Prime-Time Ratings:
Sunday 3/30/08

The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 10.41 million, ABC: 10.01, NBC: 5.81, Fox: 5.31, CW: 1.43

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 3.5 rating/9 share, CBS: 3.0/ 8, Fox: 2.5/ 7, NBC: 1.4/ 4, CW: 0.6/ 2

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
NCAA Basketball Overrun (CBS), 60 Minutes (CBS), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), Oprah’s Big Give (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Countdown with Keith Olbermann (NBC), Everybody Hates Chris (CW), Unhitched (Fox)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
ABC and CBS split leadership on this last Sunday in March, with CBS the most-watched network (400,000 viewers ahead of ABC) and ABC No. 1 among adults 18-49 Keep in mind, however, that all individual program results on CBS are approximate due to about 20 minutes of NCAA Basketball coverage bleeding into primetime.

On that note, 60 Minutes opened the evening for CBS with an estimated 12.27 million viewers (#1 overall) and a 3.1/ 8 among adults 18-49 (#2) from 7:30-8:30 p.m. That led into an above average Big Brother 9 (Viewers: #2, 7.97 million; A18-49: #3, 2.7/ 6 from 8:30-9:30 p.m.), followed by Cold Case (Viewers: #2, 9.32 million; A18-49: #2, 2.6/ 7 from 9:30-10:30 p.m.) and the 10:30 p.m. portion of Showtime drama Dexter (Viewers: #3, 6.94 million; A18-49: #3, 1.9/ 5). Earlier in the evening on CBS was the NCAA Basketball overrun at a very dominant 17.20 million viewers and a 5.4/16 in the demo.

ABC aired its usual combination of veteran America’s Funniest Home Videos (Viewers: #2, 8.27 million; A18-49: #2, 2.4/ 8), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (Viewers: #1, 12.81 million; A18-49: #1, 4.5/11), Oprah’s Big Give (Viewers: #1, 11.35 million; A18-49: #1, 3.9/ 9) and Here Come the Newlyweds (Viewers: #2, 7.60 million; A18-49: #1, 3.1/ 8). But keep in mind that Desperate Housewives is returning in two weeks. While you have to give credit to the sugary Oprah’s Big Give for keeping the Sunday 9 p.m. hour warm, live on Wisteria Lane is far more interesting.

NBC got off to a particularly lackluster start care of 7 p.m. special Countdown with Keith Olbermann, which averaged just 3.37 million viewers (#4) and a -- thump! -- 0.5/ 2 among adults 18-49. Next on NBC was an 8 p.m. edition of Dateline (Viewers: #3, 6.71 million; A18-49: #4, 1.7/ 5), followed by repeats of Law & Order (Viewers: #3, 6.23 million; A18-49: #4: 1.5/ 4) and Law & Order: SVU (Viewers: #3: 6.94 million; A18-49: #3, 2.0/ 6) from 9-11 p.m.

Fox was at typical overnight levels with its combination of a repeats of King of the Hill (Viewers: #4, 3.29 million; A18-49: #3, 1.5/ 4) and American Dad (Viewers: #4, 3.96 million; A18-49: #3, 1.9/ 5) from 7-8 p.m., followed by The Simpsons (Viewers: #3, 7.10 million; A18-49: #2, 3.4/ 9), King of the Hill (Viewers: #4, 5.98 million; A18-49: #2t, 2.7/ 7), a repeat of Family Guy (Viewers: #3, 7.33 million; A18-49: #2, 3.6/ 8) and the season (or series) finale of Unhitched (Viewers: #4, 4.19 million; A18-49: #3, 2.1/ 5). Given the adult 18-49 retention of just 58 percent out of the Family Guy encore, you can consider last night’s edition of Unhitched the series-finale.

Last and very least, of course, was the CW’s line-up of a repeat of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: 1.57 million; A18-49: 0.6/ 2), Everybody Hates Chris (Viewers: 1.33 million; A18-49: 0.5/ 1), a repeat of Aliens in America (Viewers: 988,000; A18-49: 0.3/ 1), The Game (Viewers: 1.52 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 2) and a repeat of Girlfriends (Viewers: 1.58 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 2). Worth noting for The Game was growth of 532,000 viewers and 133 percent among adults 18-49 out of the Aliens in America encore.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
Girlfriends (Viewers: 1.58 million; A18-49: 0.7/ 2).

