sweeps” ratings period, but it’s considered a throwaway because of NBC’s telecasts of the Winter Olympics during much of that month. So the timing at least is pretty optimum.

All the best to O’Kelley for a successful procedure and a full recovery.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Mon., Jan. 12-15) -- foul weather friend for Fox4

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
It seldom if ever fails. Impending or ongoing bad weather is a boon for local newscast ratings.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. news felt the warmth Monday. The hour-long broadcast, with a heavy emphasis on imminent below-freezing temps and possible slip ’n’ slide roads, comfortably won its time slot with 320,495 D-FW viewers while also ranking as the most-watched program of the day.

The news likewise was Monday’s top draw among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, with 109,221 viewers. ABC’s The Good Doctor, which usually dominates the 9 p.m. hour, settled for second with 249,274 total viewers and 87,377 in the 18-to-49 age range.

From 7 to 9 p.m., ABC’s The Bachelor prevailed with 170,930 total viewers and 78,015 in the 18-to-49 realm.

On to the weekend, where the ratings were dominated by Sunday’s jaw-dropping, Hail Mary playoff win by the Minnesota Vikings over the New Orleans Saints. Airing on Fox, the game averaged 918,751 total viewers and 252,629 in the 18-to-49 demographic.

CBS’ preceding Jacksonville Jaguars-Pittsburgh Steelers face-off pulled in 655,233 total viewers and 224,683 of the 18-to-49 persuasion.

On Saturday, NBC’s mid-afternoon/early evening Philadelphia Eagles-Atlanta Falcons matchup had 591,134 total viewers and 187,2365 within the 18-to-49 motherlode.

The CBS nightcap, with the New England Patriots routing the Tennessee Titans, was the weekend’s lowest overall scorer with 548,402 total viewers. But it drew more 18-to-49-year-olds -- 205,960 -- than Eagles-Falcons.

Friday’s prime-time parade was led by CBS’ Blue Bloods in total viewers (284,884) and NBC’s Dateline among 18-to-49-year-olds (40,568).

Here are the four-way local news derby results for Friday and Monday.

Friday -- CBS11 ended its latest lengthy drought with a 10 p.m. win in total viewers 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 the same at 5 p.m.

The 6 p.m. golds went to CBS11 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Monday -- TEGNA8 took the top spot in total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 again prevailed among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 as usual ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 repeated its twin wins at 5 p.m.

TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers at 6 p.m., and Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed.-Thurs., Jan. 10-11) -- upper & downers for Fox

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
A network’s work is never done. Latest case in point: Fox.

Seeking a midseason toehold before the February start of the Winter Olympics on NBC, Fox launched three new series and fresh episodes of its iconic The X-Files during the first week of January.

All four had second go-arounds this week. As previously posted in Tuesday’s snapshot, the new sitcom LA to Vegas is doing fairly well despite mostly scathing reviews. Now let’s take a look at the rest of ‘em.

Fox is filling its two prime-time Thursday hours with The Four: Battle for Stardom, its answer to the loss of American Idol to ABC.

It’s not going too well so far, particularly among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. The Four drew a smallish 46,809 viewers in this key demographic. This was good enough to outdraw ABC’s 7 p.m. rerun of the game show Child Support, plus new episodes of NBC’s Will & Grace and Great News in the 9 p.m. hour, and CBS’ Life In Pieces from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

The Four otherwise lost to CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon and Mom; NBC’s Superstore and The Good Place; and narrowly to the first hour of ABC’s Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story.

The Four fared a bit better in the total viewer Nielsens, beating NBC’s entire sitcom lineup, Child Support and Life In Pieces by a sliver. Still, its 135,320 total viewers were a relative pittance compared to Fox’s bust-out new midseason hit.

That would be Wednesday night’s 9-1-1, which led all prime-time programming with 242,151 total viewers while also ranking as the pacesetter with 71,774 viewers in the 18-to-49 realm.

On the downside, though, midseason’s second new episode of The X-Files had just 99,709 total viewers in the 7 p.m. hour, with a paltry 24,965 in the 18-to-49 motherlode. That was good enough to beat only ABC’s 7:30 p.m. episode of Speechless in total viewers.

