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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 29) -- snoring toward 2017

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Prime-time’s top draw Thursday, a repeat of CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, tells you a little something about how the networks half-step into the New Year.

BB had 181,778 D-FW viewers and also ranked No. 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds with 54,521. But the day’s overall winner in both ratings measurements was CBS11’s syndicated Wheel of Fortune with respective totals of 239,946 and 57,729 viewers at 6:30 p.m.

ESPN’s parade of college football bowl games was led by San Antonio’s Alamo Bowl, in which Oklahoma State routed Colorado. It averaged 152,693 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49-year-old realm.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 drew the most total viewers at 6 a.m. and shared the 25-to-54 gold with the Peacock.

NBC5 had clean sweeps at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 28) -- rolling with Wheel of Fortune

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Yeah, it’s a pretty slow day and night when Wheel of Fortune easily is D-FW’s most-watched TV attraction.

Not that Wheel’s a ratings slouch. CBS11’s one sure thing continues to dominate the three competing rag mags at 6:30 p.m. weekdays. But it also was the full day’s runaway ratings kingpin on Wednesday.

Wheel drew 261,760 D-FW viewers compared to the No. 2 attraction, ESPN’s nighttime presentation of Texas A & M’s loss to Kansas State in the Texas Bowl. It had 174,506 viewers.

Fox for some unfathomable reason devoted prime-time and beyond to the Foster Farms Bowl between Utah and Indiana. It averaged 65,440 viewers in running last against all competing shows on ABC, CBS and NBC.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won a downsized three-way race at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions, won at 6 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds and tied Fox4 at 5 p.m. for first place in that key demographic.

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 6 p.m. and NBC5 ran first in that measurement at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues., Dec. 27) -- Kennedy Center Honors pay off for CBS

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
In reality there wasn’t much else to watch but reruns or second-rate bowl games.

Still, it’s nice to see CBS’ longtime investment in the Kennedy Center Honors pay some ratings dividends. The 39th annual ceremony won its 8 to 10 p.m. slot in D-FW Tuesday with 189,049 viewers. It also won the 8 to 9 p.m. hour among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds before tailing off to a third place finish from 9 to 10 p.m. behind ABC’s 20/20 and Fox4’s local newscast.

The night’s top scorer in total viewers, CBS’ repeat of NCIS, drew 232,675 in the 7 p.m. hour. But it ran an overall fourth with 18-to-49-year-olds, beating only Fox’s 7:30 p.m. rerun of New Girl.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 6 a.m. while Fox4 had first place to itself among 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 won with 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. The total viewer golds went to Fox4 at 5 p.m. and TEGNA8 at 6 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

And to all a good night: D-FW's list of 2016 TV newsroom exits (updated)

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By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Throughout the year, unclebarky.com tries to keep track of all the arrivals and departures at D-FW’s four major TV news providers -- Fox4, NBC5, TEGNA8 and CBS11.

This annual compendium lists only the 2016 departures -- in alphabetical order -- of those who have left your local home screens.

As always, please remember. This is a compilation of on-camera personnel. No slight is intended to off-camera staffers, whose contributions remain valuable and, in many cases, indispensable. But TV viewers develop long-lasting or fleeting relationships with the people they see in their living rooms -- or other “platforms.” That’s the way it is, and here we go once again. (If you think I’m missing someone of import, please look first at the 2015 list before shooting me an email, tweet or Facebook message. Sometimes these people have been gone for longer than you think.)

ASHTON ALTIERI -- After a three-year stay as TEGNA8’s weekend meteorologist and weekday fill-in weathercaster, Altieri left in August and now is taking temperatures for KCNC-TV, Denver’s CBS station.

ZAHID ARAB -- He was a nightside reporter for two years at Fox4 before declining to sign a new contract and leaving in April. He’s lately been reporting for KPHO-TV, the CBS station in Phoenix.

JOHNNY ARCHER -- After joining NBC5 in May 2014, Archer has decided to return to his native Philadelphia when his contract expires early next year. He has been co-anchoring on weekend mornings after initially being hired as the station’s weekend evening anchor. Archer said he has no further definite plans at the moment but “I plan to stay in the business.”

ELLEN BRYAN -- She spent just two years at NBC5 before leaving in March to join CBS affiliate WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C. Bryan had been reporting for NBC5’s weekday morning newscasts.

MIKE CASTELLUCCI -- He ended a second tour at TEGNA8 in June in favor of teaching at Michigan State University, where he’s now the school’s Professor of Practice. Castellucci initially joined TEGNA8 in 2003, becoming best known as the station’s “Why Guy” reporter before leaving in 2008 for San Diego’s KUSI-TV. He returned to TEGNA8 in the summer of 2013, initially as co-host of the station’s Good Morning Texas. Earlier this year he returned to the reporting staff for a brief period.

MELISSA CUTLER -- The veteran Fox4 reporter called it quits in February, ending a 15-year tenure with the station. She then started a second career in real estate with her husband.

CHELSEY DAVIS -- She had a brief stop as CBS11’s morning traffic reporter, joining the station in June 2015 and leaving in November of this year to join her husband, Brandon Hamilton. He took a position with Phoenix’s NBC station, KPNX-TV, after a short stay as an early morning reporter for TEGNA8.

DEANNA DEWBERRY -- She joined NBC5 in October 2012 as a high profile consumer reporter and left the station in June of this year. News director Mark Ginther told staffers in a memo that Dewberry is “passionate about consumer reporting” but also is “passionate about anchoring. And we’ve allowed her to pursue such a job.” Dewberry and her husband subsequently have adopted two children out of foster care as planned on National Adoption Day (Nov. 19th). Dewberry says she’ll “have info soon on the next move.”

