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TV ratings: Oprah, Barbara Walters boost ABC Thursday, but CBS still wins
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Fast National ratings for Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010A pair of Barbara Walters specials on ABC Thursday gave the network's overall ratings a boost, but not quite enough of one to dethrone CBS from the top spot. "The Office," meanwhile, gave NBC a rare win among adults 18-49 at 9 o'clock.
CBS averaged 12.4 million viewers and a 7.6 rating/12 share in households for the night. Thanks to the Walters specials and a pair of Christmas shows at 8 p.m., ABC (10.8 million, 7.0/11) had a better-than-average night in total viewers. FOX (7 million, 4.2/7) came in third, while NBC (5.7 million, 3.4/6) finished fourth. The CW brought in 2.7 million people and a 1.8/3.
Three networks finished within three tenths of a point of one another in the adults 18-49 demographic. CBS came out on top with a 2.9 rating, followed closely by ABC, 2.7, and NBC, 2.6. FOX posted a 2.1 in the demo, while The CW trailed with a 1.0.
Thursday hour by hour:
8 p.m.
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" (12.1 million viewers, 7.3/12 households)/"$#*! My Dad Says" (9.5 million, 5.7/9)
FOX: "Bones" (8.8 million, 5.3/9)
ABC: Specials - "Shrek the Halls" (6.9 million, 3.9/7)/"Disney Prep & Landing" (7.5 million, 4.0/7)
NBC: "Community" (4.7 million, 2.8/5)/"30 Rock" (5.2 million, 3.2/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (3.1 million, 2.0/3)
18-49 leader: "The Big Bang Theory" (3.8)
9 p.m.
ABC: "Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, the Next Chapter" (13.15 million, 8.8/14)
CBS: "CSI" (13.14 million, 7.9/12)
NBC: "The Office" - one hour (7.6 million, 4.3/7)
FOX: "Fringe" (5.3 million, 3.1/5)
The CW: "Nikita" (2.3 million, 1.5/2)
18-49 leader: "The Office" (3.8)
10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (13.35 million, 8.4/14)
ABC: "Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" (12.15 million, 8.3/14)
NBC: "The Apprentice" finale (4.5 million, 2.8/5)
18-49 leader: "10 Most Fascinating People" (3.2)
Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.
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Photo/Video credit: ABC
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M E O W=CBS is boring and there shows really suck.
Barbara Walters is boring and her specials really suck.
Wow the top people of the this time were a joke, and the apprentice is officially over (the regular version at least).
$#*! My Dad Says gets nearly twice as many viewers as 30 Rock?
Everyone who owns a television should be embarrassed by this.
"Women of the domestic violence shelter, be quiet! A man is talking." -- Tracy Jordan
Charles, I hate Specials too. They are far from special, because they replace my shows. I'll take a rerun over a SPECIAL any day.
I'll take a special over a rerun any day.
Obviously Barbara's most fascinating people weren't fascinating enough to draw in views. Maybe she should have people who are actually relevant.
"BONES" keeps getting around 9 million viewers a week, "Big Bang" isn't doing as much damage as I was afraid it might. This should keep "BONES" away from Friday death night.
How can Barbara Walters' Oprah special get 13.15 million and 8.8/14 while CSI gets 13.14 million yet 7.9 and 12? Isn't the total number watching closely related to the other two numbers?
Good Lord, Barbara Walters can still pull down the big numbers with her interviews. Those are some of the best numbers ABC has seen all season in viewers. Still nothing tops Grey's Anatomy in demo.