In the 18-to-40 measurement, X-Files fared better than both Speechless and NBC’s competing The Blacklist. But another old-timer, CBS’ The Amazing Race, dominated the 7 p.m. hour and squashed X-Files with 192,297 total viewers and 59,291 within the 18-to-49 age range.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local news had a far better night than X-Files with time slot wins in both ratings measurements.

And now, here are the four-way local news derby results.

Wednesday -- TEGNA8 impressively overcame a skimpy 9 p.m. lead-in from ABC’s The Match Game to win at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 notched another pair of 6 a.m. wins and also was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 and 6 p.m. NBC drew the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 ran first in that measurement at 6 p.m.

Thursday -- TEGNA8 again won in total viewers at 10 p.m., but was edged by Fox4 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Fox4 as usual ruled at 6 a.m. while NBC5 broomed its rivals with sweeps at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Jan. 9) -- return of This Is Us helps Peacock to crow with 18-to-49ers

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Paced by the midseason resumption of This Is Us, NBC rolled with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds Tuesday night while also scoring well in the total viewers Nielsens.

Us led all programming with 162,271 viewers in the key 18-to-49 demographic while the Peacock’s Ellen’s Game of Games and Chicago Med also won their time slots with respective counts of 106,100 and 68,653 viewers.

CBS’ NCIS as usual topped all prime-time attractions in total viewers with 363,227 in the 7 p.m. hour. This Is Us won at 8 p.m. with 299,128 viewers before CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans and Chicago Med tied for first at 9 p.m. with 220,785 viewers each.

Save for black-ish, ABC’s lineup ran last all night among the Big Four broadcast networks in both ratings measurements. Its biggest scorer, a 7 p.m. episode of The Middle, had 142,442 total viewers and 46,809 in the 18-to-49 realm. black-ish ran third at 8 p.m. with 18-to-49-year-olds, outpointing the first half hour of CBS’ Bull.

Episode 2 of Fox’s LA to Vegas ran third at 8 p.m. in total viewers and second among 18-to-49ers. It drew more viewers in both barometers than any show on ABC and did better among 18-to-49-year-olds than any show on CBS. So Fox has to be pretty pleased after the airborne comedy got mostly negative reviews.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 continued its long run of prosperity at 6 a.m. with twin wins and also ran first at 5 and 6 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 won in total viewers at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 was tops in that measurement at 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Jan. 8) -- year-to-year uptick for college football's national championship

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Alabama’s comeback overtime win against Georgia, capped by a long bomb touchdown pass from a backup freshman quarterback, sent the D-FW ratings upward Monday night.

The 26-23 win, with the game running from 7:20 to 11:10 p.m. on ESPN, averaged 712,210 viewers and 283,957 within the advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-old age range.

Last year’s college football championship game, a last second 35-31 Clemson win over Bama, drew 647,128 total viewers and 259,775 in the 18-to-49 realm. So in the end, having two SEC teams square off did not prove to be a ratings downer in these parts.

Rival broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC) need not have bothered. CBS’ 7 p.m. repeat of The Big Bang Theory, which mostly aired before the game started, ranked as the biggest prime-time draw other than football with 178,053 total viewers. ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. edition of The Bachelor was the runner-up among 18-to-49-year-olds (40,568 viewers). In the non-network arena, Fox4’s homegrown 9 p.m. newscast bettered The Bachelor with 43,688 viewers in the 18-to-49 demographic.

Here are Monday’s four-way local news derby results.

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). CBS11 finished a sliver behind in both measurements.

Fox4 continued its 6 a.m. mastery with another sweep. At 6 p.m., TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers and NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds. The Peacock and Fox4 shared the 5 p.m. lead in total viewers, with Fox4 taking the 25-to-54 gold.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Jan. 5-7) -- Globes go down/up

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Sunday’s empowerment-charged Golden Globes awards on NBC turned out to be a turnoff for some but also rose up among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds in the D-FW Nielsens.