ELIZABETH DINH -- After joining CBS11 in January 2012, she left in February of this year to become a 10 and 11 p.m. anchor at KPTV-TV, Portland, Oregon’s Fox station. Dinh primarily worked the morning shift at CBS11.

AREZOW DOOST -- She was a full-time reporter at CBS11 since October 2010 after initially joining the station as a freelancer in July 2008. Shortly after having her second child, Doost left D-FW in February to join her husband, Kevin Peters, in Austin, where he had taken a job as a digital producer for IBM. Since August of this year, Doost has been an investigative reporter with Austin’s KXAN-TV, the market’s NBC station.

JENNY DOREN -- She lasted just two years as a reporter on TEGNA8’s early morning shift before leaving the station in May. Doren is now the director of video content and strategy for UT Southwestern Medical Center.

JIM DOUGLAS -- A stalwart street reporter for TEGNA8 for 21 years, he retired in July at age 60. “It’s mostly about family,” he said. “I need and want to spend more time in Cincinnati, where my parents are facing life changes. And where our oldest daughter lives.” Douglas also said he “wasn’t sure I could take too much more knocking on doors and talking to grieving families.” Before joining TEGNA8 in 1995, Douglas worked at NBC5 for 10 years.

AMANDA GUERRA -- She exited NBC5 in late March of this year after joining the station in June 2011. Guerra had been co-anchoring the station’s weekend nighttime newscasts while also reporting on weekdays. She’s lately been doing some work for Dallas-based KRLD-AM radio.

BRANDON HAMILTON -- He joined TEGNA8 in July of last year as an early morning news reporter before leaving in November of this year to join Phoenix’s NBC station, KPNX-TV. His new bride, CBS11 traffic reporter Chelsey Davis, joined him on this journey. (See above.)

WES HOUX -- He was let go as TEGNA8’s weekend morning meteorologist in December after joining the station in May 2015 to replace Julie Bologna.

ERIC KING -- He rang in 2016 by departing NBC5 and returning to the station he had left -- CBS’ affiliate WLKY-TV in Louisville, KY. King was with NBC5 for three years in various capacities. For a while he was part of an early weekday morning tri-anchor team with Deborah Ferguson and Marc Fein.

TED MADDEN -- After a 14-year career as one of D-FW’s foremost sports feature reporters, he left TEGNA8 in November after tiring of the weekend grind. “It will sound like a sports cliche that I’m going to spend more time with my family,” Madden said. “I wanted a regular life. Weekends off.” He spent most of those weekends covering high school sports and now will be working as a video producer for the Mesquite ISD.

CARRIE McCLURE -- She left TEGNA8’s locally produced Good Morning Texas at the end of April after four years as a co-host and correspondent. McClure, who has three sons, said she wanted to “return where I was before -- at home, with my sweet boys and ever-supportive husband.”

LARRY MOWRY -- One of D-FW’s biggest losses of the past year came when CBS11 chief meteorologist Larry Mowry left for Chicago’s ABC station, WLS-TV, after an eight-year stay in North Texas. Mowry, who had briefly worked at WLS in 2004, took a weekend position upon returning to the station. “The decision to leave was not money-related,” he told unclebarky.com. There were many factors. CBS11 has treated me so well over the years. I have nothing but high praise for this station. It is just an amazing opportunity to return to Chicago to a great station.” After a lengthy search, CBS11 named incumbent Scott Padgett as Mowry’s replacement.

REMEISHA SHADE -- The NBC5 weekend meteorologist ended a six-year stay at the station in November of this year. Management has declined to comment on the reasons for her departure and Shade so far has not returned a message asking for comment.

JEFF SMITH -- He joined NBC5 as an early morning reporter in January 2013 and exited in October of this year in hopes of becoming a foreign correspondent based in Israel.

PHILIP TOWNSEND -- After joining TEGNA8 as a reporter in December 2014, he left in September of this year to return from whence he came -- ABC affiliate WVEC-TV in Norfolk, VA. This time Townsend took a posit as a weekend anchor.

CARLA WADE -- She left TEGNA8 early in the year after a three-year stay. Wade had been anchoring the station’s weekend morning newscasts while also reporting on weekdays. She’s now anchoring at KTNV-TV, the ABC affiliate station in Las Vegas.

For those keeping score, that’s a total of 23 departures in this past year. TEGNA8 “led” the way with 10 exits, followed by NBC5 with 7. CBS11 had 4 departures and Fox4 was a comparative island of tranquility with just 2.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Mon., Dec. 23-26) -- Cowboys roll with TEGNA8/ESPN combo

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys doubled up on the Detroit Lions Monday night, winning 42-21 in Jerry’s Palace on ESPN’s Monday Night Football and TEGNA8’s over-the-air simulcast.

Starting shortly after 7:30 p.m. and running until 10:36 p.m., the game averaged 1,337,882 D-FW viewers on TEGNA8 and another 436,266 on ESPN. Hand calculator technology says that’s a grand total of 1,774,148 viewers, short of the season high of 1,963,197 for the Dec. 11th 10-7 road loss to the Giants on NBC’s national Sunday Night Football stage.

Among advertiser-treasured 18-to-49-year-olds, Cowboys-Lions had 519,550 viewers on TEGNA8 and another 224,497 on ESPN for a total of 744,047. The season-to-date champ remains the Dec. 11th Cowboys-Giants game with 817,811 viewers in this key demographic.

TEGNA8 also aired a homegrown Dale Hansen sports special from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. It drew 378,097 total viewers to easily whip ESPN’s national pre-gamer (145,422 viewers).

