- ABC drew a strong 5.3/9 final rating and 8.5 million viewers for Oklahoma State/Texas Tech or Cal/USC last Saturday night, up 36% in ratings and viewership from a 3.9/7 and 6.2 million for comparable regional action in ’07. Through last Saturday, ABC is averaging a 4.8 rating for Saturday Night Football, up 31% from a 3.7 through the same point last year.
- A rematch of the Stanley Cup Finals put up relatively strong numbers on Versus Tuesday night. The Penguins’ 7-6 victory over the Red Wings drew a 0.5 national rating, tied as the best rating ever for an NHL telecast on Versus. The game drew a 5.8 rating in Pittsburgh and a 3.3 in Detroit, making it the highest rated program on cable during the time period (7-9:45 PM) in both markets.
- Last night’s thriller between the Celtics and Hawks drew a 6.8 rating on Comcast SportsNet New England, making it the highest rated Celtics telecast ever on the network. The 6.8 rating surpasses the previous record high of 5.7 for a Celtics/Pistons game last season. From 10-10:30 PM, the game averaged a 10.1 rating, making it the highest rated program in Boston — broadcast or cable — during the time period.
Ted Turner, whose cable business transformed TV sports, dies
Ted Turner, the media mogul and team owner whose TBS "SuperStation" helped pave the way the era of cable...