Running from 7 to 10:08 p.m. and trumpeting the Time’s Up movement both visually and vocally, the Globes averaged 491,425 viewers, compared to 581,688 for last year’s ceremony. But there was a bit of a bump-up with 18-to-49-year-olds, from 205,254 last year to 224,683 Sunday night.

Decorously hosted by Seth Meyers and airing in the midst of widespread allegations and admissions of male sexual assault/harassment in Hollywood and elsewhere, the Globes were dominated by pointed speeches and almost universal black attire worn by nominees and presenters. Oprah Winfrey, the first African-American woman to be honored with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award, gave a powerful and still resonating acceptance speech that further fueled speculation that she might run for president in 2020. Meyers began the show by more or less joking, “Good evening, ladies and remaining gentlemen.”

This year’s Globes also evidenced a gender gap among D-FW viewers. The telecast drew 136,164 women in the 18-to-49 age range and 89,163 men in that demographic.

One ratings result remained constant from last year. A preceding NFL playoff game on Fox again ended just before the Globes began and had a far bigger audience. The New Orleans Saints’ narrow win over the Carolina Panthers averaged 854,652 total viewers and 308,939 in the 18-to-49 realm.

Also of note: From 6 to 7 p.m., when the game aired opposite NBC’s one-hour red carpet pre-Globes show, 117,164 women in the 18-to-49 age range watched football while 68,082 viewed the Globes pre-gamer. Among men in that audience demographic, 259,804 chose the closing hour of football while just 29,209 were tuned to the red carpet show.

Earlier Sunday, even CBS’ stultifying Jacksonville Jaguars-Buffalo Bills playoff game drew more total viewers than the Globes. The Jags’ 10-3 win had 598,256 viewers and 209,080 in the 18-to-49 domain.

Saturday’s pair of NFL playoff games were led by the Atlanta Falcons-Los Angeles Rams matchup in prime-time on NBC. It averaged 527,035 total viewers and 205,960 in the 18-to-49 demographic.

In Friday’s prime-time ratings, the regular CBS lineup of MacGyver, Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods dominated from start to stop in total viewers. NBC’s competing U.S. figure skating competition beat MacGyver and Blue Bloods among 18-to-49-year-olds but lost the 8 p.m. hour to Hawaii Five-0.

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers and tied Fox4 for the lead with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. races and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to NBC5 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Jan. 4) -- viewers already saying "No more" to The Four

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Just a night after blasting off with impressive ratings for its new 9-1-1 drama series, Fox had a failure to launch with yet another singing competition -- The Four: Battle For Stardom.

Hoping to make up for the loss of American Idol, Fox instead was thrown for a big loss in D-FW. The Four’s 7 to 9 p.m. premiere drew just 92,587 total viewers and 34,327 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old age range. In the Big Four broadcast network universe, The Four outdrew only ABC’s 7 to 8 p.m. reruns of The Middle and American Housewife in these two key ratings measurements.

CBS’ 7 p.m. new episode of The Big Bang Theory as usual ranked as Thursday’s biggest draw in both total viewers (455,814) and 18-to-49ers (109,221). The Big Bang spinoff, Young Sheldon, also again held up well with 384,593 total viewers and 78,015 in the 18-to-49 realm.

ABC’s two-hour Truth & Lies: Waco, the latest rehash of the David Koresh cult massacre, averaged 142,442 total viewers in the 8 to 10 p.m. slot, with 49,930 in the 18-to-49 motherlode. CBS’ S.W.A.T. won the 9 p.m. hour in total viewers (192,297) while the second half of Waco and NBC’s Chicago Fire were tops with 18-to-49-year-olds (53,050 viewers apiece).

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 scored twin wins at 10 p.m. in total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

At 6 a.m., co-anchor Alexa Conomos’ last day on TEGNA8’s Daybreak, after 15 years with the program, couldn’t deter frontrunner Fox4 from another sweep. Daybreak ran second in total viewers and third with 25-to-54-year-olds (behind runner-up NBC5).

NBC5 otherwise enjoyed the early evening with doubleheader wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Alexit: Alexa Conomos officially says goodbye to Daybreak

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Alexa Conomos said goodbye to viewers and colleagues Thursday while holding hands with a tearful Ron Corning, her Daybreak co-anchor. She spent 15 years with the program. Photo: Ed Bark

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Alexa Conomos officially called it a day on Thursday’s Daybreak, ending a 15-year tenure with TEGNA8’s waker upper.