Opposite the Cowboys game, Fox Sports Southwest’s Dallas Mavericks-New Orleans Pelicans game barely had a pulse with 6,544 total viewers. The first half of Mavs-Pelicans registered “hashmarks” (no measurable audience). Yes, these are tough times for the Mavs.

On Sunday, Christmas Day, NBC’s prime-time Kansas City Chiefs-Denver Broncos game led all TV attractions with 538,061 total viewers. The NFL Network also had strong ratings for its exclusive mid-afternoon face-off between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. It averaged 414,453 viewers. ABC’s afternoon NBA game between last season’s championship finalists, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, took the bronze with 247,217 viewers.

The Saturday, Christmas Eve slate of games was led by Fox’s Arizona Cardinals-Seattle Seahawks matchup (567,146 total viewers). Fox’s preceding Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings game averaged 370,826 total viewers.

The NFL Net’s nighttime exclusive between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals pulled in 283,573 viewers. CBS’ early afternoon New England Patriots-New York Jets game limped in with just 138,151 viewers.

Here are Friday’s local news derby results. (A majority of the stations took holiday exemptions on the day after Christmas.)

TEGNA8 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

NBC5 likewise swept the 6 a.m. competitions while also notching twin wins at 6 p.m. The Peacock and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 5 p.m., but Fox4 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Christmas Eve marching orders at TEGNA8: you are all expected to be know-it-alls about the Dallas Cowboys

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<By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
News staffers at Dallas-based TEGNA8 perhaps were expecting traditional Christmas Eve well-wishes from station management.

Instead they received this rather grinch-y Cowboys for Dummies missive from news director Carolyn Mungo. She firmly let it be known that the station is all aboard the Dallas Cowboys bandwagon as the team gets ready for post-season play.

“Hi everyone. I realize that some of you may not be into football. And that’s okay.” the message began. “But that time is officially over. At least in the month of January.”

Mungo said that all news personnel will “be expected to know your stuff” when it comes to the current-day and past editions of the Cowboys. “Consider this like preparing for an election,” she wrote. “Be prepared. Know the team. Research the history. Study the star players. Know the playoff and super bowl dates. Be engaged, involved, and informed when talking. Follow the Cowboys on social media. Facebook, Twitter, etc. Pick up on what fans are saying that way.

“The great thing is -- this stuff is all online. Read articles. Write a one sheet. Remember fun things you learn along the way. This is now on y’all do (sic) get up to speed. Cowboys are in the playoffs. Study what that means. It’s the one thing that unites this town. The research and study begins now. We need to make sure our audience knows -- we know what we’re talking about. They will absolutely know if we don’t.”

There’s no shortage of Cowboys’ cheerleading -- particularly by the non-sports anchors -- at all four of D-FW’s major TV news providers. It can be more than a little embarrassing. But Mungo’s marching orders take it to a new level when it comes to mandatory full-immersion.

The timing of her directive was the equivalent of a stocking full of coal in the view of some TEGNA8 staffers. But it also wasn’t entirely coincidental. TEGNA8 will be the over-the-air broadcast station for the Dec. 26th edition of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, in which the Cowboys host the Detroit Lions at Jerry’s Palace. And the station has a pre-game Dale Hansen sports special ready to go at 6:30 p.m.

Hansen decidedly is not a Cowboys cheerleader. Nor are TEGNA8’s other sports anchors and reporters. But Mungo, who does not communicate with your friendly content provider, seems to be strongly implying that the station’s news staffers would be well-advised to get their pom pons ready. “Let’s go Cowboys!” Mungo tweeted a week before Christmas. She shared the same sentiment -- but with two exclamation points -- on Nov. 13th.

In an effort to further her own knowledge of the Cowboys, here are five basically elementary questions that Mungo might have trouble answering without first googling. Maybe some staffers can clue her in, though.

1. What did Danny White do on the field for the Cowboys other than play quarterback?

2. What former Cowboys coach had a shoulder-punching flareup on the air with Hansen?

3. Who were the two principal stars of ABC’s first Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders movie?

4. What current Cowboys player has a surname that also spells out the city where the Cowboys played for many years?

5. What two teams did the Cowboys defeat during their Super Bowl run in the 1990s? Hint: they beat one of them twice.

LOCAL TV NEWS NOTE: This could bear watching.

CBS11’s weekday P.M. news co-anchor, Kaley O’Kelley, is filling in for the vacationing Karen Borta this week on the early morning editions.

Sources at the station say that Borta, who was shifted from nights to mornings in January 2015, has grown weary of the waker-upper shift and wouldn’t at all mind reuniting with anchor Doug Dunbar on the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts. In contrast, O’Kelley (who was hired as Borta’s P.M. replacement in January 2015), reportedly likes the early mornings and wouldn’t be averse to relocating.

CBS11 continues to struggle in the Nielsen ratings in the early mornings and on all three P.M. newscasts. So a Borta-O’Kelley swap isn’t out of the question, but of course would have to be approved at the CBS corporate level by CBS11’s owner. The station currently has an interim news director, Laurie Passman, who was named to the post after news director Mike Garber was dropped in August of last year.

Nothing at all may come of this. But Borta’s discontent is genuine. She has not responded to a message asking for comment and CBS11 has a policy of not discussing potential personnel moves or any that are still in progress.

Finally, the answers to those Cowboys questions: 1. He also was the team’s punter. 2. Barry Switzer. 3. Jane Seymour and Bert Convy. 4. David Irving. 5. The Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- season finale

By ED BARK
https://twitter.com/unclebarkycom
Your friendly content provider made this short film last Christmas. Bella the cat (on the left) had just joined us from a nearby animal shelter while incumbent elder cat Snickers was a Christmas gift from my son 12 years earlier.

