Cover Page Send to a Friend Print Version Contact Us Advertise Post a Free Classified

Friday's 'Farrah'
brings NBC a rare win

Fawcett cancer special averages a 2.4 in 18-49s

By Diego Vasquez
May 18, 2009

A documentary detailing actress Farrah Fawcett’s battle with cancer boosted NBC to a rare first-place tie among viewers 18-49 on Friday night.
 
“Farrah’s Story” averaged a 2.4 overnight rating from 9 to 11 p.m. on Friday, according to Nielsen overnights, the network’s best rating in that timeslot in more than a year, excluding the Olympics.
 
The special finished first among 18-49s in each of its two hours, peaking at 10 p.m. with a 2.6 overnight rating.
 
The program lifted NBC to a 2.0 average overnight rating and 7 share for the night, resulting a first-place tie with CBS, which ran originals of its regular Friday night dramas.
 
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-one percent of Nielsen households have DVRs.
 
ABC was third for the night at 1.6/6, with Univision fourth at 1.3/5, Fox fifth at 1.2/5 and CW sixth at 0.7/3.
 
CBS began the night in the lead with a 2.0 at 8 p.m. for “Ghost Whisperer,” followed by ABC with a 1.4 for “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” NBC was third that hour with a 1.3 for “Dateline,” Fox fourth with a 1.2 for part one of the series finale of “Prison Break,” Univision fifth with a 1.1 for “Cuidado con el Angel” and CW sixth with a 0.9 for an hour of “The Game.”
 
At 9 p.m. NBC took over with a 2.1 for its first hour of “Farrah,” while ABC and CBS tied for second at 1.8, ABC for more “Videos” and CBS for “Flashpoint.” Univision was fourth with a 1.6 for “Mañana Es para Siempre,” Fox fifth with a 1.2 for more “Prison Break” and CW sixth with a 0.6 for a repeat of “America’s Next Top Model.”
 
NBC led again at 10 p.m. with its 2.6 for “Farrah,” with CBS second with a 2.1 for “Numb3rs.” ABC was third with a 1.6 for “20/20” and Univision fourth with a 1.1 for “Rosa de Guadalupe.”
 
Among households, CBS was first for the night with a 5.6 average overnight rating and an 11 share, followed closely by NBC at 5.5/10. ABC was third at 3.6/7, Fox fourth at 2.1/4, Univision fifth at 1.8/3 and CW sixth at 1.1/2.

Diego Vasquez is a staff writer for Media Life.	© 2009 Media Life Magazine

Latest headlines CBS takes its first Thursday, a slow one Preparing for life after 'Oprah' wraps up 'Happily Ever Faster,' don't bet on it In Union Square, dunk Joey the Clown Do you understand web measurement? Agencies to Nielsen: Reinstate live stream Rachel, help, we're being left in the dark Best tube bets this weekend BBC America president Garth Ancier steps down Nicke Bergstrom becomes creative director at Mother New York Nathan Hackstock becomes West Coast CD at Sapient Interactive Frank Hahn and Naoki Ito become ECDs at W+K Tokyo Catherine Balsam-Schwaber becomes SVP of marketing at iVillage Chris De Luca becomes sports editor at the Chicago Sun-Times Jennifer Howard rises to senior reporter at the Chronicle of Higher Education James Van Der Beek files for divorce after six years