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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Tues., May 3-7) -- lights out for Stars while numbers shine through

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Although again relegated to cable’s NBC Sports Net, the Dallas Stars’ Game 7 exit vs. the St. Louis Blues drew a higher peak audience than all other Tuesday TV attractions.

The Blues prevailed 2-1 in double overtime in a match that stretched to 10:58 p.m. The biggest D-FW crowd, 281,172, tuned in between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. That’s more viewers than CBS’ longtime juggernaut, NCIS, drew with a new episode in the 7 p.m. hour. It averaged 260,084 viewers.

Overall, Stars-Blues averaged 189,791 viewers, putting them behind NCIS plus CBS’ FBI (253,055) and Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast (217,908) while tying CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans.

But among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, the entire Stars-Blues match drew more viewers (84,538) than any other program Tuesday. The peak crowd of 129,826 viewers again tuned in between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. Fox4’s 9 p.m. news ran second in the 18-to-49 range with 81,518 for the full hour.

In Monday’s prime-time festivities, Fox’s 8 p.m. episode of 9-1-1 led all attractions in both total viewers (267,113) and with 18-to-49ers (84,538).

Sunday’s daytime Game 6 of Stars-Blues, carried on the NBC broadcast network’s bigger stage, averaged 189,791 total viewers (the same as Tuesday night’s Game 7), pulling in a bigger crowd than ABC’s down-the-stretch prime-time two hours of American Idol (168,703).

Saturday’s TV scorecard featured NBC’s annual telecast of the Kentucky Derby and its highly controversial aftermath. The race itself was run between 5:45 and 6 p.m. (Nielsen measures in 15-minute increments) and drew Saturday’s biggest audience by far (351,465 total viewers). From 6 to 6:30 p.m., when the winner on the track, Maximum Security, was disqualified because of a bumping foul, the audience amounted to 288,201 viewers.

NBC’s Saturday Night Live, with former cast standout Adam Sandler hosting and returning for the first time in 24 years, paced the late night Nielsens with 161,674 viewers. It drew a relatively small percentage of 18-to-49ers, though, averaging 45,288 of ‘em. In contrast, ABC’s prime-time Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors playoff game averaged 72,461 viewers in this key demographic while the actual running of the Kentucky Derby won by a couple of lengths with 81,518.

Friday’s prime-time leaders were CBS’ Blue Bloods in total viewers (253,055) and Fox4’s 9 p.m. news in the 18-to-49 demographic (33,211).

OK, at last, here are the Friday, Monday and Tuesday local news derby results for the 7th, 8th and 9th weekdays of the May “sweeps” ratings period.

Friday -- CBS11 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. and also was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 and 6 p.m. Fox4 and WFAA8 shared first place in total viewers at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Monday -- WFAA8 ran the table at 10 p.m. and Fox4 did likewise at 6 a.m. while also repeating its 5 and 6 p.m. wins with 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and tied WFAA8 for first in that measurement at 6 p.m.

Tuesday -- CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 remained in charge at 6 a.m. with another doubleheader win and NBC5 enjoyed a sweep of the 5 p.m. competitions.

At 6 p.m., WFAA8 won in total viewers and Fox4 prevailed with 25-to-54-year-olds.

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