The object of their fascination is a battery-operated, sound effects-equipped miniature Christmas train bought at an estate sale. Sorry, but neither cat chose to Godzilla it during a continuous loop around the tree. But they did pay rapt attention.

Have a great Christmas, everybody! Hope you enjoyed the annual Countdown.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 22) -- Eagles and Giants an overwhelming favorite

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The New York Giants’ 24-19 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles not surprisingly had the biggest D-FW ratings of the season for a Thursday night game not involving the Cowboys.

The loss not only gave Dallas the NFC East title but assured home field advantage throughout the post-season road to a possible Super Bowl. So yes, there was much more than a passing interest in who won.

The game had 596,230 viewers on NBC and another 159,964 for the NFL Network simulcast. Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, NBC drew 208,462 and the NFL Net, 67,349.

Almost no one had their eyes peeled for ESPN’s competing Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which got mashed with just 29,080 total viewers.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 won a downsized three-way 10 p.m. race in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). NBC5’s 10 p.m. edition was pushed well past its appointed hour by football.

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 swept the 5 p.m. competitions. The Peacock and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m., but NBC5 won comfortably with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 9

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Throughout his enduring career, Johnny Mathis, now 81, has never let a rock song cross his lips. And no, I’m not counting his cover of Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender.”

Instead the pride of Gilmer, Texas continues to rock it old school with one of the smoothest voices ever recorded.

Here he is on his 1990 Home For Christmas special, singing “What Child Is This?” to the hilt with a chorale accompaniment. A big finish is guaranteed.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 21) -- Fox rules with reruns

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Fox didn’t have to try very hard to run the table in prime-time Wednesday.

Repeats of Lethal Weapon and Star won from 7 to 9 p.m. in both total D-FW viewers and advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds before Fox4’s new edition of the local news cruised at 9 p.m. with another sweep.

Weapon and the local news were the top draws in total viewers with 181,778 apiece. Fox4’s news was the most-watched TV attraction among 18-to-49-year-olds (67,349).

ABC’s 9 p.m. entry, the new Game Changers with Robin Roberts, bombed with just 65,440 total viewers. But it inched up to second in its time slot with 18-to-49-year-olds, although drawing just 25,657 of ‘em.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 overcame ABC’s skimpy lead-in to lead at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 ran first among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. At 5 p.m., the Peacock and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers but NBC5 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 8

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
’Tis the season to be generous. So today we offer a twofer -- classic ABC and CBS Christmas greetings from generations ago.

The first is a 1957 spot voiced by John Charles Daly, who’s best known as the host of CBS’ What’s My Line? but at the time was also ABC’s principal news anchor. This ABC spot offers greetings from the network’s entire stable of talent, even Zorro, Rin Tin Tin and the Lone Ranger & Tonto.

The second is a poignant and understated 1966 CBS animated spot drawn by R.O. Blechman. It still holds up beautifully.





Email comments or questions to: uncle barky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon.-Tues., Dec. 19-20) -- Tony reward for NBC

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s splendid and star-studded two-hour celebration of Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday deservedly won its two-hour time slot Tuesday night.

Tony Bennett Celebrates 90: The Best Is Yet to Come averaged 174,506 D-FW viewers from 8 to 10 p.m. CBS drew the night’s biggest crowd, however, with its 7 p.m. repeat of NCIS (232,675 viewers).

Among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds, Bennett won from 8 to 9 p.m. with 41,692 viewers. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast then took over at 9 p.m. with 48107 viewers in this key demographic. Bennett slid to a third place tie with the second hour of ABC’s The Year: 2016 (35,278 viewers each). CBS’ Bull rerun took the silver with 38,484 viewers.

On Monday, NBC enjoyed a prime-time sweep in total viewers with a two-hour America’s Got Talent holiday special (239,946) and a 9 p.m. sneak preview of the big money game show, The Wall (210,862).

CBS ruined the party a bit in the 18-to-49 demographic with its 7 p.m. Oprah Winfrey/Michelle Obama special, which nipped the first hour of AGT. The Peacock then rolled for the rest of the night, with The Wall’s 89,799 viewers besting the combined offerings on Fox4, ABC and CBS.

Here are the Monday-Tuesday local news derby results.

Monday -- NBC5 swept the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. races in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). But Fox4 held serve at 6 a.m. by edging the Peacock in both ratings measurements.

Tuesday -- NBC5 ran the table at 5 and 10 p.m. while Fox4 did likewise with dominating wins at 6 a.m. The 6 p.m. golds went to TEGNA8 in total viewers and NBC5 in the 25-to-54 age range.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 7

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Nothing says Christmas quite like Los Straitjackets performing a rockin’ “Here Comes Santa Claus” with the gyrating, “world famous” Pontani Sisters. Originally seen on NBC’s Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 6

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
This curious 1978 Christmas spot for Harveys Bristol Cream finds a woman inviting herself over to a man’s house to put a little something under his tree. A few years ago, it wouldn’t have been “respectable,” she says after donning her fur coat. But Harveys supposedly is the great equalizer. Because it’s “more than respectable. It’s downright upright.” Huh? Drink it in.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs.-Sun., Dec. 15-18) -- Cowboys fall just shy of season highs

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Zeke did the Salvation Army kettle leap after TD run. Photo: Ed Bark

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The crowd-pleasing return of Dak and Zeke in full force wasn’t quite enough to propel the Dallas Cowboys to new season ratings highs Sunday night.

