I haven't received any of our regular data yet, so computing network averages and doing the show by show tables with all the demo information is delayed, but in the interest of getting at least a little info up on the site, I am posting now and will fill in the full details later.
Update 2: Hibberd has the time zone adjusted numbers for CBS (still preliminary overnight) The 16.4 million for The Mentalist was not a series high, but the 4.6 rating among 18-49 year olds was. The 40.6 million for the NFL AFC championship is down almost 25% from last year's prime-time NFC conference championship on FOX.
Update: due to the fact that it's a holiday -- something pretty much lost on me completely until I went to Peets' at 10:30pm and it was packed with soccer moms and their soccer playing progeny -- we won't likely see the data today and I'm not sure yet what impact, if any, the holiday will have on our weekly numbers. We'll see tomorrow.
As you would guess, the NFL AFC championship on CBS dominated the night. Please note that preliminary overnight numbers for live events are subject to change and that the numbers here have not been time zone adjusted. What's that mean? It means that the numbers for CBS, including the airing of The Mentalist following will change, perhaps noticeably so, in the final numbers. Plus, these numbers don't include the 6:30p-7p portion of the football game.
The Super Bowl will feature the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers. While I doubt any Super Bowl matchup that didn't feature an undefeated team would have a shot at matching last year's numbers, I think ratings will be relatively strong - certainly stronger than if the Baltimore Ravens had won (no offense, Ravens fans!). The Steelers are a good national draw for the NFL, and Arizona can be spun as a feel good story on many levels, plus there's the back story that the coach of the Cardinals Ken Whisenhunt (and his assistant head coach, Russ Grimm) were both with the Steelers and passed over for the head job there when Bill Cowher left in 2006. Payback!
I'll spare you another six paragraphs of Super Bowl analysis, but you can check out the historical ratings for the Super Bowl.
Ratings-wise these numbers, regardless of any adjustments seem significantly off last year's prime-time conference final. Last year the NFC/FOX had the prime time game and the New York Giants versus Green Bay Packers averaged 53.94 million (final numbers). Last night, only one half hour got over the 40 million mark, and then just barely at that.
And it doesn't look like the NFL was the only one having a tough night. Up against the NFL contest, Desperate Housewives averaged just 13.01 million with a 4.6/10 (rating/share) among 18-49 year olds.
Because The Mentalist only aired for about 15 minutes in prime time on the East Coast (from roughly 10:45p-11p) the adjusted numbers will change a lot, but the early indications don't look all that great with 15.06 million viewers and a 4.6/12 for the 10:30p-11p half hour.
While ABC did run its regular slate of programming the other networks (seemingly wisely so) got out of the way. FOX ran repeats and NBC aired two hours of Dateline followed by a rerun of the Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash.
Other than CBS, only ABC showed up on the radar really, but perhaps it wishes they'd have saved those episodes up for another night.
For those who just absolutely have to have it, can't stand to wait another day, etc, Marc Berman has the fast affiliate thirty minute detail available.
Full details:
coming soon (hopefully!) some day
Shows are sorted by viewers in each time slot.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2008 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. Source Marc Berman/Mediaweek.
Definitions:
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These first national ratings, including demographics, are available at approximately 11 AM (ET) the day after telecast, and are released to subscribing customers daily. These data, from the National People Meter sample, are strictly time-period information, based on the normal broadcast network feed, and include all programming on the affiliated stations, sometimes including network programming, sometimes not. The figures may include stations that did not air the entire network feed, as well as local news breaks or cutaways for local coverage or other programming. Fast Affiliate ratings are not as useful for live programs and are likely to differ significantly from the final results, because the data reflect normal broadcast feed patterns. For example, with a World Series game, Fast Affiliate Ratings would include whatever aired from 8-11PM on affiliates in the Pacific Time Zone, following the live football game, but not game coverage that begins at 5PM PT. The same would be true of Presidential debates as well as live award shows and breaking news reports.
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing – Program ratings for national sources are produced in three streams of data – Live, Live+Same Day (Live+SD) and Live+7 Day. Time shifted figures account for incremental viewing that takes place with DVRs which are currently in approximately 24.4% of all U.S. TV households. Live+Same Day (Live+SD) include viewing during the same broadcast day as the original telecast, with a cut-off of 3:00AM local time when meters transmit daily viewing to Nielsen for processing. Live+7 Day ratings include incremental viewing that takes place during the 7 days following a telecast.
For more information see Numbers 101.
