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Hottest return for 'Saturday Night Live'
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 28, 2008 - 1:03:55 AM
This being the political season, “Saturday Night Live” was sorely missed, and just how missed became apparent this past weekend when it came back with its first fresh episode in four months because of the writers' strike.
The show drew its best ratings in more than two years, averaging a 6.1 metered-market household rating, up 36 percent over its 4.5 season-to-date average.
It was actually the highest-rated program on any network in any daypart on Saturday.
There’s nothing particularly surprising about that. All the late-night talkers saw boosts when they returned from the strike. But most saw their viewership quickly return to around pre-strike levels.
But “SNL's" bump could well last.
Every four years, the show goes through a creative revival for the presidential election. No matter how bad the previous season, and “SNL” has been slumping since head writer Tina Fey departed in 2006, it always seems to shake out of it during an election year.
This year is looking the same.
The program had a sharp parody of the Democratic presidential debates and a funny “Weekend Update” appearance by Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee that generated lots of buzz, as did guest host Fey’s faux Hillary Clinton endorsement during the news segment.
But while the wit on display was impressive, another thing that may keep numbers high in the coming weeks is a new controversy.
In the days leading up to the show, there was rabid speculation in newspapers, blogs and television over who would play Barack Obama, who cameoed on the show last fall and has since become the Democratic frontrunner for president.
Writers noted that the current cast has only one African American, Kenan Thompson, who looks absolutely nothing like the senator.
The controversial choice: Fred Armisen, who is part Venezuelan and part Japanese but looks a bit more like Obama. Forums and bloggers have been atwitter over the casting for days, many critical of it.
That could prompt more viewers to tune in in the coming weeks to judge for themselves.
“The minority of black faces on SNL has been noted in the past, and the chance to give this plum role to a non-black player will surely generate debate (never mind resuscitating the old ‘Is Obama black enough?’ question),” notes The Huffington Post’s Rachel Sklar.
Meanwhile, in other dayparts for the week ended Feb. 17, NBC’s “Meet the Press” was first among the Sunday morning shows in total viewers with 4.26 million tuning in and was also first among viewers 25-54 with a 1.2 rating. ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” was second in viewers with 3.01 million and among 25-54s with a 1.0, with CBS’s “Face the Nation” pulling 2.89 million viewers and a 0.9 among 25-54s. “Fox News Sunday” averaged 1.39 million viewers and a 0.5 rating among 25-54s.
In late night, NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” finished first for the week, averaging 5.4 million total viewers and a 1.5 rating among adults 18-49. CBS’s “The Late Show with David Letterman” had 3.8 million viewers and a 1.1 rating in the demo, with ABC’s “Nightline” bringing in 3.2 million viewers and a 0.9 18-49 rating. In late-late night, NBC’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” had 2.1 million total viewers and a 0.9 in 18-49s, with CBS’s “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” at 1.8 million viewers and a 0.6, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 1.6 million viewers and a 0.5, and NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly” bringing in 1.2 million viewers and a 0.5 among 18-49s.
In morning shows, NBC’s “Today” was first with 6.1 million total viewers and a 4.6 household rating and 15 share, followed by ABC’s “Good Morning America” with 5.0 million viewers and a 3.8/13. CBS’s “Early Show” was third with 3.1 million total viewers and a 2.5/8.
CBS once again had the largest full daytime audience during the week, averaging 4.21 million viewers, but was third among women 18-49 with a 1.4 rating. ABC had the second-largest audience, averaging 3 million viewers, and was tied for first among women 18-49 with a 1.5 rating. NBC had a full daytime audience of 2.96 million but tied for the lead among women 18-49 with a 1.5 rating.
In evening network news for the week ended Feb. 24, NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams” was first among total viewers, averaging 9.63 million, and among 25-54s with a 2.4 average rating. ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson” was second in viewers, averaging 9.21 million, and tied for first among 25-54s with a 2.4, while CBS’s “Evening News with Katie Couric” was third for the week with 7.06 million total viewers and a 1.9 25-54 rating.
