Strong end to up
and down NFL season
Sunday NBC game pulls 27.6 million, boding well for playoffs
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jan 5, 2012
The NFL has some ratings momentum behind it as the postseason begins.
Fox wrapped up its highest-rated NFL regular season since 1995 on Sunday, the same day that "Sunday Night Football" became the most-watched regular-season primetime game in more than a decade.
Fox averaged a 12.0 household rating for its Sunday afternoon NFL games this year, the best since it drew a 12.5 during the 1995 season.
It was the third straight year that ratings for the NFL on Fox, which carries NFC games, rose, and Fox became one of just two NFL carriers to see ratings growth this season, along with NFL Network.
NBC, meanwhile, closed out a slightly down season of "Sunday Night Football" with its best game ever. Sunday's contest between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, which determined the winner of the NFC East, did even better than preliminary numbers indicated.
The game was the most-watched NFL regular-season primetime contest in 15 years, drawing 27.6 million total viewers.
It also outdrew NBC's previous top regular-season primetime game, 2010's Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints Thursday kickoff game, which averaged 27.5 million viewers.
It was a strong end to a rare down year for NFL ratings overall, as CBS and ESPN also saw declines. Though both had some strong individual games, overall ratings fell, undoubtedly due to some unfavorable matchups between teams that looked like winners during the preseason but ultimately saw their fortunes fade.
Fox had an advantage in that it broadcast the NFC games, and this year's best team, the 15-1 Green Bay Packers, plays in the NFC. So too do the Cowboys, who have participated in five of the top 10 most-watched primetime games on NBC.
NBC's late-season advantage is that it gets to pick the games that it broadcasts via the so-called flex scheduling plan, meaning that in the final weeks of the season it can replace a previously scheduled game with a different matchup if the latter seems likely to produce better ratings.
The NFL playoffs get underway this weekend, with NBC hosting two wild card games and Fox and CBS splitting the other two.
***
In broadcast ratings for the week ended Jan. 1:
Among adults 18-49, NBC was first for the week with a 2.0 average rating and a 6 share, followed by CBS at 1.7/5, Univision at 1.4/4, ABC at 1.3/4, Fox at 1.0/3, Telemundo at 0.5/2, ION at 0.4/1, CW and TeleFutura at 0.3/1 and Azteca and Estrella at 0.1/0.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (18-49s): 1. Fox's "NBC's "Sunday Night Football" 9.8; 2. NBC's "Football Night in America" 5.0; 3. ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" 4.1; 4. CBS's "60 Minutes" 2.9; 5. CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" 2.8.
Top five English-language Big Five shows (total viewers): 1. NBC's "Sunday Night Football" 27.62 million; 2. CBS's "60 Minutes" 14.45 million; 3. NBC's "Football Night in America" 14.44 million; 4. ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve" 12.92 million; 5. CBS's "NCIS" 12.58 million.
Top five time-shifted English-language Big Five shows (18-49s, by Live+SD versus Live+7 playback, week ended Dec. 18): 1. Fox's "New Girl" 1.6 increase (up 48.5 percent); 2. Fox's "Glee" 1.4 increase (up 46.7 percent); 3. CBS's "Hawaii Five-0" 1.3 increase (up 44.8 percent); 4. CBS's "Two and a Half Men" 1.3 increase (up 27.7 percent); 5. CBS's "CSI" 1.2 increase (up 41.4 percent).
Show on the rise: NBC's "Football Night in America," Sunday 8 p.m. On the final day of the regular season the last half hour of the show averaged a 5.0 among viewers 18-49, up 11 percent from a 4.5 the previous week.
