TV Ratings: FOX's Cotton Bowl coverage crushes CBS' Friday dramas
'Shark Tank' puts ABC in second among young viewers
Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel
Credit: AP
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Fast National ratings for Friday, January 4, 2013.
America loves Johnny Football!
The Cotton Bowl, featuring Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel running roughshod over the Oklahoma Sooners, drew big Friday night audiences to FOX, leading the network past ABC and CBS' normal Friday favorites.
Although "Blue Bloods" and "CSI: NY" drew low numbers, CBS still was second overall, while "Shark Tank" put ABC in second among young viewers.
Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 3.1 rating, doubling up ABC's 1.5 rating in the key demographic. CBS was third with a 1.4 key demo rating, followed by NBC's 1.2 key demo rating and the 0.3 key demo rating.
Overall, FOX averaged a 6.8 rating/11 share and 11.21 million viewers for Friday night, topping CBS' 5.7/9 and 8.88 million viewers. ABC was a distant third with 5.84 million viewers and a 3.6/6, with NBC's 3.1/5 and 4.48 million viewers taking fourth. The CW averaged 1.03 million viewers and a 0.7/1.
8 p.m. - The Cotton Bowl averaged 10.71 million viewers to lead the 8 p.m. hour for FOX, also winning with a 2.8 rating among adults 18-49. CBS' "Undercover Boss" was second with 7.51 million viewers and a 1.5 key demo rating. ABC was third with "Last Man Standing" (6.62 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo) and "Malibu Country" (6.02 million and a 1.2 key demo). NBC's two repeats of "Go On" averaged 2.08 million viewers and a 0.6 key demo rating, far ahead of the 969,000 viewers and 0.3 key demo rating for The CW.
9 p.m. - The football game was up to 11.705 million viewers and 3.4 rating among adults 18-49 for FOX in the 9 p.m. hour. CBS' "CSI: NY" was second with 9.18 million viewers and third with a 1.4 key demo rating. ABC's "Shark Tank" was second with a 1.8 key demo rating and third with 6.34 million viewers. "Dateline" drew 4.68 million viewers and a 1.2 key demo for NBC. The CW's "Arrow" repeat drew 1.085 million viewers and a 0.3 key demo rating.
10 p.m. - FOX's football probably led the 10 p.m. hour, but that's out of FOX's primetime range. CBS's "Blue Bloods" drew the most viewers in the 10 p.m. hours with a low 9.95 million viewers and a third place 1.3 rating among adults 18-49. NBC's "Dateline" jumped up to 6.68 million viewers and a 1.8 key demo rating. ABC's "20/20" averaged 4.85 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating.
All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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January 5, 2013 at 6:24PM EST Reply to Comment"America loves Johnny Football!" Yes, our country is in love with virtually all kinds of sports, as well as Reality TV (e.g. a couple of ex-plumbers looking for ghosts with night vision equipment, or people who couldn’t sing to save their own life and who really make me appreciate talent scouts for filtering them out before I have to hear them, or the myriad other inane Reality TV shows.), and sitcoms which liberally sprinkle the dialogue with “Ho” and “vagina.” Can't turn on the TV on weekends without immediately running into some kind of sports or the mandatory, rehash ad infinitum of whatever game just finished or are in progress elsewhere, this time of year with the non-stop mention of "football game" by the talking heads. It's as if the audience has to be reminded of what type of game it was that they just watched or are watching. Filler, or did the fans forget? Even shows like “CSI: NY” (picking up the mantle from “CSI: Miami” a.k.a. Caruso and his sunglasses, with T & A and scenery.) have to use flashy graphics and distractingly loud and obtrusive “music” to keep the mainstream audience engaged. Even the Sci-Fi Channel (now called “Syfy”) is being watered down and debased by Reality TV, wrestling, and the cheapest, most superficial shows and “Original movies” known to man. If they have space science-fiction at all, it has to be thinly veiled, ultra-trashy daytime soaps with virtually no redeeming characters, and they reject things for being too “science-fictiony.”
Yeah, "America loves Johnny Football!" The focus on athletics and the superficial stuff for the A.D.D. and/or “I hate to have to think.” audience over everything else, yeah, that’s something to make us all proud (sarc.). I swear, the movie “Idiocracy” is coming true before my very eyes.
dan Wow. That's not at all weirdly out of proportion to reality. I listed nearly 50 quality scripted shows currently on TV in my Best of 2012 lists last month. There's a TON of spectacular scripted TV. Try not to get too offended that some sports are also aired on TV.
January 5, 2013 at 6:44PM EST-Daniel
Mac Dan, since your comment doesn't allow a direct reply here, this is my only recourse.
January 5, 2013 at 7:07PM ESTYes, there are some good scripted shows on TV, although I doubt your "50" number, and if they get moved to weekends, at least on broadcast TV, they frequently get random start times because of the random end times of sports and the mandatory rehash of said sports.
I guess you're not seeing the trend of the dumbing down of TV, especially on broadcast (non-cable and non-premium cable) TV and the mainstreaming of previously niche channels?
dan Mac - What you just did is a direct reply. And no, I'm not seeing any trend regarding dumbing down of TV. I'm seeing more and more cable networks branching into original programming and more and more examples of top-notch international programming coming to either TV or various online sources. There is more scripted television and more smart scripted television than ever in the medium's history.
January 5, 2013 at 7:34PM ESTAnd the "50" figure was a Top 10 last, a Second 10, 20 Honorable Mentions and six other random shows. Of those, only three or four were unscripted and there's no reason why unscripted TV can't be good TV.
And some people like watching sports. Those people can also enjoy watching scripted programming. There's plenty of TV to go around...
-Daniel
Mac Post a comment...
January 5, 2013 at 8:14PM ESTMac Sorry, the structure of the page made it look like I'd be replying to my own comment.
January 5, 2013 at 8:48PM ESTThe above article discusses broadcast TV. How many of your 50 are on broadcast TV? I can come up with 14 good scripted shows that I watch on broadcast TV and that's being charitable, with only 1 being on the weekend.
Usually, when a show that I watch moves to Saturday or Sunday, I drop it because of the random start time problem.
I dropped cable because I don't want to have to pay $70~$100 per month to get the cable shows I want to watch. Instead I buy (e.g. Justified, Burn Notice, True Blood, Top Gear-UK, etc.) or rent (Netflix) the DVD sets of the cable shows that I like. That way, I don't have to put up with commercials, including the commercials (regular commercials, popups, and squashed credits with voiceovers) for the shows that I can't stand, and I save at least 25% of the time in watching a show in place of recording and FF-ing.
Mark
January 7, 2013 at 6:59PM EST Reply to CommentI don't love Johnny! I wonder what he's gonna do next year, he could stink the joint up. I doubt he does but as long as he leads A&M to a win over ala. again he's alright with me.