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    Opening of NBA playoffs gives ratings win to ABC, ESPN; Nielsen week in review

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1092 Views
    Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) celebrates after making a layup at the buzzer to score and win Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, Sunday, April 17, 2022, in Boston. The Celtics won 115-114. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

    By David Bauder, Media Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    The NBA playoffs have begun with no clear championship favorite, and that appears to be good news for ABC and ESPN.

    The opening-round schedule of five games last weekend on the networks had more viewers than any playoff start since 2011, and its average of 4.17 million was up 32% over last year, the Nielsen company said.

    Leading the way was the instant classic between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics, with 6.9 million viewers Sunday afternoon, making it the most-watched first round game since 2016, Nielsen said. Viewership peaked at 9.8 million when the Celtics hit a last-second layup to win 115-114.

    Among the broadcast networks, CBS led the way last week with an average of 4.5 million viewers in primetime. ABC had 3.5 million, NBC had 3 million, Fox had 2.8 million, Univision had 1.4 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 800,000.

    Fox News Channel led the cable networks with a primetime average of 2.24 million viewers. TNT had 1.59 million, ESPN had 1.23 million, MSNBC had 1.16 million and HGTV had 977,000.

    ABC's "World News Tonight" led the evening news ratings with an average of 8 million viewers last week. NBC's "Nightly News" had 6.6 million and the "CBS Evening News" had 4.6 million.

    For the week of April 11-17, the top 20 most-watched primetime programs, their networks and viewerships:

    1. "FBI," CBS, 7.39 million.
    2. "60 Minutes," CBS, 7.12 million.
    3. "Chicago Fire," NBC, 7.11 million.
    4. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 6.85 million.
    5. "Chicago Med," NBC, 6.77 million.
    6. "The Equalizer," CBS, 6.64 million.
    7. "Ghosts," CBS, 5.96 million.
    8. "Chicago PD," NBC, 5.92 million.
    9. "FBI: International," CBS, 5.79 million.
    10. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 5.64 million.
    11. "FBI: Most Wanted," CBS, 5.43 million.
    12. "CMT Music Awards," CBS, 5.33 million.
    13. "American Idol" (Monday), ABC, 5.31 million.
    14. "American Idol" (Sunday), ABC, 5.27 million.
    15. "Survivor," CBS, 5.08 million.
    16. "America's Funniest Home Videos," ABC, 5.07 million.
    17. "911," Fox, 5.06 million.
    18. "United States of Al," CBS, 4.91 million.
    19. NBA Playoffs: Chicago at Milwaukee, Turner, 4.77 million.
    20. "Law & Order: SVU," NBC, 4.74 million.

    Tags:ABCCBSESPNNBA playoffsNielsen



    Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with 2 Swift-inspired films airing this season

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    This image released by Hallmark Media shows Hunter King, left, and Tyler Hynes in a scene from "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story. (Joshua Haines/Hallmark Media via AP)

    Two new Christmas TV movies have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding.

    "Christmas in the Spotlight" debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world's biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger as a pro football player, who meet and fall in love — not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

    "It's clearly inspired by Taylor and Travis, but I don't know them and I don't know what is going on behind the scenes. I only know what's been put out there," said Eirene Tran Donohue, a longtime, devoted fan who jumped at the opportunity to write a script even loosely based on her favorite musician.

    She was inspired by the couple's support of each other's accomplishments, particularly Kelce's ease with dating the star despite the glare of the spotlight, adding, "I love the way that he celebrates her."

    Tran Donohue wants fellow Swift fans to know she wrote the script with them in mind.

    "There are so many Easter eggs," she said of little details added that a Swift fan would pick up on. "I put in as many as I could."

    Then, on Nov. 30, Hallmark will air "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story." Instead of a nod to Swift, it's an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark's headquarters is also in Kansas City, so it makes sense why the company chose the Chiefs to be highlighted.

    In this story, written by Julie Sherman Wolfe, sparks fly when a new employee for the Chiefs organization (Tyler Hynes) meets a woman — played by Hunter King — whose family's dedication to the team goes back generations.

    Sherman Wolfe, a San Francisco 49ers fan, said she got the call a week after Super Bowl LVIII, when the Chiefs... Read More

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