But the 26-20 home win over Tampa Bay on NBC’s national Sunday Night Football stage still ranked high on the DFW charts with 1,934,113 total viewers and 792,154 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

The previous Sunday’s 10-7 road loss to the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football remains the overall top draw with 1,963,197 total viewers and 817,811 in the 18-to-49 age range. Dallas’ Thanksgiving Day home win over the Washington Redskins also drew a few more total viewers with 1,941,384. Cowboys-Tampa Bay moves into second place on the 18-to-49 charts, with Cowboys-Redskins falling to third (782,532).

CBS’ mid-afternoon/early evening New England Patriots-Denver Broncos face-off ran second among Sunday’s NFL attractions with 588,959 total viewers. Fox’s noon-starting New York Giants-Detroit Lions game finished close behind with 552,604 total viewers.

On Saturday, the prime-time Miami Dolphins-New York Jets contest, shown only on the NFL Network, came up a ratings stinker with just 123,609 total viewers. It was outdrawn later in the night by NBC’s new edition of Saturday Night Live, which had 167,235 viewers with Casey Affleck hosting.

In Friday’s prime-time Nielsens, CBS’ 8 p.m. episode of Hawaii Five-0 was the top draw with 203,591 total viewers. And on Thursday night, the Seattle Seahawks’ demolishment of the Los Angeles Rams drew the biggest crowd with 276,302 total viewers on NBC and 101,795 for the NFL Net simulcast.

Here are the Thursday-Friday local news derby results.

Thursday -- Fox4 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m. in a down-sized three-way race. Fox4 was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 also had twin wins at 6 a.m. while NBC5 again ran the table at 5 and 6 p.m.

Friday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 shared first place in the total viewers race, but NBC5 drew the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 10 p.m..

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. Fox4 was tops in total viewers at 5 p.m. and tied NBC5 and TEGNA8 for No. 1 among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 5

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
This just happened the other night on NBC. But in case you missed it, here’s Burleson’s own Kelly Clarkson singing “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” with Arlington’s own Pentatonix on their joyous and buoyant Christmas special.

Update: Well, some grinches have taken this video down, so let’s go instead with Tony Bennett singing “The Christmas Song” at NBC’s recent Rockefeller Center special. Because you can’t go wrong with that.



Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net

Telemundo39 reporter's spontaneous coat donation has spread the warmth

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Sometimes it just takes a single kind gesture.

On a recent, frigid night in Dallas, Telemundo39 reporter Fernando Mejia felt compelled to give his coat to a homeless man who had walked into his live shot.

With an assist from sister station NBC5, a coat drive kicked in. And at last count, 1,048 coats have been donated to The SoupMobile in Dallas, which annually hosts a holiday event for the homeless at the downtown Dallas Omni Hotel.

SoupMobile is still taking donations, and the coats will be distributed on Christmas Day. The SoupMobile address is 3017 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75226. There also is a SoupMobile church at 2423 S. Good Latimer St., Dallas 75215.

Here’s the video on how it all began.



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NBC5's Johnny Archer heading home while Evan Anderson heads here as new weekend morning anchor (updated with comments from Archer)

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NBC5’s incoming Evan Anderson and outgoing Johnny Archer

@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The arrow is pointing homeward for NBC5 weekend morning anchor Johnny Archer, who has decided to leave the Fort Worth-based station and return to his native Philadelphia early next year.

His replacement will be Fort Worth native Evan Anderson from Columbus, Ohio’s WBNS-TV, where he’s spent just a year as the CBS affiliate’s weekend evening anchor. Anderson earlier worked at TV stations in Oklahoma City and New Orleans after graduating with a degree in mass communications and business management from New Orleans’ Dillard University. He’s scheduled to start at NBC5 in February.

Anderson briefly attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth after the Dillard campus was flooded by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He’ll also be reporting on weekdays and filling in on NBC5’s weekday morning editions.

Archer joined NBC5 in May 2014 from WHAS-TV in Louisville, KY. He initially was hired as a weekend evening anchor, but was moved to mornings when NBC5 hired Cory Smith in late 2015. He’s a Temple University graduate who grew up in the Philadelphia area.

In a memo to staffers Thursday afternoon, NBC5 vice president of news Mark Ginther noted that “a few months ago, I let everyone know that Johnny Archer let me know his intentions to move home to Philadelphia when his contract expires in early 2017.” Ginther also praised Anderson’s current station, WBNS-TV, as “one of the very best news organizations in the country.” Another recent NBC5 hire, reporter Ashleigh Barry, also previously worked at WBNS, Ginther said.

Archer told unclebarky.com Thursday that he’ll be returning to Philadelphia sometime this spring. Otherwise, “nothing is definitive at this point and I have not made a decision about what I will be doing after NBC5. I can tell you I plan to stay in the business.”

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Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 4

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Of course every Ronco product made for a “great Christmas gift!”

But a generation or so later, only one of them might actually be usable today. No, it’s not The Buttoneer, The Rhinestone & Stud Setter, Mr. Dentist, Mr. Microphone, The Flower Loom or The Smokeless Ash Tray. But in times when vinyl is hot again, it just might be the Ronco Record Vacuum.

Are your LPs afflicted with “micro-dust particles” or even “static electricity buildup?” The Record Vac takes care of that. Here, see for yourself in this vintage holiday season commercial fronted by a fake record store owner.



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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Tues.-Wed., Dec. 13-14) -- Empire/Star combo short on punching power

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Is Fox’s Empire starting to crumble?

Wednesday’s “fall finale,” coupled with the splashy premiere of Fox’s like-minded Star, was at best a mild success in the D-FW ratings.