Show on the decline: NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams," Monday 10 p.m. Perhaps suffering from a post-Christmas lull the newsmagazine posted a 0.8 among 18-49s, down 33 percent from the previous week's 1.2.
|
WEEKLY PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Jan. 1
|
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS |
5.1 |
5860 |
9 |
2.8 |
8200 |
7 |
1.7 |
2180 |
5 |
|
NBC |
3.8 |
4350 |
7 |
2.2 |
6340 |
6 |
2.0 |
2610 |
6 |
|
ABC |
2.8 |
3220 |
5 |
1.6 |
4710 |
4 |
1.3 |
1670 |
4 |
|
FOX |
1.8 |
2060 |
3 |
1.0 |
2910 |
3 |
1.0 |
1240 |
3 |
|
UNI |
1.6 |
1860 |
3 |
1.2 |
3490 |
3 |
1.4 |
1800 |
4 |
|
ION |
0.8 |
920 |
1 |
0.4 |
1240 |
1 |
0.4 |
490 |
1 |
|
TEL |
0.7 |
750 |
1 |
0.5 |
1310 |
1 |
0.5 |
690 |
2 |
|
CW |
0.6 |
700 |
1 |
0.3 |
900 |
1 |
0.3 |
400 |
1 |
|
TF |
0.3 |
310 |
0 |
0.2 |
540 |
0 |
0.3 |
330 |
1 |
|
ETV |
0.1 |
140 |
0 |
0.1 |
220 |
0 |
0.1 |
110 |
0 |
|
AZA |
0.1 |
90 |
0 |
0.0 |
140 |
0 |
0.1 |
70 |
0 |
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to 1 percent or
1. 147
million homes
Note: Viewing estimates include same day (3 a.m.-3 a.m.) DVR playback.
Source: Nielsen
|
|
SEASON-TO-DATE PRIMETIME AVERAGES BY NETWORK
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Jan. 1
|
|
Network
|
Households
|
People 2+
|
Adults 18-49
|
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
Rtg%
|
(000)
|
Shr
|
|
CBS |
7.6 |
8680 |
12 |
4.2 |
12110 |
11 |
3.2 |
4040 |
9 |
|
ABC |
5.6 |
6380 |
9 |
3.0 |
8700 |
8 |
2.5 |
3180 |
7 |
|
FOX |
5.1 |
5880 |
8 |
3.0 |
8570 |
7 |
3.1 |
3940 |
9 |
|
NBC |
4.6 |
5290 |
8 |
2.5 |
7370 |
6 |
2.5 |
3230 |
7 |
|
UNI |
1.8 |
2110 |
3 |
1.2 |
3550 |
3 |
1.5 |
1890 |
4 |
|
CW |
1.3 |
1440 |
2 |
0.6 |
1870 |
2 |
0.8 |
1040 |
2 |
|
ION |
0.7 |
800 |
1 |
0.4 |
1050 |
1 |
0.3 |
400 |
1 |
|
TEL |
0.7 |
770 |
1 |
0.4 |
1230 |
1 |
0.5 |
670 |
1 |
|
TF |
0.3 |
330 |
0 |
0.2 |
520 |
0 |
0.2 |
300 |
1 |
|
ETV |
0.1 |
140 |
0 |
0.1 |
230 |
0 |
0.1 |
120 |
0 |
|
AZA |
0.1 |
130 |
0 |
0.1 |
200 |
0 |
0.1 |
100 |
0 |
|
*
Each rating point is equivalent to one percent or
1. 147
million homes
Note: Season-to-date estimates are a weighted average and Live+7 data, except for the most recent two weeks which are based Live+SD viewing.
