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Fox's 'Anchorwoman'
sinks like a rock


New reality series debuts with a 1.0 in adults 18-49

Aug 23, 2007

It looks as though “Anchorwoman” Lauren Jones was just as unpopular with viewers as with her new colleagues at KYTX.

Last night’s premiere of the new Fox reality show, about a beauty queen who sends a newsroom into upheaval when she’s hired to help raise the broadcast’s ratings, posted dismal numbers.

“Anchorwoman” averaged a 1.0 rating among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, tying for fifth place in the 8 p.m. timeslot with the CW and ranking among the worst debuts this summer on broadcast.

The show finished behind even Univision, which has been struggling at 8 p.m. since “La Fea Mas Bella” ended its run earlier this summer.

“Anchorwoman” didn’t help lead-out “Bones” at 9 p.m., which averaged a 1.1 and Fox, which has led every week this summer among 18-49s, pulled just a 1.0 on the night.

Many reviewers trashed “Anchorwoman,” though Media Life TV critic Andrew Lyons called it a fun, frothy reality romp.

Meanwhile NBC led the night among 18-49s with a 2.4 average overnight rating and a 7 share. CBS was second at 2.2/7, Univision third at 1.6/5, ABC fourth at 1.5/4, and Fox and CW tied for fifth at 1.0/3.
 
CBS started the night in the lead with a 2.2 rating at 8 p.m. for “Power of 10,” followed closely by NBC with a 2.1 for a repeat of “Most Outrageous Moments.” ABC was third with a 1.7 for an hour of “According to Jim” reruns, Univision fourth with a 1.2 for “Amar sin Limites,” and Fox and CW tied for fifth at 1.0, Fox for “Anchorwoman” and CW for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”
 
NBC took the lead at 9 p.m. with a season-high 3.1 for “Last Comic Standing,” with CBS and Univision tied for second at 2.1, CBS for a repeat of “Criminal Minds” and Univision for “Destilando Amor.” That left ABC fourth with a 1.4 for “NASCAR in Primetime,” Fox fifth with a 1.1 for a repeat of “Bones” and CW sixth with a 1.0 for another “Top Model” rerun.
 
At 10 p.m. CBS regained the lead with a 2.4 for a repeat of “CSI: NY,” while NBC dropped back to second with a 2.1 for “Dateline.” Univision was third with a 1.5 for “Don Francisco Presenta” and ABC fourth with a 1.2 for “Primetime.”
 
Among households, CBS led the night with a 5.6 average overnight rating and a 10 share. NBC was second at 4.3/7, ABC third at 2.6/4, Fox fourth at 2.3/4, Univision fifth at 1.9/3 and CW sixth at 1.5/3.



Toni Fitzgerald is a staff writer for Media Life.




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