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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Feb. 16) -- Big Bang again on top but prime-time audiences remain skimpy

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
February’s unseasonable warmth, with more of the same coming, is not lighting a fire under D-FW’s prime-time ratings. Absent any “arctic blasts,” many potential viewers apparently are getting out and about rather than hunkering down.

Delayed viewing will perk up most of these numbers over the next few days. Still, the same-night Nielsen ratings continue to be notably low during a “sweeps” month in which the Big Four broadcast networks are offering new series episodes night after night.

CBS’ Thursday night leadoff hitter, The Big Bang Theory, as usual led all programming with 356,284 viewers. It also drew the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds 112,249). Last year’s mid-February episode of Big Bang had 410,779 total viewers -- and that was against the opening half-hour of Fox’s American Idol.

ABC’s resident evergreen, Grey’s Anatomy, won from 7:30 to 8 p.m. in both ratings measurements. But its full-hour hauls were just 167,235 total viewers and 64,142 in the 18-to-49 realm.

CBS’ 8 p.m. episode of Mom won its half-hour in total viewers before the second half-hour of ABC’s Scandal tied CBS’ Life In Pieces from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Scandal ran first throughout the hour among 18-to-49-year-olds.

NBC’s Blacklist closed out prime-time with 9 p.m. wins in both ratings measurements. Again the numbers were hardly imposing -- 138,151 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49 age range. NBC’s superhero sitcom, Powerless, was the least-watched prime-time attraction across the board. So Powerless is a fitting title.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results for the 11th weekday of the February sweeps.

TEGNA8 stayed solid at 10 p.m. with a win in total viewers while NBC5 again was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and also ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m. and the Peacock won outright in that measurement at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net