She profusely thanked colleagues and viewers for being her surrogate families. Conomos otherwise is leaving both Daybreak and the station in favor of a “work-life balance” for herself, her husband and their three young children.

Conomos joined Daybreak in 2002 as the program’s traffic anchor before becoming co-news anchor with Ron Corning in June 2014 after regularly filling in. She originally announced her decision to leave in January 2017, but repeatedly was persuaded by station management to stay on while a replacement was sought. In late November, the station finally named Kara Sewell from Cincinnati’s WXIX-TV to join Corning at the Daybreak anchor desk. He said she’ll be introduced to viewers on the Friday, Jan. 5th edition of Daybreak.

On her last day, Conomos was showered with affection and a highlight package of mostly goofy moments, including her mispronunciation of Fort Worth’s Mayfest as “Mayfart” during a memorable 2011 traffic segment.

In her closing remarks, before being joined by her family, Conomos urged viewers to look at her Facebook page for news of what she’ll be up to next. That would be Anderson Conomos Homes, a newly formed “real estate consultation” firm.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Jan. 3) -- viewers respond to Fox's 9-1-1 call

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox’s premiere of 9-1-1 answered the network’s ratings distress call Wednesday night.

The 8 p.m. launch easily won its time slot in total D-FW viewers (299,128) while also ranking as prime-time’s top overall draw in that measurement. 9-1-1 likewise carried its weight with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, where it also was Wednesday night’s leader with 90,497.

Fox’s preceding return of The X-Files for a 10-episode run had a less imposing 170,930 total viewers to run second at 7 p.m. behind NBC’s Blacklist (192,297). X-Files nipped Blacklist among 18-to-49-year-olds, though, taking the 7 p.m. hour with 43,688.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast won its slot in both ratings measurements to top off a big night for Fox in the Big Four broadcast network universe.

Over on Fox Sports Southwest, the Dallas Mavericks made a big comeback against the league-leading Golden State Warriors before losing by three points near the buzzer when Steph Curry drained another of his long-distance jumpers. The game drew 92,587 total viewers and 43,688 in the 18-to-49 realm. From 9 to 10 p.m., Mavs-Warriors beat all competing programming among 18-to-49-year-olds.

Here are the local news derby results.

TEGNA8 swept the 10 p.m. races in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming) while Fox4 continued its long 6 a.m. winning streak with a pair of dominant firsts.

Fox4 also pulled in the most 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. The total viewer golds at those hours went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

TEGNA8 names Brad Ramsey as new president/GM

Brad_Ramsey_Head_Shot_3

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Dallas-based WFAA-TV (TEGNA8) begins the new year with a change at the top.

The station’s corporate owner, TEGNA, Inc. of McLean, VA,, announced Thursday that Brad Ramsey will succeed Mike Devlin as president and general manager.

Devlin, who earlier had announced his retirement after 12 years in management, will remain with TEGNA8 through early February to “ensure a smooth transition,” TEGNA says.

Ramsey has been vice president of business strategy for The Center for Sales Strategy after earlier serving as corporate TEGNA’s vice president of sales.

Lynn Beal, executive vice president and chief operating officer of media operations for TEGNA, said Ramsey will “continue to build on the great work Mike and the WFAA team are doing to embrace innovation, connect with our audiences and increase engagement on all devices. We’re excited to welcome Brad back into the TEGNA family.”

Ramsey, who will relocate to Dallas, is a Virginia Tech graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters degree in business administration.

Devlin earlier was a reporter for WFAA when it was home-owned owned by Belo Corp. He returned to the station in 2005 after serving as news director for Houston’s KHOU-TV.

In the last major ratings “sweeps” period on his watch, TEGNA8 returned to the top spot last November in the showcase 10 p.m. newscast competition. The station won in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds, the main advertiser target for news programming.