Source: Nielsen |
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Jan. 1
|
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
HOUSEHOLDS |
PERSONS 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
(000) |
# |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
NBC |
15.7 |
25 |
18034 |
1 |
9.5 |
27624 |
|
2 |
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK |
NBC |
11.8 |
19 |
13553 |
2 |
7.3 |
21234 |
|
3 |
60 MINUTES - SP 1/1(S) |
CBS |
8.7 |
14 |
10012 |
3 |
5.0 |
14454 |
|
4 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 |
NBC |
8.1 |
13 |
9244 |
3 |
5.0 |
14438 |
|
5 |
NCIS |
CBS |
7.8 |
13 |
8991 |
6 |
4.3 |
12577 |
|
6 |
CRIMINAL MINDS |
CBS |
6.6 |
11 |
7587 |
7 |
3.7 |
10599 |
|
7 |
NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN EVE '12(S) |
ABC |
6.3 |
13 |
7229 |
5 |
4.5 |
12921 |
|
8 |
BIG BANG THEORY, THE |
CBS |
6.1 |
10 |
6978 |
8 |
3.5 |
10164 |
|
8 |
CSI |
CBS |
6.1 |
11 |
6979 |
9 |
3.4 |
9736 |
|
10 |
NCIS: LOS ANGELES WED-SP(S) |
CBS |
5.7 |
10 |
6515 |
10 |
3.2 |
9174 |
|
11 |
MENTALIST, THE |
CBS |
5.6 |
10 |
6443 |
11 |
3.1 |
8901 |
|
12 |
KENNEDY CENTER HONORS(S) |
CBS |
5.4 |
9 |
6243 |
12 |
2.9 |
8398 |
|
13 |
PERSON OF INTEREST |
CBS |
5.2 |
9 |
6004 |
12 |
2.9 |
8511 |
|
14 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN 12/26(S) |
CBS |
5.0 |
8 |
5709 |
15 |
2.8 |
8149 |
|
15 |
CSI: NY |
CBS |
4.6 |
8 |
5276 |
17 |
2.5 |
7285 |
|
15 |
UNFORGETTABLE - SP 1/1(S) |
CBS |
4.6 |
7 |
5332 |
17 |
2.5 |
7117 |
|
17 |
MIKE & MOLLY SP-12/26(S) |
CBS |
4.5 |
7 |
5129 |
17 |
2.5 |
7378 |
|
17 |
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT |
CBS |
4.5 |
8 |
5203 |
16 |
2.6 |
7594 |
|
19 |
BLUE BLOODS |
CBS |
4.3 |
8 |
4934 |
21 |
2.3 |
6765 |
|
19 |
GOOD WIFE, THE - SP 1/1(S) |
CBS |
4.3 |
7 |
4877 |
22 |
2.2 |
6256 |
|
19 |
NEW YR ROCKIN EVE:40ANNIV(S) |
ABC |
4.3 |
9 |
4913 |
12 |
2.9 |
8361 |
|
22 |
CSI: MIAMI - SP 1/1(S) |
CBS |
4.2 |
7 |
4778 |
22 |
2.2 |
6247 |
|
22 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2 |
NBC |
4.2 |
7 |
4788 |
17 |
2.5 |
7254 |
|
24 |
GIFTED MAN, A |
CBS |
4.0 |
7 |
4536 |
22 |
2.2 |
6240 |
|
25 |
2 BROKE GIRLS SP-12/26(S) |
CBS |
3.9 |
6 |
4445 |
26 |
2.1 |
6158 |
|
0Source: Nielsen |
|
TOP 25 PROGRAMS – BROADCAST
Adults 18-49
Week Ending Jan. 1
|
|
Rank |
Program |
Net |
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
NBC |
9.8 |
12487 |
|
2 |
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK |
NBC |
7.4 |
9468 |
|
3 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 |
NBC |
5.0 |
6351 |
|
4 |
NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN EVE '12(S) |
ABC |
4.1 |
5229 |
|
5 |
60 MINUTES - SP 1/1(S) |
CBS |
2.9 |
3697 |
|
6 |
BIG BANG THEORY, THE |
CBS |
2.8 |
3625 |
|
7 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO MON |
UNI |
2.7 |
3426 |
|
8 |
NEW YR ROCKIN EVE:40ANNIV(S) |
