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    Scripted Shows Return to Network TV; Nielsen Week in Review

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1159 Views
    New England Patriots running back Damien Harris, center, runs past Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, left, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey, right, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Foxborough, Mass. This NFL game topped the week's Nielsen ratings even though scripted TV series finally made their way back to primetime schedules (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

    By David Bauder, Media Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    After the coronavirus pandemic sidelined creators and led to a delayed start of the traditional fall television season, scripted shows are beginning to return to network schedules.

    Not all of them, not yet. But the return was most apparent the week after the election, and already there are winners and losers.

    Dick Wolf's Chicago-based trilogy of dramas is back, and all three shows finished among the Nielsen company's 20 most-watched programs last week.

    CBS' "Young Sheldon" led the path for comedies. ABC's "Station 19" and "Grey's Anatomy" were strong performers, along with CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles."

    But there are signs that viewers aren't immediately returning to old habits. A CBS double-header of "S.W.A.T." episodes on Wednesday fell flat, with neither episode reaching 3 million viewers.

    Similarly, NBC's long-playing "Law & Order: SVU" reached only 3 million people for its season debut.

    Former President Barack Obama had drawing power. "60 Minutes" landed as the week's most-watched non-football program as it featured an Obama interview hawking his new book.

    NBC was the most popular network, averaging 5.9 million viewers in primetime. ABC had 4.94 million viewers and Fox had 4.89 million. CBS averaged 4.1 million, Univision had 1.2 million and both Ion Television and Telemundo averaged just under 1 million viewers.

    Fox News Channel was the most-watched cable channel, averaging 3.36 million viewers for the week. CNN had 2.36 million, MSNBC had 2.15 million, ESPN had 2.04 million and Hallmark had 1.67 million.

    ABC's "World News Tonight" led the evening newscasts, averaging 9.9 million viewers. NBC's "Nightly News" had 8.3 million and "CBS Evening News" had 5.9 million.

    For the week of Nov. 9-15, the 20 most popular programs, their networks and viewership:

    1. NFL Football: Baltimore at New England, NBC, 15.79 million.
    2. NFL Football: Indianapolis at Tennessee, Fox, 12.51 million.
    3. "60 Minutes," CBS, 12.38 million.
    4. "NFL Pregame," NBC, 11.82 million.
    5. NFL Football: New England at N.Y. Jets, ESPN, 10.22 million.
    6. "Football Night in America," NBC, 9.03 million.
    7. "Chicago Med," NBC, 7.84 million.
    8. "The OT," Fox, 7.73 million.
    9. "The Voice" (Tuesday), NBC, 7.64 million.
    10. "NFL Pregame," Fox, 7.55 million.
    11. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 7.41 million.
    12. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 7.27 million.
    13. "Chicago Fire," NBC, 7.24 million.
    14. Country Music Association Awards, ABC, 7.09 million.
    15. "This is Us," NBC, 6.86 million.
    16. "Station 19," ABC, 6.61 million.
    17. "Chicago PD," NBC, 6.43 million.
    18. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 6.11 million.
    19. "The Masked Singer," Fox, 6.07 million.
    20. "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 5.97 million.

    Tags:Nielsen



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

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