TEGNA8 lately has placed a heavy emphasis on “engagement on all devices,” particularly during its early morning Daybreak program. Recently hired traffic anchor Demetria Obilor, who doubles on-air as a Twitter/Facebook/Instagram chronicler, spoke volumes in that respect Thursday morning with a Twitter post and accompanying picture in which she assured followers, “Man, I’m tryna kick it wit ya.” Obilor at last count has 107,511 followers on Twitter.

Ramsey currently has 1,117 followers. Devlin has 37, but hasn’t tweeted since Feb. 9, 2009, when his one and only post said, “bud, I just signed up.”

Times are changing.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Tues., Dec. 20-Jan. 2) -- catching up on Cowboys, college football playoffs, etc.

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ meaningless, dull-edged New Year’s Eve win avoided at least one further indignity.

For the record, Dallas’ first string beat the playoff-bound Philadelphia Eagles’ second string by a 6-0 score. It ended the Cowboys’ season with a 9-7 record that wasn’t good enough to make the NFL’s annual tournament.

But likely helped by frigid, stay-at-home temperatures, the noon-starter on Fox at least avoided drawing the smallest D-FW crowd of the year. The game averaged 947,239 viewers to rank a bit ahead of the 904,507 viewers for the Dec. 10th win against the New York Giants.

In the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic, though, the Cowboys easily hit a season low of just 262,130 viewers. The aforementioned second Cowboys-Giants game dropped to second place in those dubious standings. It drew 321,422 viewers in the 18-to-49 realm. Happy New Year, Jerry Jones.

Let’s move on to Monday’s pair of college football playoff games, one an instant classic the other one pretty drab. Both were carried on ESPN.

Georgia’s elongated double overtime 54-48 comeback win over Oklahoma was first in line, running from 4 to 8:17 p.m. Let’s get the hand calculator out. Georgia-Oklahoma averaged 776,309 total viewers and 318,301 in the 18-to-49 age range. Yes, that’s more viewers in this key demographic than Cowboys-Eagles had.

Alabama’s following 24-6 suffocation of Clemson was bumped to ESPN2 for the first 22 minutes before shifting over to the mothership. It dragged on until 11:20 p.m., pulling in 470,059 total viewers and 202,839 within the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Toggling back to New Year’s Eve, ABC’s late nighter easy drew the most total viewers, peaking at a total viewers crowd of 747, 821 between 11 and 11:15 p.m. when the Eastern time ball dropped in Times Square.

On Tuesday night, Fox rolled out the 8 p.m. premiere of its new comedy series LA to Vegas. It drew 163,808 total viewers and 46,809 of the 18-to-49 persuasion. CBS’ Bull was the time slot winner in total viewers (341,861) while NBC’s Ellen Degeneres-hosted Game of Games won with 18-to-49-year-olds (102,980 for the full 8 to 9 p.m. hour). LA to Vegas ranked third in each measurement from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Here are the Friday and Tuesday local news derby results, with all four stations taking a Monday holiday exemption.

Friday -- TEGNA8 ranked first at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 kept rolling at 6 a.m. with twin wins and NBC5 swept the early evening races with across the board wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Tuesday -- TEGNA8 repeated as the 10 p.m. winner in total viewers and also was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 as usual swept the 6 a.m. competitions and added 5 and 6 p.m. firsts with 25-to-54-year-olds. TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Fox4 adds Alberto Romero to meteorologist team

Romero Headshot

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Dallas-based Fox4 begins the new year with a new hire.

He’s Alberto Romero, who on Jan. 8th will be joining incumbent meteorologists Dan Henry, Evan Andrews, Ali Turiano and Jen Myers.

Romero, previously with CBS affiliate KYTX-TV in Tyler, TX, will “report the weather on various newscasts and across our digital platforms,” Fox4 said in a publicity release Tuesday. Before his stint with KYTX and earlier with the now defunct Texas Cable News network, Romero spent eight years with the Air Force as a staff sergeant and weather officer.

“Alberto’s field military experience -- being able to quickly and accurately assess weather conditions -- will be an asset to the Fox4 team and to our viewers,” vice president and news director Robin Whitmeyer said in a statement.

Romero is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in Geoscience.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net