Empire drew a rather lowly 290,844 viewers and had tough sledding at 7 p.m. against NBC’s A Pentatonix Christmas Special (247,217 viewers), starring the Arlington, TX-based music makers.

Star then slipped a bit to 269,031 viewers opposite the first hour of NBC’s annual Saturday Night Live Christmas collection (210,862).

Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Empire came up stronger with 131,491 viewers versus the Pentatonix special (89,799). But Star fell to second place in the 8 p.m. hour with 86,592 viewers versus 102,627 for the first hour of the SNL special. Hour 2 of SNL won from 9 to 10 p.m. in both ratings measurements.

In Tuesday’s prime-time results, CBS’ NCIS topped all programming in total viewers with 392,639. NBC’s latest season finale of The Voice ranked No. 1 with 18-to-49-year-olds (118,663).

Here are the local news derby results for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesday -- NBC5 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). The Peacock also swept the 5 and 6 p.m. competitions but Fox4 held serve at 6 a.m. with twin wins.

Wednesday -- Fox4 ran the table at 10 p.m. and did likewise at 6 a.m. NBC5 again notched doubleheader wins at both 5 and 6 p.m.

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CBS11 greenlights Madison Adams as new early morning traffic anchor

Madison Adams

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
CBS11’s newest weekday early morning traffic anchor is Madison Adams. She’s scheduled to start on Dec. 27th after arriving from Waco’s CBS affiliate station, KWTX-TV.

“Madison was born and raised in Fort Worth. “We’re happy to welcome her back home to North Texas and have her help our viewers avoid tie-ups during the morning commute,” CBS11 president-general manager Gary Schneider said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon.

Madison, who replaces Chelsey Davis, was an anchor-reporter at KWTX while also serving as lead reporter for the station’s KWTX Baylor Gameday. She joined the station in July 2015. The Baylor University grad also has been a sports reporter and anchor for Baylor Athletics.

Davis left CBS11 in late November of this year to be with her new husband, Brandon Hamilton, in Phoenix, where he had taken a job at NBC station KPNX-TV. She had joined CBS11 in June 2015. Hamilton previously worked the early morning shift as a reporter for rival TEGNA8.

In the November “sweeps” ratings period, CBS11 ranked fourth in the early mornings behind frontrunner Fox4, runner-up NBC5 and TEGNA8.

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Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 3

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
It’s Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd at the height of their TV powers in this Christmas video montage from ABC’s inimitable Moonlighting. Set to the tune of The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride.”



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Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 2

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Long before becoming Snake Plisskin in Escape From New York, little Kurt Russell was a big fan of powerful weaponry.

So was the Mattel Toy Company, especially around Christmas. Russell was the kid behind both the Agent Zero M Radio Rifle Toy and the more lethal Agent Zero M Sonic Blaster, which fired a “massive blast of compressed air.”

Russell demonstrated both of them in 1960s commercials. For Episode 2 of the Countdown, we’ve chosen the Agent Zero M Sonic Blaster. And remember, kids, “You can tell it’s Mattel. It’s swell!”



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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Mon., Dec. 12) -- The Voice, MNF are top draws

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
NBC’s The Voice and ESPN’s Monday Night Football again proved to be Monday’s ruling class.

The Voice topped all D-FW programming in total viewers with 327,200 while the MNF showdown between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens won among advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-olds with 121,870.

In the local news derby results, NBC5 came within a wisp of a rare double grand slam. The Peacock swept the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. competitions in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). But Fox4 barely stemmed the tide by nipping NBC5 at 6 a.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 had the most total viewers at 6 a.m. by a narrow margin over Fox4.

Local News Note: Starting on Jan. 2nd, Dallas-based KERA radio’s (90.1 FM) Think will significantly expand its reach with simulcasts on public radio stations in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Waco. The program, hosted by Kris Boyd since Feb., 2006, airs from noon to 2 p.m. weekdays.

“My favorite conversations are the ones that raise more questions than they answer,” Boyd says in a KERA publicity release.

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Uncle Barky's Countdown to Christmas -- Episode 1

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Thirty seasons ago, the 1986 Dallas Cowboys gave coach Tom Landry his first losing season since 1965.

It didn’t start out that way, though. The Cowboys won six of their first eight games before losing seven of their last eight. But the unfairly maligned Danny White broke his wrist during Game 9, a 17-14 loss to the New York Giants that sent Dallas on a downward spiral under backup quarterback Steve Pelluer. Four of the team’s losses were by four points or less.

Through it all -- or perhaps before the season started -- a collection of Cowboys participated in trying to sing “Christmas in Dallas.” White was picture book handsome, and of course also performed with utmost sincerity during his closeups. Beyond two other easily recognized performers -- Herschel Walker and Bill Bates -- see how many more you can identify.

The four-minute video remains cornily charming. Or maybe I’m just getting soft in the head. Here we go with Episode 1 of our annual “Countdown to Christmas.”



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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Fri.-Sun., Dec. 9-11) -- Cowboys set season highs on otherwise deflating night

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ 10-7 loss to the New York Giants, in which rookie sensation Dak Prescott exchanged his Superman cape for a Riddler costume, nonetheless hit new season highs in the two major ratings food groups.

Played on NBC’s national Sunday Night Football stage in frigid New Jersey, the Giants snapped the Cowboys’ 11-game winning streak to the tune of 1,963,197 D-FW viewers and 817,811 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic. That outpointed the 2016 season highs of 1,941,384 total viewers and 782,532 in the 18-to-49 age range for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins on Fox.

