Solid Sampling for NBC's The Marriage Ref

THE PROGRAMMING INSIDERMonday, March 1, 2010 Primetime Ratings:Weekend Highlights Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest TV Trivia Time:Switching Networks_______________________________________________________________________ Prime-Time Ratings:Weekend Highlights Friday 2/26/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr NBC 13.4/23CBS 3.1/ 5ABC 2.3/ 4Fox 1.9/ 3CW 1.2/ 2 -Total Viewers:NBC: 23.47 million, CBS: 4.63, ABC: 3.48, Fox: 2.87, CW: 2.07 -Adults 18-49:NBC: 6.1 rating/19 share, ABC: 1.2/ 4, CBS: 1.1/ 3, CW: 0.9/ 3, Fox: 0.8/ 3 -------------------- Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 27 percent at this same point last year to approximately 33 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted. ---------- -Friday’s Winners:2010 Winter Olympics (NBC) -Not One of The CW’s Early Renewals:Smallville (CW) -Friday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Movie: Blades of Glory (ABC), The 41st Annual NAACP Awards (Fox), 20/20 (ABC) ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:It was another easy Friday victory for the home of The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, NBC, which averaged a hefty 23.47 million viewers and a 6.1 rating/19 share among adults 18-49 in prime-time. No competing network came even close. Here is the half-hour breakdown: The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 17.75 million (#1), A18-49: 3.9/13 (#1)8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 21.39 million (#1), A18-49: 5.1/16 (#1)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 25.54 million (#1), A18-49: 6.4/20 (#1)9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 26.66 million (#1), A18-49: 7.0/20 (#1)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 27.74 million (#1), A18-49: 7.8/23 (#1)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 21.75 million (#1), A18-49: 6.2/19 (#1) On that note, repeats of CBS’ Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #2, 5.11 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.2/ 4), Medium (Viewers: #2, 4.08 million; A18-49: #3, 1.0/ 3) and Numb3rs (Viewers: #2, 4.70 million; A18-49: #3, 1.0/ 3) resulted in a distant second-place finish overall in total viewers and third-place ranking among adults 18-49. Chances are the Eye net will be revamping Friday next season. Just the opposite -- third overall in total viewers and second in the demo -- was ABC’s line-up of generic Will Ferrell theatrical Blades of Glory (Viewers: #3, 3.24 million; A18-49: #3, 1.2/ 4 from 8-10 p.m.) and veteran 20/20 (Viewers: #3, 3.95 million; A18-49: #2, 1.1/ 3 at 10 p.m.), which has never been the same since Barbara Walters exited. The CW finished fifth overall for the evening in total viewers, but fourth ahead of Fox among adults 18-49 care of two episodes (original and repeat) of Smallville as follows: Smallville (CW)8:00 p.m. Original – Viewers: 2.53 million (#5), A18-49: 1.1/ 4 (#4)9:00 p.m. Repeat – Viewers: 1.60 million (#5), A18-49: 0.7/ 2 (#5) Over at Fox, particularly lackluster The 41st Annual NAACP Awards came in fourth overall in total viewers (2.87 million) and fifth in the demo (1.0/ 3) from 8-10 p.m. One year earlier, the 41st Annual NAACP Awards (on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009) was stronger at 4.20 million viewers and a 1.4/ 4 among adults 18-49, based on the final nationals. Source: Nielsen Media Research data -------------------- Saturday 2/27/10Note: The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data). HH Rtg/Shr NBC 11.3/20Fox 3.3/ 6CBS 3.0/ 5ABC 2.4/ 4 -Total Viewers:NBC: 19.73 million, Fox: 5.61, CBS: 4.54, ABC: 3.89 -Adults 18-49:NBC: 4.5 rating/14 share, Fox: 1.8/ 6, ABC: 1.4/ 4, CBS: 1.0/ 3 --------------- -Saturday’s Winners: 2010 Winter Olympics (NBC) -Saturday’s Losers (excluding repeats):Outside of typical results for Fox’s Cops and America’s Most Wanted, it was all about The Winter Olympics on Saturday. ---------- -Ratings Breakdown:This final Saturday of The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games dominated with 19.73 million viewers and a 4.5 rating/14 share among adults 18-49 in prime-time, proving the networks can still attract an audience on the evening if they program aggressively. Here is the half-hour breakdown: The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games 8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 15.46 million (#1), A18-49: 3.2/11 (#1)8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 17.75 million (#1), A18-49: 3.8/12 (#1)9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 21.39 million (#1), A18-49: 4.7/15 (#1)9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 21.81 million (#1), A18-49: 4.9/15 (#1)10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 21.69 million (#1), A18-49: 5.3/16 (#1)10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 