GOLDEN GIRLS - LAST-PLACE NBC COMES FROM BEHIND TO PUMMEL RIVALS

LAST-PLACE NBC COMES FROM BEHIND TO PUMMEL RIVALS

If a week had ten days, all of the top ten television shows last week would have been Summer Olympics telecasts. Even the other three programs that made it into the top ten attracted fewer than 25 percent of the viewers who tuned in to the Olympics telecasts. Thus far the Beijing Games are attracting more viewers than any other non-domestic Olympics telecast. Last week they averaged 28.7 million viewers, exceed only by the Atlanta Games in 1996, when they averaged 32.1 million. Meanwhile, the three other major networks' ratings sank to record lows. Especially surprising may have been the fact that the Saturday Olympics telecasts ranked third on the list, seemingly defying the conventional industry wisdom that viewers abandon their TV sets on Saturday nights. Searching back, analysts discovered that the Saturday telecast was actually exceeded by an episode of The Golden Girls in 1990 and that the sitcom typically drew such large audiences back then. Overall, NBC averaged a 9.6 rating and a 28 share for the week. CBS followed in second place with a 1.3 rating and a 4 share. Fox placed third with a 1.2/4, edging out ABC with a 1.1/3.

The top ten shows of the week according to Nielsen Research 1. Summer Olympics (Tuesday), NBC, 19.9/34; 2. Summer Olympics (Thursday), NBC, 17.9/31; 3. Summer Olympics (Saturday), NBC, 17.8/32; 4. Summer Olympics (Monday), NBC, 17.6/29; 5. Summer Olympics (Wednesday), NBC, 16.7/28; 6. Summer Olympics (Sunday), NBC, 16/27; 7. Summer Olympics (Friday), NBC, 15.4/28; 8. Two and a Half Men , CBS, 5.3/8; 9. NCIS , CBS, 4.9/8; 10. 60 Minutes, CBS, 4.7/9.

20/08/2008