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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri., March 27 to Mon., April 6) -- catchup and Badger wrapup

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Your friendly content provider zoom-drove from the Midwest very early Monday morning to catch what turned out to be the Badgers’ disheartening 68-63 loss to one-and-done-loaded Duke.

Still, it was a glorious hoops season for UW alums, who will always have that Kentucky win as salve. The NCAA title game turned out to be ratings-rich in D-FW, never known as a rabid basketball venue. Airing on CBS, Wisconsin-Duke averaged 585,816 viewers and 252,304 in the advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-old demographic. That easily made it Monday’s biggest draw, with NBC’s The Voice running second in both ratings measurements -- 362,648 total viewers and 110,383 in the 18-to-49 realm. (Nationally, CBS says it was the most-watched NCAA hoops final since 1997’s Kentucky-Arizona matchup.)

Monday’s late night Texas Rangers season opener at Oakland, a dull 8-0 loss, drew 111,584 total viewers on Fox Sports Southwest. More than half of them -- 59,922 -- were within the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Saturday’s NCCA hoops semi-final games, both on TBS, had smallish numbers in comparison to Monday’s main event. But both still ranked one-two in the day’s Nielsen ratings.

Wisconsin’s win over previously unbeaten Kentucky drew 320,804 total viewers and 119,844 in the 18-to-49 demographic. Duke’s rout of Michigan State had respective hauls of 216,194 and 75,691 viewers.

Let’s move to Easter Sunday, where NBC ran up the biggest prime-time scores with its 8 p.m. premiere of the 12-part A.D. The Bible Continues. It had 278,960 total viewers, smiting ABC’s annual all-night reprise of The Ten Commandments (139,480 viewers). A.D. also rolled with 18-to-49-year-olds, again ranking No. 1 with 88,306 viewers while Ten Commandments averaged 37,846.

Ratings slipped for the Peacock’s 9 p.m. launch of the new drama series American Odyssey. Fox4’s local newscast edged it in total viewers by a score of 181,324 to 174,350. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, Fox4’s news again narrowly prevailed -- 59,922 viewers to 56,768.

Over on AMC, the 9 p.m. startup of Mad Men’s final seven-episode arc had 62,766 total viewers and 37,846 in the 18-to-49 demographic. That’s barely a blip compared to the previous Sunday’s (March 29) season finale of The Walking Dead on AMC. It rolled up 334,752 total viewers and 236,535 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Last week also brought the Tuesday, March 31st premiere of the Fox comedy series Weird Loners. It was largely left alone in the 8:30 p.m. slot, drawing just 48,818 total viewers and 18,923 in the 18-to-49 age range. In contrast, Fox4’s 9 p.m. news then pole-vaulted to 160,402 total viewers, with 44,153 of them 18-to-49-year-olds.

CBS also launched Part 1 of its biblical The Dovekeepers on Tuesday night. It won its 8 to 10 p.m. slot with 209,220 total viewers but was beaten in the 18-to-49 measurement by Fox’s 8 p.m. episode of New Girl and Fox4’s news.

Wednesday’s Part 2 of Dovekeepers drooped to 111,584 total viewers to run fourth in the 8 to 10 p.m. time frame. It was the same story among 18-to-49-year-olds. Fox’s two-hour American Idol ranked as prime-time’s top attraction in both measurements.

Here are the local news derby results for the March 27th to April 6th weekdays.

Friday (March 27th) -- CBS11’s 6 and 10 p.m. editions were bounced by CBS’ NCAA basketball tournament coverage.

Gannett edged NBC5 in total viewers at 10 p.m., but the Peacock drew the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions while the 6 p.m. golds went to Gannett8 in total viewers and NBC5 among 25-to-54-year-olds.

At 5 p.m., NBC5 won in total viewers and shared the lead with Fox4 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Monday (March 30th) -- Gannett8 swept the 10 p.m. competitions and Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m.

Fox4 and CBS11 tied for the top spot in total viewers at 6 p.m. while Fox4 had the 25-to-54 gold to itself. At 5 p.m. Fox4 led in total viewers and NBC5 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Tuesday -- NBC5 ran the table at 10 p.m. with twin wins. Fox4 and Gannett8 shared the 6 a.m. lead in total viewers but Fox4 dominated with 25-to-54-year-olds.

CBS11 broke through with a 6 p.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 called the tune with 25-to-54-year-olds. The 5 p.m. top spots were split between Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 in the 25-to-54 measurement.

Wednesday -- NBC5 nipped Gannett8 for the 10 p.m. lead in total viewers while Fox4 won by a comfier margin with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 and the Peacock shared first place at 6 a.m. in total viewers, but Fox4 won outright among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 ran the table at 6 p.m.; Gannett8 led in total viewers at 5 p.m. and NBC5 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Thursday -- Gannett8 won at 10 p.m. in total viewers and Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 swept at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 5 p.m. CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. while the Peacock crowed in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Friday -- NBC5 rolled at 10 p.m. with twin wins while Fox4 again ran the table at 6 a.m.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. but Gannett8 took the top spot with 25-to-54-year-olds. The 5 p.m. wreaths went to NBC5 in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Monday -- Fox4 swept a downsized 10 p.m. competition, with CBS11’s late nighter delayed by the NCAA hoops final.

Fox4 also notched another pair of 6 a.m. wins. Gannett8 ran the table at 6 a.m. and added a 5 p.m. win in total viewers. Fox4 ran first at 5 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net