By David Bauder, Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Two sporting events last week — the Kentucky Derby and first round of the NFL draft — pulled in more television viewers than the Oscars, something inconceivable only a couple of years ago.
The Nielsen company said 14.5 million people watched Medina Spirit win the Derby on Saturday, and all the surrounding hoopla of the event, on NBC. The draft's opening, televised on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network, reached 12.6 million people combined.
Less than two weeks earlier the Academy Awards, once one of the most-watched events of the year, barely topped 10 million viewers.
NBC Sports couldn't resist tweeting out over the weekend that the Derby was watched by more people than any entertainment awards show this cycle. The event also added to the legend of NBC statistics maven Steve Kornacki, the only one on the network to correctly predict the winner.
The Derby's audience beat last year's event, seen by only 9.4 million people because it was held in September because of the pandemic. It was down 12% from the 2019 race.
Draft coverage was down 19% from 2020, although that event attracted a sports-starved audience in the second month of the pandemic. But in an era when most TV events struggle to reach an audience, this year's opening round was the second most-watched opening of the draft ever.
Although the draft has been an annual event for decades, it has only recently become a major TV event. The NFL used to hold it on weekend days and in 2007, for instance, the first round was seen by 4.5 million people, Nielsen said.
But in 2010 the first round was moved to primetime. ABC began airing it three years ago, and it's a must-see moment for football fans.
CBS was the most-watched network in primetime last week, averaging 4.8 million viewers. ABC had 3.2 million, NBC had 2.9 million, Fox had 2.1 million, Univision had 1.2 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 920,000.
Fox News Channel led the cable networks, averaging 2.2 million viewers in primetime. ESPN had 2.04 million, MSNBC had 1.59 million, HGTV had 1.3 million and CNN had 1.1 million.
ABC's "World News Tonight" won the evening news ratings race, averaging 7.4 million viewers. NBC's "Nightly News" had 6.5 million and the "CBS Evening News" had 4.9 million.
For the week of April 26-May 2, the top 20 programs, their networks and viewerships:
1. "NCIS," CBS, 8.55 million.
2. "60 Minutes," CBS, 7.62 million.
3. "FBI," CBS, 7.57 million.
4. "Young Sheldon," CBS, 7.34 million.
5. "The Equalizer," CBS, 7.23 million.
6. "The Voice," NBC, 6.8 million.
7. "NFL Draft, Round 1," ESPN, 6.48 million.
8. "Blue Bloods," 6.29 million.
9. "American Idol," ABC, 6.01 million.
10. "911," Fox, 5.97 million.
11. "FBI: Most Wanted," CBS, 5.62 million.
12. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 5.61 million.
13. "Magnum, P.I., CBS, 5.35 million.
14. "Mom," CBS, 5.3 million.
15. "United States of Al," CBS, 5.25 million.
16. "Bull," CBS, 5.02 million.
17. "911: Lone Star," Fox, 4.92 million.
18. "The Neighborhood," CBS, 4.89 million.
19. "NCIS: New Orleans," CBS, 4.79 million.
20. "Bob Hearts Abishola," CBS, 4.69 million.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More