|
SUNDAY MORNING SHOW RATINGS
Week ending February 17, 2008
Sunday averages |
|
Program |
Network |
Households |
|
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
Adults 25-54 |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
Meet the Press |
NBC |
3.2 |
8 |
1.2 |
4.264 |
|
This Week With George Stephanopoulos |
ABC |
2.2 |
6 |
1.0 |
3.013 |
|
Face the Nation |
CBS |
2.2 |
6 |
0.9 |
2.887 |
|
News Sunday |
Fox |
1.0 |
3 |
0.5 |
1.390 |
|
Source: NTI |
|
LATE-NIGHT RATINGS
Week Ending February 17, 2008
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
People 2+ |
Adults 18-49 |
|
Total viewers (millions) |
Rtg% |
|
Tonight Show with Jay Leno |
NBC |
5.4 |
1.5 |
|
Late Show with David Letterman |
CBS |
3.8 |
1.1 |
|
Nightline |
ABC |
3.2 |
0.9 |
|
Late Night with Conan O’Brien |
NBC |
2.1 |
0.9 |
|
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson |
CBS |
1.8 |
0.6 |
|
Jimmy Kimmel Live |
ABC |
1.6 |
0.5 |
|
Last Call with
Carson Daly |
NBC |
1.2 |
0.5 |
|
Source: NTI
|
|
MORNING SHOW RATINGS
Week Ending February 17, 2008
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
Households |
People 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Shr |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
Today |
NBC |
4.6 |
15 |
6.05 |
|
Good Morning
America |
ABC |
3.8 |
13 |
4.98 |
|
Early Show |
CBS |
2.5 |
8 |
3.14 |
|
Source: NTI |
|
DAYTIME RATINGS
Week Ending February 17, 2008
Five-day averages |
|
|
Total viewers (millions) |
Women 18-49 |
|
Network |
(millions) |
Rtg% |
|
CBS |
4.21 |
1.4 |
|
ABC |
3.00 |
1.5 |
|
NBC |
2.96 |
1.5 |
|
Source: NTI |
|
EVENING NETWORK NEWS RATINGS
Week Ending February 24, 2008
Five-day averages |
|
Program |
Network |
25-54s |
People 2+ |
|
Rtg% |
Total viewers (millions) |
|
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams |
NBC |
2.4 |
9.627 |
|
ABC World News with Charles Gibson |
ABC |
2.4 |
9.212 |
|
CBS Evening News with Katie Couric |
CBS |
1.9 |
7.064 |
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
|
SYNDICATION
Ranked on Households
Week Ending February 10, 2008
|
|
# |
PROGRAMS |
Syndicator |
Households |
|
US
Rtg% |
(000) |
|
1
|
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
|
CTD
|
8.3
|
9347
|
|
2
|
JEOPARDY
|
CTD
|
6.9
|
7754
|
|
3
|
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW
|
CTD
|
5.7
|
6480
|
|
4
|
TWO-HALF MEN-SYN (AT)
|
WB
|
5.3
|
6029
|
|
4
|
JUDGE JUDY (AT)
|
CTD
|
5.3
|
5925
|
|
6
|
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT(AT)
|
CTD
|
4.8
|
5362
|
|
7
|
DR. PHIL SHOW (AT)
|
CTD
|
4.7
|
5357
|
|
8
|
WHEEL OF FORTUNE WKND
|
CTD
|
4.5
|
5078
|
|
9
|
CSI MIAMI-SYN (AT)
|
CTD
|
4.4
|
4950
|
|
9
|
FAMILY GUY-MF-SYN (AT)
|
2/T
|
4.4
|
4943
|
|
11
|
SEINFELD (AT)
|
SPT
|
4.1
|
4632
|
|
12
|
EVRY LVS RAYMOND-SYN(AT)
|
CTD
|
3.9
|
4387
|
|
13
|
SEINFELD-WKND (AT)
|
SPT
|
3.8
|
4289
|
|
13
|
LAW & ORDER:SVU-SYN (AT)
|
NBU
|
3.8
|
4283
|
|
15
|
INSIDE EDITION
|
CTD
|
3.6
|
4096
|
|
16
|
GEORGE LOPEZ (AT)
|
WB
|
3.1
|
3544
|
|
16
|
KING OF QUEENS-SYN (AT)
|
SPT
|
3.1
|
3510
|
|
16
|
LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY
|
DAD
|
3.1
|
3501
|
|
19
|
MILLIONAIRE (AT)
|
DAD
|
3
|
3429
|
|
20
|
FRIENDS (AT)
|
WB
|
2.9
|
3319
|
|
20
|
KING OF QUEENS-WKND (AT)
|
SPT
|
2.9
|
3290
|
|
22
|
JUDGE JOE BROWN (AT)
|
CTD
|
2.8
|
3197
|
|
23
|
GEORGE LOPEZ WKND B (AT)
|
WB
|
2.7
|
3051
|
|
23
|
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT WKD
|
CTD
|
2.7
|
3014
|
|
25
|
EVBDY LVS RAYMOND-WKD-SYN
|
CTD
|
2.6
|
2973
|
|
Source: Nielsen Media Research |
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