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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.	© 2010 Media Life Magazine

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