weekly network ratings

Less than two months after stepping away from a regular role on television, Walters returned last week to conduct an interview with the father of a California man who shot and killed six people and injured 13 before killing himself. It was ABC’s most-watched primetime program of the week, and in the Nielsen company’s top 10 among all networks.

With rival ABC pinning much of its hopes for summer success behind the interactive new talent show, Rising Star, that debuted Sunday, NBC made a last-minute schedule change to distract potential viewers. NBC scheduled a special Sunday night version of America’s Got Talent, already established as summer’s most popular competition, to directly compete with Rising Star. CBS won the week in primetime, averaging 5 million viewers. NBC had 4.9 million, ABC had 4.1 million, Univision had 3.02 million, Fox had 2.95 million, Telemundo had 1.5 million, Ion Television had 1.1 million and the CW had 1 million.

Basketball led ABC to an easy victory in primetime, where it averaged 7.8 million viewers last week. NBC had 5.1 million, CBS had 5 million, Univision had 3 million, Fox had 2.8 million, Telemundo had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1.1 million and the CW had 950,000.

20.6 million people tuned in to see California Chrome fail in its attempt to record horse racing’s Triple Crown late Saturday. It was the second biggest television audience recorded for the Belmont Stakes over the past two decades. It’s unusual when a TV show outside of primetime records the week’s highest ratings. Buoyed by basketball, ABC won the week in primetime, averaging 6.9 million viewers.

CBS won last week in primetime, averaging 5.5 million viewers. NBC had 5.2 million, ABC had 4.1 million, Fox had 3 million, Univision had 2.7 million, Telemundo had 1.5 million, Ion Television had 1.1 million and the CW had 1 million.

CBS is generally the most popular network, but it aired more reruns than competitors ABC and NBC last week and paid for it. Season finales of Dancing With the Stars and The Voice were the week’s most popular programs. Cam and Mitch’s wedding on the season-ending Modern Family episode and the Disney World visit of The Middle cast were big winners for ABC, too.

Timberlake was the big winner in Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards and an estimated 9.5 million people watched ABC’s two-hour salute to retiring TV news legend Barbara Walters on Friday, the biggest audience the network has received in that time slot in two years. But all that wasn’t enough to take the No. 1 spot last week. CBS averaged 8.2 million viewers in primetime last week. ABC had 7.2 million, NBC had 5.4 million, Fox had 4.2 million, Univision had 2.7 million, the CW had 1.4 million, Telemundo had 1.2 million and Ion Television had 910,000.

ESPN’s coverage of the first round of the NFL draft last Thursday was watched by just under 10 million viewers, easily the most ever for the annual event. Meanwhile, 8.1 million people watched the debut of 24: Live Another Day, the miniseries that brought “24” lead character Bauer back to Fox’s schedule. That made it Fox’s most-watched show of the week, and compared to the series average of 9.3 million viewers in 2009-10, its last season on the air.

While ABC’s Dancing With the Stars was last week’s most-watched episode, CBS won the week in primetime, averaging 8.8 million viewers. ABC had 6.6 million viewers, NBC had 6.1 million, Fox had 3.9 million, Univision had 2.9 million, the CW had 1.5 million, Telemundo had 1.1 million and Ion Television had 1 million.

CBS won last week in primetime with an average of 8 million viewers. ABC had 6.4 million, NBC had 5.4 million, Fox had 4.8 million, Univision had 2.8 million, the CW had 1.5 million, Telemundo had 1.3 million and Ion Television had 1 million.

The Kerry Washington series went away with bombs and assassination plots, concluding its third season. It finished in the s top 10 for the week, but more importantly for ABC it was the most popular program among viewers 18-49. However, CBS won in primetime for the seventh consecutive week, averaging 7.9 million viewers. ABC had 6.5 million viewers, NBC had 5.4 million, Fox had 4 million, Univision had 2.7 million, the CW had 1.4 million, Telemundo had 1.2 million and Ion Television had 950,000.