(Note: the official end to Sunday night’s game trickled slightly past the 10:30 p.m. mark, with most of the 10:30 to 10:45 segment then filled by commercials and a post-game show. These ratings are for the 12 full 15-minute increments measured by Nielsen Media Research. That’s a more realistic look at the actual audience for the game.)

Earlier Sunday, Fox’s Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks game, intercut by a small portion of the much closer Bucs-Saints game, ranked second among NFL attractions with a robust 741,652 total viewers.

On Saturday, Army’s narrow win over Navy, ending a 14-game losing streak dating to 2001, led all programming with 189,049 total viewers for the CBS telecast. It also marked the final college football game in the announcers’ booth for Verne Lundquist, who long ago cut his teeth in the TV biz as WFAA-TV’s lead sports anchor and, as many keep recalling, host of the station’s Bowling For Dollars. Lundquist got to say goodbye at the end, and did so with consummate grace.

Friday’s prime-time parade was topped by CBS’ Blue Bloods in total viewers (247,217) and NBC’s Dateline in the 18-to-49 realm (48,107).

Here are Friday’s local news derby results.

CBS11 had the most total viewers at 10 p.m. and NBC5 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions while NBC5 won a 5 and 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54-year-old demographic. The Peacock’s run of six straight weekday sweeps at these hours came to an end, though. Fox4 topped the 5 p.m. race in total viewers and TEGNA8 was first in that measurement at 6 p.m.

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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs., Dec. 8) -- Thursday Night Football coasts to firsts

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The NFL had its way Thursday, with the frigid weather Kansas City Chiefs-Oakland Raiders game dominating the prime-time landscape.

NBC’s Thursday Night Football averaged 392,639 D-FW viewers, with the NFL Network’s simulcast tacking on an additional 109,067.

In the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic, Chiefs-Raiders had 153,941 viewers on NBC and another 41,692 on the NFL Net.

The next closest TV attraction in total viewers, CBS’ 7 p.m. repeat of The Big Bang Theory, weighed in with 225,404. CBS’ new 8:30 p.m. episode of Life In Pieces ranked second among 18-to-49-year-olds with 51,314.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results.

TEGNA8 swept a downsized 10 p.m. race in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming). NBC5’s late nighter was pushed out of the mix by football.

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 continued to flex at 5 and 6 p.m. with its sixth consecutive weekday sweeps in the two key ratings measurements.

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TEGNA8 adds Sarah Hoye to reporting staff

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By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Sarah Hoye, formerly with the now defunct Al Jazeera America network, is now reporting for Dallas-based TEGNA8.

Hoye made her TEGNA8 on-air debut this month, with a rather puzzling station memo saying only that “she came to us from Brooklyn. We have another Green Bay fan. She also claims to have some serious basketball skills. Welcome to our new ‘News’ junkie!”

Hoye joined Al Jazeera America at its inception in August 2013 as a correspondent for the network’s America Tonight program after a previous stint as a Philadelphia-based CNN correspondent. She also has reported for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and has a masters degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.

Al Jazeera America folded in April 2016. One of Hoye’s colleague’s at the network was former TEGNA8 anchor/reporter Jonathan Betz. He left the station in 2013 to become one of Al Jazeera America’s first anchor hires.

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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Dec. 7) -- Hairspray can't hold against Fox's dynamic duo

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
In one of the season’s more intriguing ratings match ups, NBC’s latest heavily promoted holiday season musical, Hairspray Live!, went against Fox’s two biggest hits -- Lethal Weapon and Empire.

Empire struck back hard and Lethal Weapon also hit bullseyes with a “Jingle Bell Glock” Christmas episode Wednesday night. Not only that, but Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast also had enough juice to prevail against the closing hour of Hairspray, which otherwise merited a gold star for both effort and execution.

Lethal Weapon kicked it off with 312,657 D-FW viewers opposite the opening hour of Hairspray (269,031). Empire then beat Hairspray’s midsection by a score of 356,284 viewers to 247,217. Fox4 news mopped up, drawing 203,591 viewers opposite the sagging closing hour of Hairspray (174,506).

Hairspray, which featured a possible star-making turn by Houston newcomer Maddie Baillio as plucky Tracy Turnblad, steadily lost audience in each 15-minute increment of its final two hours, ending with just 138,151 viewers after highs of 283,573 between 7:30 and 8 p.m.

Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, Hairspray likewise ran second all night behind the Fox/Fox4 trio.

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results.

It was a day of sweeps in a non-“sweeps” period. TEGNA8 ran the table at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 won across the board at 5 and 6 p.m. for the fifth consecutive weekday.

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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Wed., Nov. 30 to Tues., Dec. 6) -- catchup round

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
Apologies for the shortage of posts lately. But a trip to Minnesota for the Cowboys-Vikings game followed by a weekend diagnosis of pneumonia (which was already in development) have turned your friendly content provider into low-energy Uncle Barky. (That TEGNA8 management voodoo doll appears to be paying dividends, though. Kinda sorta joking.)

Anyway, here’s a big “snapshot” catchup round in reverse order from Tuesday to the previous Wednesday. But first the D-FW numbers for that Thursday night 17-15 Cowboys win on the NBC/NFL Network prime-time stage.

The game, which upped Dallas’ record to 11-1 and ultimately clinched a playoff spot, averaged 1,396,051 total viewers on NBC and added another 167,235 for the NFL Net simulcast. Hand calculator technology says that’s a grand total of 1,563,286 viewers.

Among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds, Cowboys-Vikes had 567,657 viewers on NBC and 83,385 on NFL Net for a combined 651,042.

