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Local Nielsen ratings snapshot (Thurs.-Mon., Oct. 31-Nov. 4) -- Cowboys divide and conquer

By ED BARK
@unclebarkycom on Twitter
The Dallas Cowboys’ annual appearance on Monday Night Football again gave the D-FW populace two channel choices.

They chose the “home team” for viewing the visitors’ sloppy 37-18 win over the New York Giants in a “Black Cat” game that ended at 10:29 p.m.

WFAA8’s simulcast of ESPN’s coverage drew 891,010 viewers while ESPN added 496,517 for a grand total of 1,387,527 viewers.

Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, WFAA8 pulled in 326,564 viewers and ESPN had 214,845. You’ll notice that the “kids” tend to watch cable in higher percentages than the population at large. Anyway, the total haul of 18-to-49ers was 541,409.

Monday night’s very distant runner-up attraction opposite the Cowboys, Fox’s 7 p.m. episode of 9-1-1, drew 183,643 total viewers and 45,834 in the 18-to-49 realm. WFAA8’s pre-game show, anchored by Dale Hansen, won its time slot with 313,675 total viewers opposite CBS11’s potent Wheel of Fortune (251,659). It was far less of a contest among 18-to-49-year-olds, with the pre-game show luring 100,261 viewers compared to Wheel’s’s 37,240.

Sunday’s D-FW ratings also were dominated by the NFL, with NBC’s Sunday Night Football clash between the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots emerging as the day’s top draw with 666,557 total viewers and 280,731 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Saturday’s college pigskin parade was lead by ABC’s prime-time telecast of SMU’s high-scoring first loss of the season to Memphis. The game averaged 217,651 total viewers, with 68,750 of them in the 18-to-49 demographic.

Friday gave non-sports programming a shot, and CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods as usual took advantage with the biggest crowd of total viewers (244,858) while Fox’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown entranced the most 18-to-49ers (51,563).

On Halloween night, pro football again took charge. Fox’s Thursday night matchup of the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals ruled prime-time with 408,096 total viewers and 169,011 of the 18-to-49 persuasion. And that’s not even counting the extra little helpings from the NFL Network’s simulcast.

OK, here are the local news derby results for Thursday, Friday and Monday, which also were the first three weekdays of the November “sweeps” ratings period.

Thursday -- WFAA8 won a downsized three-way race in total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 prevailed among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Longtime defending champ Fox4 got off to a strong start with a 6 a.m. sweep in what is likely to be a competitive three-way early morning race with NBC5 and
WFAA8.

Fox4 also won among 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 and 6 p.m., but WFAA8 had the most total viewers at those hours.

Friday -- CBS11 chimed in with a 10 p.m. win in total viewers, with NBC5 and WFAA8 tying for the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 made it two sweeps in a row at 6 a.m. and likewise again ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds at 5 and 6 p.m.

NBC5 was tops in total viewers at 5 p.m. and shared the 6 p.m. lead in that measurement with WFAA8.

Monday -- Three statiions fought for scraps opposite the closing half-hour of the Cowboys game, with CBS11 winning in total viewers and Fox4 drawing the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

WFAA8 ran the table at 6 a.m. and also swept the 6 p.m. races. NBC5 notched twin wins at 5 p.m.

Email comments or questions to: unclebarky@verizon.net