ABC |
2.5 |
3165 |
|
9 |
CRIMINAL MINDS |
CBS |
2.4 |
3032 |
|
9 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 2 |
NBC |
2.4 |
3094 |
|
9 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN 12/26(S) |
CBS |
2.4 |
3039 |
|
12 |
OT, THE |
FOX |
2.3 |
2980 |
|
13 |
CSI |
CBS |
2.1 |
2654 |
|
13 |
MIKE & MOLLY SP-12/26(S) |
CBS |
2.1 |
2729 |
|
13 |
NCIS |
CBS |
2.1 |
2738 |
|
13 |
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT |
CBS |
2.1 |
2742 |
|
17 |
2 BROKE GIRLS SP-12/26(S) |
CBS |
1.9 |
2414 |
|
17 |
MODERN FAMILY |
ABC |
1.9 |
2461 |
|
19 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE THU |
UNI |
1.8 |
2276 |
|
19 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE TUE |
UNI |
1.8 |
2326 |
|
19 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE WED |
UNI |
1.8 |
2250 |
|
19 |
HOW I MET YR MOTHER 12/26(S) |
CBS |
1.8 |
2308 |
|
19 |
NCIS: LOS ANGELES WED-SP(S) |
CBS |
1.8 |
2247 |
|
24 |
FAMILY GUY SP-NY DAY(S) |
FOX |
1.7 |
2208 |
|
24 |
MENTALIST, THE |
CBS |
1.7 |
2189 |
|
24 |
PERSON OF INTEREST |
CBS |
1.7 |
2148 |
|
Source: Nielsen |
|
SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Dec. 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+ (000) |
|
1 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO THU-12/22/2011 |
UNI |
20.5 |
5113 |
|
2 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO TUE-12/20/2011 |
UNI |
20.2 |
4978 |
|
2 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO WED-12/21/2011 |
UNI |
20.2 |
5102 |
|
4 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO MON-12/19/2011 |
UNI |
19.6 |
4822 |
|
5 |
FUERZA DEL DESTINO FRI-12/23/2011 |
UNI |
18.2 |
4738 |
|
6 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE TUE-12/20/2011 |
UNI |
15.3 |
3898 |
|
7 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE MON-12/19/2011 |
UNI |
14.3 |
3629 |
|
8 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE WED-12/21/2011 |
UNI |
14.1 |
3649 |
|
9 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE THU-12/22/2011 |
UNI |
13.6 |
3315 |
|
10 |
CUANDO ME ENAMORO TUE-12/20/2011 |
UNI |
13.4 |
3169 |
|
10 |
CUANDO ME ENAMORO WED-12/21/2011 |
UNI |
13.4 |
2889 |
|
12 |
ROSA DE GUADALUPE THU-12/22/2011 |
UNI |
13.3 |
3564 |
|
13 |
ROSA DE GUADALUPE WED-12/21/2011 |
UNI |
12.8 |
3368 |
|
14 |
CUANDO ME ENAMORO MON-12/19/2011 |
UNI |
12.7 |
2899 |
|
14 |
CUANDO ME ENAMORO THU-12/22/2011 |
UNI |
12.7 |
2788 |
|
16 |
ROSA DE GUADALUPE FRI-12/23/2011 |
UNI |
12.0 |
3183 |
|
17 |
FAMILIA CON SUERTE FRI-12/23/2011 |
UNI |
11.4 |
2822 |
|
18 |
GRAN SHOW LOS PEQUES SUN-12/25/2011 |
UNI |
11.1 |
2868 |
|
19 |
DON FRANCISCO PRESENTA MO-12/19/2011 |
UNI |
10.2 |
2229 |
|
20 |
AQUI Y AHORA TUE-12/20/2011 |
UNI |
10.0 |
2267 |
|
21 |
SAL Y PIMIENTA SUN-12/25/2011 |
UNI |
8.1 |
1763 |
|
22 |
MAID EN MANHATTAN M-12/19/2011 |
TEL |
7.5 |