20.24 million (#1), A18-49: 5.1/16 (#1) In the distant No. 2 spot was Fox with its perennial combination of Cops (original and repeat – Viewers: #2, avg. 5.72 million; A18-49: #2, avg. 1.8/ 6) and America’s Most Wanted (Viewers: #2, 5.50 million; A18-49: #2, 1.8/ 5). Despite the severity of the competition, nothing ever seems to negatively impact these shows. CBS filled the evening with repeats of Numb3rs (Viewers: #4, 3.16 million; A18-49: #4, 0.6/ 2) and Cold Case (Viewers: #3, 4.18 million; A18-49: #4, 0.9/ 3 from 8-10 p.m., followed by 48 Hours Mystery (Viewers: #2, 6.28 million; A18-49: #3, 1.6/ 5 at 10 p.m.). And ABC capped it off with repeat theatrical Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix at 3.89 million viewers (#4) and a 1.4/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#3) from 8-11 p.m. Now that the Winter Olympics are concluding, it will be back to lackluster business on Saturday. Source: Nielsen Media Research data (R = repeat) ------------------------- Sunday 2/28/10 HH Rtg/Shr NBC 13.1/20CBS 7.5/12ABC 5.7/ 9Fox 2.8/ 4 ---------- -Note: The overnight comparisons to the year-ago evening are not available today. ---------- Note: The fast affiliate results for Sunday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Sunday, February 28, 2010. ---------- -Yesterday’s Winners:The Winter 2010 Olympics Closing Ceremony (NBC), 60 Minutes (CBS), Undercover Boss (CBS), The Marriage Ref (NBC) -Honorable Mention:The Amazing Race (CBS), Desperate Housewives (ABC) -Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): ‘Til Death (Fox), Cold Case (CBS) -----------Ratings Breakdown:That’s a wrap folks, with the Closing Ceremonies for The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games on NBC averaging a very dominant 13.5 rating/20 share in the overnights from 7-10:30 p.m., and performing as follows by half-hour: The Vancouver Olympic Winter Games – Closing Ceremony7:00 p.m.: 11.4/19 (#1)7:30 p.m.: 12.4/19 (#1)8:00 p.m.: 14.3/21 (#1)8:30 p.m.: 15.8/23 (#1)9:00 p.m.: 14.4/21 (#1)9:30 p.m.: 13.1/19 (#1)10:00 p.m.: 13.4/21 (#1) A half-hour version of the series premiere/preview of NBC’s The Marriage Ref was amply sampled at a first-place 9.9/17 at 10:30 p.m. and retention of 74 percent out of the 10 p.m. portion of Winter Olympics. Look for The Marriage Ref in it’s regularly scheduled Thursday 10 p.m. hour this week. Second-place CBS was on the map from 7-10 p.m. care of its combination of granddaddy 60 Minutes (#2: 7.7/12), The Amazing Race (#2: 6.7/10) and recently introduced Undercover Boss (#2: 9.5/14), which built by 42 percent out of The Amazing Race. But the weak CBS link remains relocated Cold Case at a second-place 6.3/10 at 10 p.m. (and retention of just 62 percent out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Undercover Boss, and an expected far less in adults 18-49). This means, of course, that Undercover Boss once again outdelivered ABC’s competing Desperate Housewives (#3: 8.0/12), with an advantage this week of 19 percent. Also on ABC was veteran America’s Funniest Home Videos (#3: 4.6/ 8) and a repeat Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (#3: 4.0/ 6) from 7-9 p.m., and Brothers & Sisters (#3: 6.0/10) at 10 p.m. Retention for Brothers & Sisters out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Desperate Housewives (8.0/12) was 75 percent. Fox opened this final Sunday in February with two more burn-off episodes of sitcom ‘Til Death (#4: avg. 1.8/ 3 from 7-8 p.m.), and repeats of The Simpsons (#4: 3.4/ 5), The Cleveland Show (#4: 3.1/ 5), Family Guy (#4: 3.8/ 5) and American Dad (#4: 3.0/ 4) from 8-10 p.m. Coming up next Sunday: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards on ABC. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ Ratings Box:What’s Hot/What’s Not -Updated Winter Olympic Results:Based on 16 nights of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games (through Saturday, Feb. 27), NBC is estimating a total tune-in to-date of 185 million viewers on the networks of NBC Universal. Average viewership is 24.5 million, which has outdelivered ABC, CBS and Fox combined (22.2 million) by 2.3 million. Source: Nielsen Media Research data____________________________________________________________________________ On the Air Tonight:Prime-Time Programming Options Monday 3/01/10 ABC: 8:00 p.m. The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love (season finale)10:00 p.m. The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love – After the Final Rose CBS: 8:00 p.m. How I Met Your Mother 8:30 p.m. Rules of Engagement (season premiere) 9:00 p.m. Two and a Half Men 9:30 p.m. The Big Bang Theory 10:00 p.m. CSI: Miami NBC: 8:00 p.m. Chuck 9:00 p.m. Law & Order (2-hours, 10 p.m. time period premiere) Fox: 8:00 p.m. House (R) 9:00 p.m. 24 CW: 8:00 p.m. Life Unexpected (R) 9:00 p.m. Life Unexpected Of Note