Big surge for
Grammys over Jackson
Averages 26.6 million viewers, up 40 percent
By Toni Fitzgerald
Feb 1, 2010
Buoyed by multiple tributes to the late pop star Michael Jackson, last night's Grammy Awards on CBS soared to their best viewership in nearly a decade.
The three-hour show averaged 26.6 million total viewers from 8 to 11 p.m., according to Nielsen overnights, up 40 percent over the 19 million who watched last year's show.
As a reminder, overnights measure timeslot data and not actual program data, and they do not account for time zone differences. Thus final numbers could adjust.
That was the best tune-in since 2001, when the show averaged 26.65 million viewers. The show drew a 10.0 rating among 18-49s, 35 percent better than last year and its best in six years.
The boost is no doubt largely due to the tributes to Jackson, which included a lifetime achievement award, accepted by two of his children, and a 3D video that he'd planned to play at the concert tour he'd been rehearsing for when he died last summer. A number of singers lent vocals to the video last night.
CBS led the night among 18-49s with an 8.1 average overnight rating and a 20 share. ABC was second at 2.7/6, Fox third at 2.0/5, NBC fourth at 1.0/2 and Univision fifth at 0.8/2.
As a reminder, all ratings are based on live-plus-same-day DVR playback. Seven-day DVR data won’t be available for several weeks. Thirty-four percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
At 7 p.m. ABC was first with a 2.4 for “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” followed by CBS with a 2.2 for “60 Minutes.” NBC was third with a 0.9 for “Dateline,” Fox fourth with a 0.8 for an hour of “'Til Death” and Univision fifth with a 0.7 for the end of a Mexican league soccer game and the first half hour of “Premios Oye: La Alfombra Azul.”
CBS took the lead at 8 p.m. with a 9.7 for the first hour of the Grammys, while Fox moved to second with a 2.3 for “The Simpsons” (2.4) and “The Cleveland Show” (2.2). ABC was third with a 2.2 for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and NBC and Univision tied for fourth at 0.8, NBC for another hour of “Dateline” and Univision for the end of “La Alfombra Azul” and the start of “Premios Oye.”
At 9 p.m. CBS was first with a 10.4 for the Grammys, followed by ABC with a series-low 3.7 for “Desperate Housewives.” Fox was third with a 2.8 for “Family Guy” (3.2) and “American Dad” (2.5), NBC fourth with a 1.1 for the first hour of “SNL Presents: Spots All-Stars” and Univision fifth with a 0.8 for “Premios Oye.”
CBS was first again at 10 p.m. with a 9.9 for more Grammys, while ABC remained second with a series-low 2.4 for “Brothers & Sisters.” NBC was third with a 1.3 for the second half of its “SNL” special and Univision fourth with a 0.7 for the final hour of “Premios Oye.”
Among households, CBS led the night with a 12.9 average overnight rating and a 20 share. ABC was second at 5.5/9, NBC and Fox tied for third at 2.5/4 and Univision fifth at 1.1/2.
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