Overall in primetime, CBS won the week handily with an average 9.95 million viewers, leaving ABC behind with 6.20 million, followed by NBC with 5.40 million and Fox with 4.94 million. Univision had 2.73 million, Telemundo had 1.18 million, the CW had 1.01 million and Ion Television had 1.04 million.

CBS was No. 1 in primetime with an average of 10 million viewers. ABC had 6.4 million, NBC had 5.7 million, Fox had 4 million, Univision had 2.8 million, Telemundo had 1.19 million, the CW had 1.18 million and Ion Television had 1 million.

CBS easily won the week in primetime, averaging 9.1 million viewers. ABC had 6.3 million viewers, NBC had 5.9 million, Fox had 4.1 million, Univision had 2.7 million, the CW had 1.6 million, Telemundo had 1.22 million and Ion Television had 1.18 million.

CBS won the week of March 17-23 in primetime, averaging 8 million viewers. ABC had 6.4 million viewers, NBC had 6.3 million, Fox had 4.3 million, Univision had 2.6 million, the CW had 1.7 million, Ion Television had 1.18 million and Telemundo had 1.15 million.

CBS won last week with a primetime average of 9.3 million viewers. NBC had 6.7 million viewers, ABC had 5.9 million, Fox had 4.7 million, Univision had 2.7 million, the CW had 1.5 million, Ion Television had 1.3 million and Telemundo had 1.1 million.

Nielsen upped its estimate to 43.7 million, putting ABC solidly in first place for the week. ABC averaged 11.6 million for the week in prime time. CBS had 8.5 million, NBC had 6.3 million, Fox had 4.4 million, Univision had 3 million, the CW had 1.5 million, ION Television had 1.2 million and Telemundo had 1.1 million.

Overall for the week in prime time, NBC averaged 17.7 million viewers, a drop from the previous week’s 21.2 million. Far behind, CBS and Fox tied with 6.1 million viewers apiece, followed by ABC with 4.2 million. Univision had 3.4 million, Ion Television had 1.2 million, Telemundo had 980,000 and the CW had 920,000 viewers.

Overall for the week in primetime, NBC averaged 21.2 million viewers. Runner-up CBS had 5.3 million, followed by Fox with 4.4 million and ABC with 3.7 million. Univision had 2.9 million, ION Television had 1.3 million, Telemundo had 1.2 million and the CW had 860,000 viewers.

Overall in primetime for the week ending Feb. 9, NBC carried the torch with an average of 17.2 million viewers. CBS had 9.6 million, followed by Fox with 5.0 million and ABC with 4.8 million. Univision had 3.0 million, the CW had 1.6 viewers, Telemundo had 1.3 million and Ion Television had 1.2 million.

This year’s Super Bowl between Seattle and Denver was the most-watched TV event in U.S. history, with an audience even larger than the Nielsen company originally thought. Thanks to Sunday night’s game, Fox averaged 30.1 million viewers in primetime. CBS had 7.8 million, NBC had 4.8 million, ABC had 4.6 million, Univision had 2.9 million, the CW has 1.7 million, Telemundo had 1.4 million and Ion Television had 1.3 million.

An estimated 8.3 million people saw ABC anchor Elizabeth Vargas talk about last fall’s stint in rehab, putting the show among the 20 most-viewed of the week. CBS easily won the week in primetime, averaging 11.3 million viewers. Fox had 6.1 million viewers, NBC had 6 million, ABC had 5.4 million, Univision had 2.9 million, the CW had 1.7 million, Telemundo 1.4 million and Ion Television 1.3 million.

Overall for the week, Fox won with an average of 17.2 million viewers. Runner-up CBS had 8.4 million, followed by ABC with 5.2 million and NBC with 4.6 million. Univision had 2.7 million, the CW had 1.6 viewers, Telemundo had 1.4 million and Ion Television had 1.2 million.