in Late Night:-Jay Leno returns tonight as host of NBC’s The Tonight Show after his colossal failure in prime-time. Stay turned to see how the audience responds. _____________________________________________________________________ TV Tidbits:Notes of Interest -Kate Gosselin to Compete on Dancing With the Stars:ABC will officially confirm the next set of Dancing With the Stars contestants on the season-finale of The Bachelor tonight. But rumored to be joining former Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson is reality star Kate Gosselin, Full House star John Stamos, diving legend Greg Louganis, Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek and Britney Spears’ ex-husband Kevin Federline. I will have the official set of new contestants tomorrow. -More Blue Mountain State:Spike TV, the destination for young males, has picked up a second season of scripted comedy Blue Mountain State, with an order for 13 additional episodes. Blue Mountain State follows the on and off-field antics of incoming freshmen as they learn to adapt to life at fictional football-driven college Blue Mountain State. Ed Marinaro (Hill Street Blues, Sisters) stars as the coach. -New Host for Last Comic Standing:On again/off again NBC summer reality competition Last Comic Standing, which is on again this summer for season No. 7, has named Craig Robinson of NBC’s The Office as the new host. Prior emcees for Last Comic Standing have been Jay Mohr, Anthony Clark and Bill Bellamy. -FlashForward Fans, Take Note:ABC will air a one-hour recap of the freshman drama’s first 10 episodes on Tuesday, March 16 at 10 p.m. (pre-empting The Forgotten), two days before its return on Thursday, March 18 with two episodes beginning at 8 p.m. ET. But will viewers still be interested after the three month hiatus? -On a Very Sad Note:It is with tremendous sadness to write about the passing of Marie Osmond’s 18-year-old son Michael Blosil, who jumped to his death Friday night from his downtown Los Angeles apartment building. He left a note explaining his intention to commit suicide due to his life-long battle with severe depression. Needless to say, my thoughts and prayers go out to Marie and her family. ______________________________________________________________________ TV Trivia Time:Switching Networks Four of the following series switched networks midway through their runs. Which one didn’t? MannixMatlock My Three Sons Step By StepTaxi The answer to Friday’s question… Remember finger snapping Pinky Tuscadero, the female version of Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on Happy Days? What was the name of her younger sister? GloryLeatherNiecyStella Tippy Is: b) Leather. Although Roz Kelly as cool Pinky Tuscadero was supposed to return, she apparently could not get along with Henry “The Fonz” Winker and was replaced by Suzi Quatro as the ridiculously named Leather. All together now…Sunday, Monday, Happy Days.Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days.Thursday, Friday, Happy Days.Saturday, What a day,Groovin' all week with you.These days are all,Happy and Free. (Those Happy Days)These days are all,Share them with me. (oh baby)Goodbye grey sky, hello blue.There's nothing can hold me when I hold you.Feels so right, it can't be wrong.Rockin' and rollin' all week long.These days are all,Share them with me. (Those Happy Days)These days are all, Happy and Free.These Happy Days are your's and mine, Happy Days. -Current kudos goes to:Don Abel, Suzanne Ackley, Joelle Alexander, Michelle Amundson, Gail Belle, Mikki Beno, Bert Benoleil, Barbara Berman, Deidre Bianchi, Bill Block, Barbara Bloomfield, Jocelyn Brandeis, Shari Brandt, Michelle Butler, Kelly Cale, Calvin Calveidt, Paul Certo, Larry Collins, Jim Colucci, Tom Condosta, Kristin Conner, Harold Cooper, Kay Copeland, Reid Davis, Sylvia Davis, Sue Doron, John Ferlazzo, Julie Friedlander, Geoffrey Gordon, James Gould, Peter Grad, Michael Grewe, Carolyn Becker Hayes, Barb Hemberger, Heidi Hoffmeister, Michael Holland, Bob Ingersoll, Greg Janover, Ken Jobe, Deb Kainer, Tom Kilgallon, Synda Kollman, Mark Krause, Steve Kurtzer, Tom Lawrenson, Danny Leclair, Patty Lynch, Tricia McKee, Jeff Meier, Bob Meyer, Rich Miller, Debbie Mirr, Joanne Albrecht Murnane, Michael Murphy, Frank Nicotero, Cindy O’Connor, Jay Ogletree, Mike Ousley, Alan Perris, Sandra Pettway, Tony Phillips, David Primuth, Michael Ratliffe, Arthur Reinstein, Patty Rodriguez, Tina Rolon, Deana Rosolen, Joe Rubi, David Ruckman, Marilyn Rutkowski, Neal Sabin, Maxine Schulman, Daniel Soiseth, Andrew Stearn, Julie Stowell, Jeff Stuewe, Robyn Swart, Carol Teichman, Evan Weinstein, Hayley Weinstein, Larry Weinstock, David Williams, John Wood, Jeanne Yonkers, Heather Zourmas

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Solid Sampling for NBC's The Marriage Ref

Marc Berman

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