This probably won't hold up in finals, but it is worth nothing that a repeat of Girlfriends rated higher than first runs of EHC and The Game.

quote:

Earlier in the evening on CBS was the NCAA Basketball overrun at a very dominant 17.20 million viewers and a 5.4/16 in the demo.

Wow. I guess a close game will do that.

Wow - Big Brother not on the losers list this week. Who would have thunk it? I'm sure a time delay had something to do with it though.

Nice bounce back for Oprah's Big Give. Last night was a wonderful episode. With less contestants in the mix, it definitely is more interesting to watch.

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Berman:
The Simpsons (Viewers: #3, 7.10 million; A18-49: #2, 3.4/ 9), King of the Hill (Viewers: #4, 5.98 million; A18-49: #2t, 2.7/ 7),

I watched these two last night. The Simpsons was actually pretty good. Loved Homer shooting the cigs. King of the Hill literally caused me to fall asleep.

quote:

NBC got off to a particularly lackluster start care of 7 p.m. special Countdown with Keith Olbermann, which averaged just 3.37 million viewers (#4) and a -- thump! -- 0.5/ 2 among adults 18-49.

I must get out my record books...that looks like a new NBC record of ignomy.

Where are all the A18-49s for Unhitched, as it is such a fine example of FOX comedy at its very best. A funny episode to end up season one with. Note to Mr. Reilly...keep this show, and let go of your options on Back to You.

Whatever has happened to Cold Case...a new episode, following a basketball-juiced lead-in, that gets a measley 2.6 in A18-49. This is a symptom of the procedural ennui that CBS is starting to feel across its schedule save for CSI Miami.

Thanks Dumont - I feel better now about Back To You returning next year. I was worried for awhile. Can you send out a notice to CBS next week to cancel Cane? I'd love to see it return. Thanks!

BTW, My other half caught Unhitched and was very unimpressed and somehow seems to be very spot on with shows that aren't gonna make it. So RIP UnHitched.

quote:

Originally posted by dumont:
Where are all the A18-49s for Unhitched, as it is such a fine example of FOX comedy at its very best. A funny episode to end up season one with. Note to Mr. Reilly...keep this show, and let go of your options on Back to You.

CBS has destroyed Cold Case and Shark with its sports overruns

But the good news is they boosted Big Brother -

quote:

Originally posted by robert:
CBS has destroyed Cold Case and Shark with its sports overruns

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:

quote:

Earlier in the evening on CBS was the NCAA Basketball overrun at a very dominant 17.20 million viewers and a 5.4/16 in the demo.

Wow. I guess a close game will do that.

It looks like those numbers didn't hold over to the other CBS shows, though. It this data holds up, dumont will be screaming: Eureka!.

Cold Case got screwed last night, but it should have done better. If it was sought after so highly, it could have been found and at least get 11-12 mil viewers.

quote:

Originally posted by crateriko:
Cold Case got screwed last night, but it should have done better. If it was sought after so highly, it could have been found and at least get 11-12 mil viewers.

I don't think it was the sports overrun that hurt Cold Case. I think what we are seeing is that ALL shows won't enjoy the kind of return ratings bump that the Monday CBS lineup has seen.

quote:

Originally posted by dumont:
Where are all the A18-49s for Unhitched,

It gained more than a half point in the demo from last week. Just a bit more and it would be performing at 30 Rock levels.

quote:

Originally posted by xwiseguyx:
Thanks Dumont - I feel better now about Back To You returning next year. I was worried for awhile. Can you send out a notice to CBS next week to cancel Cane? I'd love to see it return. Thanks

Nothing short of an Act of God will bring back Cane for another season.

WHOA! Did Olbermann unintentionally break some records at NBC last night? A POINT-FIVE in the demo? OUCH! The sadder part is, O'Reilly (his "best friend"), gets larger numbers on a NORMAL night on CABLE. Eeek!