1611 |
|
23 |
C. CERRADO-ED. ESTELAR M-12/19/2011 |
TEL |
7.1 |
1486 |
|
23 |
MAID EN MANHATTAN R-12/22/2011 |
TEL |
7.1 |
1589 |
|
23 |
MAID EN MANHATTAN T-12/20/2011 |
TEL |
7.1 |
1456 |
|
Source: Nielsen |
|
HISPANIC ENGLISH-LANGUAGE VIEWING
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Dec. 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
NBC |
6.5 |
1553 |
|
2 |
X-FACTOR-THU |
FOX |
4.9 |
1136 |
|
3 |
OT-SAT, THE(S)-12/24/2011 |
FOX |
4.6 |
1107 |
|
4 |
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK |
NBC |
4.2 |
1130 |
|
5 |
X-FACTOR-WED |
FOX |
4.1 |
843 |
|
6 |
TWO AND A HALF MEN |
CBS |
3.0 |
552 |
|
7 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 |
NBC |
2.9 |
800 |
|
8 |
FEAR FACTOR |
NBC |
2.8 |
716 |
|
9 |
2 BROKE GIRLS |
CBS |
2.6 |
482 |
|
10 |
BIG BANG THEORY, THE |
CBS |
2.5 |
467 |
|
Source: Nielsen |
|
AFRICAN AMERICAN AUDIENCE ESTIMATES
Ranked on Households
Week Ending Dec. 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Rtg |
P2+(000) |
|
1 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL |
NBC |
13.3 |
2814 |
|
2 |
X-FACTOR-THU |
FOX |
11.5 |
2432 |
|
3 |
X-FACTOR-WED |
FOX |
10.4 |
2156 |
|
4 |
SUNDAY NIGHT NFL PRE-KICK |
NBC |
9.5 |
2069 |
|
5 |
FOOTBALL NT AMERICA PT 3 |
NBC |
7.5 |
1731 |
|
6 |
NCIS: LOS ANGELES |
CBS |
7.4 |
1282 |
|
7 |
UNFORGETTABLE |
CBS |
6.1 |
1070 |
|
8 |
NCIS |
CBS |
5.9 |
975 |
|
9 |
HOW GRINCH STOLE XMAS-SUN |
ABC |
5.7 |
1131 |
|
10 |
CSI |
CBS |
5.6 |
1010 |
|
* Ratings based on 13.65 million African American TV homes.
Source: Nielsen |
|
TOP 10 NETWORK SPORTS PROGRAMS
Ranked on Viewers
Week Ending Dec. 25 |
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Net |
Episode |
Households |
Persons 2+ |
|
US
Rtg% |
(000) |
(000) |
|
1 |
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL-12/25/2011 |
NBC |
CHICAGO AT GREEN BAY |
12.6 |
14430 |
24019 |
|
2 |
FOX NFL SAT-NATIONAL-12/24/2011 |
FOX |
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES |
12.9 |
14782 |
22878 |
|
3 |
CBS NFL SINGLE-SPC-12/24/2011 |
CBS |
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES |
8.3 |
9537 |
14643 |
|
4 |
FOX NFL SAT-REGIONAL-12/24/2011 |
FOX |
VARIOUS TEAMS AND TIMES |
8 |
9203 |
13830 |
|
5 |
NBA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL-2-12/25/2011 |
ABC |
CHICAGO AT LA LAKERS |
5.6 |
6464 |
11014 |
|
6 |
NBA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL-1-12/25/2011 |
ABC |
MIAMI AT DALLAS |
4.9 |
5649 |
9023 |
|
7 |
CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR-SA-12/24/2011 |
CBS |
2012 MONSTER JAM PREVIEW SHOW |
1 |
1128 |
1617 |
|
8 |
SKILLS CHALLENGE GOLF-SUN-12/25/2011 |
NBC |
|
0.7 |
801 |
1048 |
|
9 |
SKILLS CHALLENGE GOLF-SAT-12/24/2011 |
NBC |
|
0.5 |
572 |
761 |
|
10 |
NBC GOLF SPECIAL 12/25-12/25/2011 |
NBC |
GLOBAL GOLF |
0.4 |
493 |
685 |
|
Source: Nielsen |
|
|
|