Both totals are well short of the season-to-date record set on Thanksgiving Day, when 1,941,385 total viewers and 782,532 in the 18-to-49 age range tuned to Fox to watch the Cowboys edge the Washington Redskins at Jerry’s Palace. Of course, nothing else mattered last Thursday night, when the most-watched TV attraction directly opposite the Cowboys, CBS’ 8:30 p.m. episode of Life In Pieces, drew 101,795 total viewers.

OK, let’s rewind further.

Tuesday -- CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of NCIS led all prime-time programming in total viewers with 378,097 while NBC’s jarring “fall finale” of the fall season’s most popular new series, This Is Us, easily ranked as the night’s top draw among 18-to-49-year-olds (137,905).

Monday -- NBC’s two-hour edition of The Voice was prime-time’s No. 1 attraction in total viewers with 247,217. CBS’ 9 p.m. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show special popped the most 18-to-49-year-old eyeballs with 76,970 -- based on two eyeballs per viewer.

Sunday -- Fox’s late afternoon starting Pittsburgh Steelers-New York Giants game comfortably led the NFL parade with 698,026 total viewers. NBC’s prime-time Seattle Seahawks-Carolina Panthers face-off edged CBS’ early starting Green Bay Packers-Houston Texans snow bowl for the No. 2 spot by a score of 472,622 viewers to 443,537.

Saturday -- Fox’s so-called “Bedlam” matchup between victorious Oklahoma and Oklahoma State topped the college football chain with 218,133 total viewers. That was just enough to outpoint CBS’ later starting Alabama-Florida mismatch, which had 210,862 viewers.

Cringe, Fox’s prime-time Big Ten championship game, in which Uncle Barky’s alma mater Wisconsin Badgers blew a three-touchdown lead to Penn State, came in third with 181,778 viewers. Bucky now gets the Cotton Bowl and unbeaten Western Michigan, which isn’t a bad consolation prize.

Friday -- NBC’s two-hour Dateline topped all prime-time programming with 181,778 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49 demographic. CBS’ colorized one-hour I Love Lucy Christmas special won the 7 to 8 p.m. slot with respective totals of 145,422 and 35,278 viewers.

Wednesday -- Fox’s 8 p.m. episode of Empire as usual ruled with prime-time’s strongest showings in both total viewers (305,386) and 18-to-49-year-olds (147,527). NBC fought hard, though -- particularly in total viewers -- with a pair of Christmas specials. The network’s annual Rockefeller Center tree lighting show pulled in 261,760 total viewers in the 7 p.m. hour to finish a competitive second to Fox’s Lethal Weapon (283,573). From 8 to 10 p.m., the Peacock’s sequel to Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors movie had a nice-sized 247,217 total viewers and won from 9 to 10 p.m. after Empire went away.

Finally, here are the weekday local news derby results in chronological order from Wednesday through Tuesday.

Wednesday -- NBC5 won in total viewers at 10 p.m. and also ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions in both ratings measurements and NBC5 did likewise at 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Thursday -- CBS11 ran first at 10 p.m. in a downsized three-way race, with NBC5 waylaid by the Cowboys game. CBS11 and TEGNA8 tied for first among 25-to-54-year-olds.

TEGNA8 rose up for an uncommon 6 a.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 won with 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 basked in ratings sweeps at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Friday -- TEGNA8 won a downsized three-way race at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds. Fox4’s news was delayed deep into the night by Fox’s Washington-Colorado football game.

Fox4 had the most total viewers at 6 a.m. but NBC5 won among 25-to-54-year-olds. The Peacock again bloomed at 5 and 6 p.m. with across-the-board wins.

Monday -- TEGNA8 notched another 10 p.m. win in total viewers while Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 had the 6 a.m. edge in total viewers and tied NBC5 for first with 25-to-54-year-olds. NBC5 kept on winning at 5 and 6 p.m., running the table for the third straight weekday.

Tuesday -- CBS11 finally re-entered the winner’s circle with a 10 p.m. first in total viewers. Fox4 took the 25-to-54-year-old gold.

The 6 a.m. firsts were split between Fox4 in total viewers and NBC5 in the 25-to-54 age range.

NBC5 continued to roll at 5 and 6 p.m. with its fourth consecutive weekday sweeps.

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Wex Houx out, Kyle Roberts in as TEGNA8's weekend morn meteorologist

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Wes Houx (left) has been replaced by Kyle Roberts from Oklahoma City as troubled TEGNA8’s weekend morning meteorologist.

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The personnel merry-go-around continues at Dallas-based TEGNA8. Meteorologist Wes Houx, who very much wanted to keep the job, has been dropped from the weekend morning news team after joining the station in May 2015 in place of Julie Bologna.

Houx confirmed that his last day at TEGNA8 was Sunday, Dec. 4th. His replacement, who’s already in house, is Kyle Roberts from Oklahoma City’s KOKH-TV, a Fox station. Roberts recently posted on his Facebook page that he’s joining TEGNA8 this week. The Texas A&M grad spent three years at KOKH after beginning his TV meteorologist career at NBC affiliate KETK-TV, which serves Tyler and Longview, TX.

Roberts’ new position will be full-time. Houx had sought a full-time position to no avail at TEGNA8. For a while, he also worked five days a week at Waco’s KCEN-TV, which also is owned by TEGNA.

TEGNA8 also recently hired meteorologist Jesse Hawila to replace weekend P.M. weathercaster Ashton Altieri, who left the station in August and now is with Denver’s KCNC-TV. Last month, TEGNA8 lost sports reporter Ted Madden, a 14-year veteran who excelled at covering high school sports.

The ABC affiliate went winless in the November “sweeps” ratings period for the first time in recent memory.

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