The network surged with its coverage of the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots, which drew nearly 32 million viewers to rank as the week’s most-watched program. Overall for the week, CBS won with an average of 15.2 million viewers. It was the biggest ratings week by any network this season.

With a NFL playoff spot on the line in the last game of the season, NBC’s coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night was easily the most-watched program of the week, reaching more than 27 million viewers

The I Love Lucy special on CBS drew 8.7 million viewers to rank as last Friday night’s most-watched program and No. 16 for the week overall. CBS averaged 8.8 million viewers in primetime, followed by NBC with 8.1 million. ABC had 5.1 million, Fox had 3.4 million, Univision had 2.8 million, Telemundo had 1.3 million and Ion Television had 1.4 million. CW had 980,000.

NCIS and The Big Bang Theory topped the Nielsen ratings last week, pushing the typically strong NBC Sunday Night Football into third place. CBS averaged 9.3 million viewers in primetime, followed by NBC with 7.5 million. Fox had 6.1 million, ABC had 5.6 million, Univision had 2.6 million and CW had 1.3 million. Telemundo had 1.4 million and Ion Television had 1.35 million.

The network’s success with its live remake of The Sound of Music starring Carrie Underwood, which drew more than 18 million viewers last week, stunned even the most optimistic network executives. NBC averaged 10.6 million viewers in prime time for its triumphant week. CBS had 7.9 million, Fox had 7.2 million, ABC had 5.9 million, Univision had 2.8 million, the CW had 1.8 million; Ion Television had 1.4 million and Telemundo had 1.3 million.

CBS won the week ending Nob. 24 in primetime, averaging 9.8 million viewers. ABC had 8.5 million viewers, NBC had 8.4 million, Fox had 5.9 million, Univision had 3.6 million, The CW had 1.5 million, Telemundo had 1.4 million and Ion Television had 1.2 million.

CBS won the week in primetime among the broadcast networks, averaging 9.8 million viewers. NBC had 8.8 million viewers, ABC had 6.6 million, Fox had 6.1 million, Univision had 3.5 million, the CW had 1.8 million, Telemundo had 1.2 million and Ion Television had 1.1 million.

Nielsen said Fox’s primetime average of 3.8 million viewers last week was smaller than any recorded by ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox in November. Fox also finished fourth among the young viewers that are its most sought-after audience. CBS won the week in prime time, averaging 11.4 million viewers. NBC had 8.6 million viewers, ABC had 7.9 million; Univision had 3.2 million; the CW had 1.6 million; Telemundo had 1.3 million and Ion Television had 1.2 million.

CBS averaged 10.5 million for the week in primetime. Fox had 7.7 million, ABC and NBC tied at 7.43 million, Univision had 3.2 million, the CW had 1.6 million, Ion Television had 1.21 million and Telemundo had 1.2 million.

With four Series games finishing among Nielsen’s top 20 programs last week, Fox was the most-watched network in primetime, averaging 11.4 million viewers. CBS had 9.5 million viewers, NBC had 7.7 million, ABC had 6.8 million, Univision had 3.2 million, the CW had 1.7 million, Telemundo had 1.2 million and Ion Television had 1.1 million.

CBS’s long-dominant Monday night schedule has shown surprising weakness, and the network has already made some moves to shore up the night. NBC made it a big priority to establish a new comedy schedule on Thursday nights with shows starring Michael J. Fox and Sean Hayes, but they haven’t caught on.

Overall, CBS won the week, averaging 10.9 million viewers. NBC, in second place, had 8.7 million and won among the 18-to-49-year-old viewers advertisers pay a premium to reach. ABC had 7.4 million, Fox had 4.8 million, Univision had 3.4 million, the CW had 1.4 million and ION Television had 1.2 million.

Each of the four biggest broadcast networks had some carefully nurtured initial successes in the new TV season’s first week. But NBC was alone in seeing more primetime viewers than it had during the same week in 2012, and the increase was 19%. Among the 18-49 demographic that many advertisers seek, NBC had the widest first-week margin of victory in 16 years.