Didn’t anyone learn from The Alias fiasco? Why CBS chose to air The Mentalist was a boneheaded decision. (Considering the trophy presentation for AFC, blah, blah, blah. Um, nobody cares about trophies except for SB.)
why is desperate housewives going down and down every week???
does this mean the end of the show????
^ Hopefully, yes.
Dean, I’m with you, and no, it doesn’t seem like they learned. I did actually watch the trophy presentation to Arizona, but that was only because I was waiting for Ravens/Steelers to begin.
Josh, I’m sure last night, the football game had a lot to do with the decrease. Let’s see where things are in say March before speculating on the demise of a show that got a 4.6 18-49 rating even up against an NFL conference championship.
worrying about Desperate Housewives is pointless. There is no way in hell it will be cancelled this season
A boneheaded decision? I fail to see what’s wrong with trying to get some more people to see the show for the first time, so they can tune in on Tuesday nights. It’s not like the Mentalist is getting cancelled after this season because of this performance. Just because it didn’t work out well doesn’t make it a boneheaded decision.
they’ve already broken down the sets on housewives. 2 of the actors have signed on to pilots. it’s over. this is what happens when you are the number 1 or 2 show on your network. they get rid of you.
Vader, I think his point is that with lengthy post game shows that include trophy presentations — if it’s not the Super Bowl, you don’t wind up with a very big lead-in. so far that seems the case last night.
Ehh..I was expecting more for ‘The Mentalist’, it couldnt beat DH with a 40 million lead in!
I think Tom is in a dream world.
DH is not canceled, has not been canceled and will not be canceled this year. ABC is going to cancel a 13 million viewer show?
whatever you are smoking Tom must make you demented……..DH is slated to be on thru at least 2011 per ABC…… i am sorry you don’t like quality television. Are you watching the reality mush ?? Why tell lies and make people angry ???
Guys, Tom was being sarcastic. lol
JDM, apparently the “that’s what networks do with the #1 or #2 show on the network” bit wasn’t enough of a tipoff. ::sigh::
As someone both on record as a one-time DH fan and also on record as unfriendly to soap operas with no young male appeal, I think I can be trusted when I say, DH has not taken a real hit yet. These are flesh wounds, bad as they seem. DH has a built in fan base and people keep up with the actress’ lives through the cosmetics and fashion industry media and ads. The other nets will do what they can to knock DH down a notch or two because they have no consistent competition against the whole Sunday night ABC lineup, unlike Wedensday night and Thursday night after January, when AI and CSI respectively weigh in. The Sunday night ABC lineup, if you pay attention to the Nielsens year round and not just periodically, is one of the safest in prime time. N’est pas?
The entire ABC prime time lineup is one of the safest on network TV. DH has not tyaken a real hit yet. These are only seasonal flesh wounds. If you pay attention to the Nielsens year-round, you’ll see what I mean. N’est pas?
apologies… i should have stated i was being sarcastic… but i thought it was kind of obvious. DH is safe. but i still don’t get how millions who’ve been watching the show probably for years and considering how good and consistent it’s been this year could just tune out because of the x-mas break. i really think the numbers are off on this and a lot of other shows. the audience seems to just erode by the millions and it always happens on the x-mas break. last year they had the tornado… maybe they should have had something like that this year just to bridge that 4 week layoff. i just don’t understand how 2 million people just stop watching because of repeats for 4 weeks. are we that impatient? by most fans view of this show… it’s been a great season.
While ‘Desperate Housewives’ ratings are down…you can blame this on ABCs horrible scheduling. First, they air an episode two days after new years when it was still a holiday weekend, knowing that ratings would be down. Then, they air an episode against the Golden Globes, again knowing that ratings would be down. And yesterday, they aired the 100th episode celebration against pre-superbowl stuff. ABC needs to get with it. These episodes should’ve all aired in February to avoid all of this competition.
The show isn’t going anywhere. It’s their highest rated show on the air at the moment. Do you see anything else they air getting higher ratings? Dancing with the Stars is on break. Grey’s Anatomy certainly doesn’t pull in better numbers. So do you really think they’ll get rid of Housewives? Over Mary Alices dead body. ABC just needs to schedule the new episodes better.
DH, is, of course, safe, but wow, it took a hit in the demo. Is this a series low?
And it looks like Hole in the Wall is still DOA. It must be really really cheap for FOX to even bother trying again.
How could you not tell that Tom was being sarcastic! DH will get back on track
oh cool thanks
its just a great show and abc need to make sure that people are watching it!
this is a series low which is why i asked. Grey’s anatomy is definetly worse.
i’m glad that its ok but your right it needs to be in a timeslot and date that people will sit down and watch it